Art Event fund-raiser for Chch Art Gallery

Media release – November 13, 2006
Big annual Art Event fund-raiser expected to earn thousands of dollars for Christchurch Art Gallery

Some of New Zealand’s leading artists will be offering their paintings for minimal amounts in the Christchurch’s big annual Art Event on November 24.

Hundreds of people are expected to flock to the annual Art Event run by the Friends of the Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetu.

Works began arriving this week from around the country for one of Christchurch’s most popular arts events which offers the opportunity for art enthusiasts to collect unique pieces from some of New Zealand’s leading artists.

The Art Event is staged annually by the Friends of the Christchurch Art Gallery to support a special Gallery art project.

This year 28 established and emerging New Zealand artists have created a variety of works specifically for the November 24 fund-raiser at the gallery.

A total of 23 art works will be sold by blind auction, at a fixed price of $600, and five additional works are auctioned at the end of the night.

Organiser Marianne Hargreaves said the evening is one of the most entertaining, glamorous and exciting events in the gallery’s calendar.

``It shows a commitment from the public and artists to fundraise for the gallery’s acquisition programme.”

Artists who have provided work for the fixed-price auction of $600 include Raewyn Atkinson, Jason Greig, Paul Deans, Sheyne Tuffery, Sue Upritchard, Kate Wells, Matt Couper, Mark Lander, Areta Wilkinson, Jane Zusters and Neil Pardington.

The evening’s finale will offer works by Don Binney, Hannah Kidd, Tim Main, Lyndsay Patterson and Maryrose Crook for auction.

The works will be displayed for public viewing on the Gallery Balcony, during the day of The Art Event.

Fundraising activity from previous events has enabled the Friends to donate $80,000 towards the Gallery’s Oriel Window, which was unveiled to celebrate the Gallery’s first anniversary.

The Christchurch Art Gallery was opened in 2003 and had over 900,000 visitors in its first two years’ of operation. It is the largest gallery in the South Island, with one of New Zealand’s foremost public art collections of over 5500 items including paintings, prints, drawings, sculpture, ceramics, textiles, glass, and photography.

ENDS

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