May 31, 2012
The Wondai Regional Art Gallery is getting ready to buy another great artwork, but they don’t know yet which one it’s going to be.
The winner of the 14th annual Acquisitive Art Prize – which will be judged by an independent judge on Friday afternoon and announced on Friday night – will be finding a new home in the gallery’s permanent collection soon afterwards.
The Acquisitive Art prize was first awarded in 1998 when the Gallery obtained a $1000 sponsorship from a local bank to create an art competition.
Founding Art Gallery Director Alison Iszlaub decided the funds should be used towards building the gallery’s permanent collection through an acquisitive, and the idea quickly took root in the community.
The Acquisitive was then sponsored for three years by southburnett.com.au.
And from 2002 to the present day the sponsorship challenge has been taken up by a wide range of Wondai and South Burnett businesses and individuals, all of whom are keen to see the Gallery’s now striking collection continue to grow.
Current Gallery Director Elaine Madill says the quality and volume of works entered into this year’s Acquisitive Art Prize is very high.
The theme is “Year Of The Farmer” and entries have come from the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Bundaberg and Maleny as well as from across the South Burnett.
The winner of the Acquisitive Art Prize receives $1000 and the winning work becomes part of the Gallery’s permanent collection.
However the Acquisitive also has four other categories (Oils or Acrylics; Pastels; Hand-Built Pottery; and Water Colours) and the winning entry in each of these will receive a $200 prize, but the artist retains ownership of the artwork and remains free to sell it if they wish.
There’s also a People’s Choice Award of $100 which goes to the artwork selected by popular vote from the visitors on opening night.
This year’s Acquisitive almost completely fills the Gallery; works by students from Murgon State School appear in Kidz Korner.
The new exhibition will be officially opened with a $5.00 wine and cheese tasting at 6:00pm tomorrow (Friday).
This year’s competition is being sponsored by the Wondai RSL, Datawave Internet and Computers, Dan’s Diner, Wondai Real Estate, Wondai Pharmacy, Ryans Butchery, Andrew Hobbs and Associates Accountants, Cranes Winery, Kingaroy Office Supplies, the Wondai IGA Supermarket, QSP Pty Ltd, Wondai Hardware, Purser’s Coaches, and former South Burnett Mayor David Carter (who’s sponsoring the People’s Choice award and will be opening this year’s exhibition).
After the opening, the exhibition will remain on show at the Gallery from 10:00am to 4:00pm every day until the end of June.
- 2012 Acquisitive winners: A Golden Year For Local Artist
