This summer the 10th Welsh Artist of the Year will be announced in a special anniversary ceremony at St David’s Hall, Cardiff – and it could be you. Entry is now open to all artists born, working and living in Wales hoping to join the celebrated list of prize-winners.
Last year Butetown-based photographer Tim Freeman took the title with his subversive landscape photograph Hidden System, which showed a giant pipeline cutting through a pastoral British countryside scene in an prophetic statement on the way man is damaging the natural landscape.
This year he returns to join the panel of judges which includes one of Wales’ best known painters Iwan Bala; Jane Phillips, director of the Mission Gallery, Swansea; Lynne Crompton, curator of Oriel Q, Narberth, and Ruth Cayford, curator of the Welsh Artist of the Year Exhibition.
The competition, which is organised by St David’s Hall, Cardiff, was originally set up as a one-off to celebrate the new Millennium, to promote and celebrate the wealth of artistic talent in Wales.
Since Cardiff-based painter Brendan Stuart Burns won the first title in 2000, more than 5000 artists have taken part and past winners such as Sally Moore, William Selwyn and Walter Keeler have gone on to forge international reputations for their work.
This year a total prize of £2,000 is on offer for the most innovative and talented Welsh artists and will be split across seven categories: painting, sculpture, photography, applied arts, printmaking, drawing and student.
Since winning last year Tim Freeman says his artist profile has increased with two solo shows at St David’s Hall and Chapter, Cardiff and many sales through galleries and private patrons.
The Yorkshire-bred photographer also had his work shortlisted for the final of the Northern Printmakers Exhibition and he was invited to lecture to art students at the University College of Wales, Howard Gardens, Cardiff.
“There’s no doubt winning Welsh Artist of the Year opened doors for me. As a judge I will be looking for quality of the finished piece of work and how well the artist communicates their subject,” he said.
The winner will be announced in a ceremony at St David’s Hall, Cardiff, on Sunday, June 20th. The winning entries will be exhibited alongside 100 others making the shortlist in the Welsh Artist of the Year Exhibition, which runs from June 20 to August 6.
Exhibition curator Ruth Cayford said: “With this being the 10th anniversary we are hoping 2010 will be the strongest year for entries. We’ve had some amazing winners through the last decade and the competition’s reputation has grown in the art community in Wales and throughout the UK.”
HOW TO ENTER:
The competition is open to any artists over the age of 18, living and working in Wales, and any Welsh artists living in the UK.
The closing date for entries is February 24, 2010. Judging will take place in March.
Entry forms are available to download from the website at www.stdavidshallcardiff.co.uk
or by contacting Ruth Cayford, Exhibition Officer, Foyer Galleries, St David’s Hall, The Hayes, Cardiff, CF10 1SH. Email: [email protected]
