(PR.co.nz) Training and event facilities provider Cliftons has launched its Art Prize, and is seeking entries from emerging artists from across Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong and Singapore by 27 April 2011.
With a total prize pool of almost $30,000, the independently judged International winner will be awarded a total prize of $10,000 and nine other State and Regional winners will each receive $2,000.
In addition to the winners’ prizes, finalists will have the opportunity to have their artworks on display to business communities across Cliftons’ venues internationally, in a move to encourage corporate patronage of the arts.
Cliftons owner, Andrew Cameron, is passionate about the arts, and sees the competition as a tangible way of supporting local emerging artists, as well as enriching the visual experience at Cliftons’ training venues.
“We are very focussed on providing visually stimulating environments for our training and events facilities,” says Cameron.
“Supporting the arts is another demonstration of our commitment to visual excellence. We are proud to be involved with young and emerging artists across our local communities.”
Cliftons also supports the Art Gallery of NSW through a corporate membership.
Cliftons Art Prize 2008 Sydney winner, Sue Saxon, welcomed the opportunity to have her art moved out of the expected forum of an art gallery or museum.
“Placing art in the workplace can help create an environment of palpable creativity – it’s a wonderful chance to experience a different relationship with the artwork and the artist,” says Saxon. “On a personal note, as I was experimenting with new work, I appreciated the opportunity Cliftons gave me to expose that work to the community and open a discussion about how it could be understood.”
The State and Regional Prizes will be awarded in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Wellington, Auckland, Hong Kong and Singapore between May – July 2011. The International Grand Prize, as judged from amongst the finalists, will be announced mid July 2011.
The competition’s independent judges include Tim Abdullah, Head of Art at Menzies, Justin Jade Morgan, Director of the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts and Australian artist and printmaker, David Bromley.
The prize has attracted high calibre entries in its previous years; in 2001, the inaugural National Prize was won by Taryn Lee Steere, followed by Melbourne’s Eric Hewitson in 2004, Auckland’s Philip Wood in 2006 and a number of State Prize winners in 2008.
The competition’s deadline for submissions is 5pm local time 27 April, 2011. Initial judging will be based upon photographs of original works submitted online at via www.cliftons.com/cliftons-art-award. Finalists will be contacted to submit their artwork prior to final judging.
Media Release 14 April 2011 from Cliftons.