SPOTLIGHT FALLS ON FINE ART IN NATIONAL COMPETITION

Talented artists from across the UK are invited to enter an open art competition organised by a Midlands stately home and sponsored by a leading fine art auction house.

The Granary Art Gallery at Weston Park, on the Staffordshire Shropshire border famous for hosting royalty and world leaders, has joined forces with Halls to launch a Fine Art Open Competition.

The winning artist will receive a prize of £2,000 and will also see their work of art featured in the Weston Park Granary Art Gallery’s August exhibition. In addition to the national prize, a regional prize of £500 will be awarded to entries from the Staffordshire and Shropshire area.

A third ‘junior’ category is open to budding artists under the age of 18 with the chance to win a selection of fine art equipment.

The recent sponsorship strengthens the auction house’s partnership with Weston Park as Halls will continue to hold regular fine art advisory days at the stately home. Experts are available throughout these events to give visitors free appraisals on fine and decorative art, jewellery and collectibles.

Gareth Williams, curator to the Weston Park Foundation said: “Weston Park is an educational charity and we are passionate about fostering and encouraging talented artists. We feel this open competition will provide an ideal platform to promote the country’s emerging artists.

“We are delighted that Halls has committed to supporting the Fine Art Open Competition and look forward to welcoming both national and regional submissions.”

The Halls Fine Art Open Competition will be displayed in the Granary Art Gallery throughout August 2011. Artists may submit up to five works of art for a registration cost of £15.

Weston Park’s Granary Art Gallery was opened in a restored granary building in 2009. It has rapidly established a reputation for its changing catalogue of selling exhibitions by acclaimed artists from the around the country as well as displaying historical artefacts and paintings, on loan from private collections.

For information on the Halls Fine Art Open competition and to download the registration form visit www.weston-park.com/hallsopen.

For further infromation please contact Sue Foster on 01902 714 957 or email connect -group.com.