I hold my hand up and admit an involvement in this event, I am proud to say that I have been involved with the Northern Art Prize since the earliest days. I work alongside Director Pippa Hale to help with the events leading up to the exhibition opening and the prize giving.
The prize has grown each year, the significant prize money awarded to the winning artist this year is £16,500 with the shortlisted entrants winning £1500. Logistik, Leeds City Council & Arup are joined this year by Leeds Metropolitan University and City Inn. For artists to win, or be shortlisted helps them further their career both nationally and internationally, and the money really does make a big impact (last year’s winner Paul Rooney was able to buy a cooker!)
It’s now in the third year, and this year for the new Northern Art Prize blog (soon to be revealed) I am getting to indulge my inquisitive nature by meeting the artists involved, sneaking behind the scenes at Leeds Art Gallery to see what really goes on when putting a prize exhibition on, and generally asking the questions most of us feel too uncomfortable to.
So why don’t you get along to Leeds Art Gallery to see the selected work of shortlisted artists Pavel Bϋchler, Nick Crowe and Ian Rawlinson, Rachel Goodyear and Matt Stokes. The exhibition opens on the 27th November and runs until 21st February 2010.