May 19, 2016
A cent auction will be held in Nanango this weekend to help raise funds for a state-wide touring exhibition by South Burnett artists.
The “Brushes And Flashes Cent Auction” will be held at Taras Hall next to Nanango RSL from 1:00pm to 3:00pm this Saturday, May 21.
The event is being organised by Karren Bolton, who is currently completing an Arts degree.
Karren came up with the idea of touring local artists around the State as part of her final year studies.
She has already organised nine different galleries between Charters Towers and Warwick to host the exhibition, as well as the 11 local artists who’ll be putting their works on display.
The exhibition will hit the road in September this year, but will also be shown in the South Burnett as part of the tour.
Karren said the South Burnett has many good artists whose work deserves a wider audience.
She also believes the touring exhibition will expose the region to a market of people who may never have heard of the South Burnett before who might be persuaded to visit it to see more locally-produced art.
“We have some excellent art galleries in the South Burnett, and they already draw a lot of tourists,” Karren said.
“I’d like to see if we can persuade more people to visit them in the future.”
Karren estimates the touring exhibition will cost $15,000 to move around the State.
She will be using her own vehicle to shift the artworks between venues, and has pared costs to the bone to make the venture do-able.
“I’m expecting to be camping out more than a few times before this is over,” she said.
“Petrol will be the biggest expense, followed by food. But anything beyond that is a luxury, and I’ve put together a very lean budget.”
Saturday’s cent auction will offer a wide range of prizes. Some, like works by well-known Nanango indigenous artist Anthony Donas, will be art-related, but most won’t.
“You don’t have to like art or want to support the arts,” Karren said.
“This cent auction is all about having fun and winning great prizes.”
Admission to the cent auction is $5, and tickets are $1 per sheet. An afternoon tea will also be available.
