Wondering when Art Awards 2012 will be launched?

Wondering if they will run in 2012?

WATCH THIS SPACE in the New Year, when we hope to provide you with some long-awaited answers!

Early news about Art Awards 2012 will be posted here over the Summer.

The exhibition is now in its final week at the RBSA Gallery Birmingham.  It closes at 5pm on Saturday 21 May 2011.
Last Saturday we held our Celebration Open Day with the announcement of this year’s prize winners.  It was a fantastic day with many artists and their families attending from far afield.  Our thanks to everyone who supported the event and made the day so special.  For those who were unable to attend, here is the list of prizes that were awarded:-

The Girlings Prize for Landscape / Seascape to Vera Turner for “Afternoon in the Garden”
The EAC Prize for Still Life to Dianne Cox for “By the Window”
The EAC Prize for Watercolour to John New for “The Black Country”
The EAC Prize for Drawing to Gordon Morley for “Damian”
The EAC Prize for Oil Painting to Denis Day for “Trebarwith Strand”
The EAC Prize for Portraiture to Keith Ripley for “That Mona Lisa Smile?”
The EAC Prize for 3D work to Sidney Chandler for “Wren in Bush”
The EAC Prize for Photography to Malcolm English for “The Shadow”
The Leisure Painter Subscription Prize to Elizabeth Higgs for “Mixed Bunch”
The Artist Subscription Prize to Bette Hopkins for “Cornish Harbour”
The EAC People’s Choice Award to Sandra Shevlin for “Daniel Under the Banyan”
The Angela Farnell Memorial Prize to Anita Amy Harrison for “Bavarian Alps Farmer”
The Angela Farnell Memorial Prize to Margaret Martin for “Landscape”

Our sincere thanks to our sponsors, The Artist and Leisure Painter, Girlings Retirement Rentals and Sweet Tree Home Care Services for their generosity and support.
Congratulations to all the artists who made this such a vibrant and successful event.

The 2011 EAC Art Awards Exhibition is now open at the RBSA Gallery, 4 Brook Street, Birmingham, until 21st May.
Opening hours are
Monday to Friday 10.30am – 5.30pm,
Saturday 10.30am - 5pm
Sunday, 1pm- 5pm.
Saturday 14th May is an invitation only ‘Celebration Open Day’ for finalists and highly commended artists in this year’s competition.
Admission to the exhibition is free.

The exhibition looks superb! Congratulations to all the artists; finalists and highly commendeds, whose talent and hard work have made this exhibition possible. The RBSA Gallery in Birmingham has been an excellent choice for this year's venue, following in a great tradition of Art Awards exhibitions since 1994.

If you are unable to get to Birmingham, then please do keep an eye on the Art Awards website. We hope to post the winners names online on Monday morning, 16th May. Photos of the Saturday Open Day will follow soon after. Meanwhile the online gallery of finalists’ works can temporarily be found under the ‘Galleries’ tab on the blue band across the Home Page.

Online voting for The EAC People’s Choice Award 2011 will end at 9pm on Monday 9th May.

The day after voting closes, on Tuesday 10th May, this year’s EAC Art Awards exhibition opens at Birmingham’s RBSA Gallery, and those who are keen to see the works of art in the flesh can visit the gallery from 10.30am.

Those who have been enjoying the neck-and-neck battle for this year’s top places may be interested to know that the voting in 2009 concluded with 735 points (287 votes) for the first place (Gordon Morley’s ‘Downham Village’) beating Gerald Hudson’s ‘Venice’ by  61 points only on the last day. With two weeks yet to go, nothing can be taken for granted!

At the time of writing, we are delighted that 2650 votes have been cast and 780 comments posted. Please keep them coming, and don’t forget, if by any chance we get a rainy day in the next two weeks, please post additional comments on finalists’ work that interests or pleases you. To many artists, encouraging comments are worth more than votes.

Good Luck …and hope to see you in Birmingham!

Voting for the PCA started on 15th March, just 20 days ago, and already 1300 votes have been cast, and over 400 comments added to the website. Brilliant! The artists currently in the top 3 positions however can take nothing for granted, as there are still nearly another 5 weeks in which to vote, and everything can change from day to day, as last year’s nail-biting finish taught us!

Meanwhile, there’s a fascinating programme called Google Analytics, which  tells us everything we could possibly want to know about numbers of people   visiting the website, which pages they look at, what countries they live in, etc etc. And the great news is that the Art awards website is busier now than it’s been at any time since voting in 2009. Over the last month there have been 54,357 pages viewed, with people spending an average of 5 minutes each on site. Whilst the vast majority of visitors to the website came from the UK, 350 came from the USA, 80 from Canada, 50 from France, 40 from Australia, 20 from India, 6 from Russia, 2 from Iran, 1 from The Democratic Republic of Congo, and so on.

This year, we have a longer period for voting than we had last year, so there is still plenty of time left to build up to that nail-biting finish. Meanwhile, why not add some comments about the work of artists that you do not know? Although limited to 3 votes per person, there is no limit to the comments you can post.
There are finalists without a computer, who have never seen the online gallery, and who would be delighted to see their work on screen. Do you know anybody in this position, and if so, could you help?

Don't forget, the winner of EAC's People's Choice Award 2011 will receive their prize on the exhibition Open Day on 14th May 2011 at the RBSA gallery in Birmingham.

It is with great pleasure that EAC can now announce the results of the 2010-11 Art Awards competition:

FINALISTS

Chris Abbott, James Aldred, Ursula Allen, Jean Anderson, Rosalind Avadis,
Carol Bagni, Kay Bamford, Joan Beal, Susan Bell, Margaret Bennett, Meryl Blake, David Blinkhorn, Ethel Blosse, Anthea Bond, Jane Bowen, Stanley Bowley, Joyce Brook,
James Butler,
Archibald John Campbell, Heather Cannon, Jeffrey William Cargill, Iona Carter,Olivia Chalmers, Frederick Chamberlain, Sidney Chandler, Neil Chapman, Leslie Child, Margaret Chowns, Barbara Clapham, Brian A Collins, Dianne Cox,  Margaret Coyle, Eileen Cripps
Roger Crooks
David J Davies, Dennis Day, Chris Doran, Edna Dray, Nan Edwards, Peter Endersby, Vera Engels, Sue England, Malcolm English, John Exley
Margaret Fairhead, Marianne Fennymore, Colin Finlay Hayes, Gillian Fitzhugh, Jackie Flaherty, Elyse Forty,  Ray Foxell
Maurice Gale, Doreen Gilbert, Rita Greengrass, Jill Gregory, Alan Grundy,
Sam Hall, Peter Hardwick, Anita Amy Harrison, Anne Harrison, Colin Harrow, Tom Hawkes,
Joan Hems, Elizabeth Higgs, Joseph Hitchcock, Paula Holland, Bette Hopkins,
Carl Johnson
Sheila Karran, John Kaye, Jiri Anthony Keller, Lesley Kilner, Ann Kirk,
Richard Lakin, John Lamb, Christine-Ann Lambert, Nan Leifer, Patricia Leontieff, Alfred Levy,
Joan Lockett, Janice Sheila Lockwood, Dorothy Love,
Siv MacArthur, Margaret Martin, Rudi Matzk, Derek Maurice, Marg McArdell, Rosemary McCarthy, Peter McGain, Eileen McGee, Gillian Minter, Gordon Morley, Margaret Murdoch,
John New, Reginald Norfolk,
Bob Palmer
George Ricketts, Keith Ripley, Margaret Roberts, Mary Roscoe, Colin Robinson, Vincent Roffe,
Joan Seabrook,  Sandra Shevlin, Christine Southworth,  Jack Stancombe, Ann-Monique Stellinga, Isobel Strange, Peter Strowger,
Christine Taylor, Judy Taylor, Anthony Teesdale, Pat Thirtle, Sylvia Thornhill, David Tribe, Vera Turner,
Eileen Walker, Arthur Williams, Susan Wood

HIGHLY COMMENDEDS

Margaret Ahmed, Carol Allen, Winnifred Allison, Darryl Andree,
Tony Baldwin, William Tagg Belshaw, Valerie Biddulph, Terry Blaber, David Jeffery Burt,
Valerie Carrick, Dennis Charlesworth, Anne Chaudhri, John Collins,
Alice Dass, Dorothy Dawson, Marianne Downing,
Colin Feeley, Anne Fyne,
Marilyn Gardner, Rosemary Gates, Mira Golya, Gladys Goodrick, Gil Gregory, Freda Guihen,
Gayle Hodges, Sue Hodges,
Marjorie Jones,
Fiona Law, Pamala Lawson,
Karen Maidment, Freda Maxfield, Allan McIntosh, Sheila Metcalfe, Daisy Orme,
Clive Sayer, Joan Scoble, Fenya Sharkey, Burns Shearer, Mandi Stovell, Fiona Sullivan,
Jean Taylor,Gill Teather,
Wesley Bert Wells, David Welsh

Thank you very much to all the artists who took part, and our congratulations to our finalists and highly commendeds. Everyone should be receiving an email or letter today or at the latest tomorrow.
Watch this space for more information about The People’s Choice Award and the exhibition in Birmingham, where prizes will be awarded to approximately 13 of the finalists.

This is the best and almost the most exciting time in the Art Awards schedule. The entries are pouring in, the phone keeps ringing, the scanner’s going, the computer’s getting hot under the collar (or is that us?), and it’s all coming together suddenly.
If you’re reading this because you have entered the Art Awards this year, then thank you very much…and congratulations. The entries are as varied and fascinating as ever; from individuals of the tender age of 60; from residents of care homes aged over 90; collaborative entries; entries from Canada and France as well as the islands of Coll and Orkney.
Whilst the majority of entries continue to be within the painting and drawing categories, there are also photos, books, bronze sculptures, etchings, textiles and collages.
If you’ve not entered yet, but are considering doing so, then there are now just six days left before the deadline for entries of Friday 4th March 2011. But please don’t panic, we will accept entries that come in over next weekend.

What happens then?
All the entries this year are being scanned and then put into the computer. On Judging Day, which is 10th March, the judges will be able to view all the entries on a large screen linked to a computer. All the images will be magnifiable so that they can be viewed in close detail. This means that all entries, whether online, or submitted by post, will be judged in the same format.
When the judges have made their selection of a maximum 100 finalists and between 50 and 70 highly commended, we will endeavour to inform all entrants (successful or not) of the result of their entry(ies) by  the date given; 14th March. However, I suspect we may run a little late on this, particularly  where we have no email address. Please be patient. We will also post the names of the winners and highly commendeds on the website as soon as all the letters have gone out.

And then?
Another fun time. The images of the finalists’ works are posted on the Art Awards website and voting for the People’s Choice Award begins. After logging in, anyone with a computer can cast votes for their favourite three works. They can also post comments (positive and supportive preferably) The artist with the most votes will be awarded The EAC People’s Choice Award 2011 at the exhibition preview event on the 14th May.
While the website is being set up, finalists will be contacted by Parker-Harris, the Art Consultancy that works with EAC to stage the exhibition. Full advice and guidance about transport of artworks to Birmingham will be given.

And then?
Watch this space for more details about the exhibition and sale of artworks.

Just a reminder to those of you who haven’t entered yet, that there is only just over one week left to EAC’s 4th March closing date for entries.

We have had many queries this year about transport of artworks to Birmingham, if selected for exhibition. In response, we have made things easier than they were for London exhibitions. We have arranged for up to 4 drop-off points to be made available between the 4th and 6th May. Depending on demand, these will be in: Esher, Surrey; Vauxhall, London; Cheltenham, Gloucestershire; and Ormskirk, Lancashire, in addition to Birmingham. If required, unsold works will also be transported back to these points after the exhibition.

If your only knowledge of Birmingham is like mine was, ie a National coach detouring through to the Bull Ring on the way to London in the 70s, then it’s time to give it another look. You’ll be surprised. The route from the train to the RBSA gallery is a delight, and St Paul’s Square, home to the RBSA, is one of the historic gems of the city.  For a brief history and pictures of St Pauls’ Square follow this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Paul's_Square,_Birmingham

Take a look at our website at www.eacartawards.org.uk to get a glimpse, on the Home Page, of just a few of the entries we have already received for this year's competition. Why be shy? We welcome entries from all talents, all mediums and all ages. We have three entries so far from artists over 90 years of age, and entries from Canada, France and the Orkneys. So, why not add yours, and help to make EAC Art Awards Birmingham the best ever!

It’s a delight to see the entries pouring in now, and we hope you like the ‘taster’ idea on the website home page. We are only displaying a fraction of the entries, but we trust, if you’re one of the early entrants, that you’re pleased to see your image on screen. If you haven’t entered yet, we hope the sheer variety and styles of the entries in the taster gallery work as a spur and an encouragement to have a go!

Our oldest entrant so far is a lady of 90, with three 89 year-olds following in her wake. We also have several collaborative entries submitted from art therapy groups in residential settings. So far this year, as always, the vast majority of entries are paintings, drawings and photography. There are a small number of textile art and sculptural entries but we really need more! If you submitted a sculptural knitted tea-cosy you could scoop a prize! Remember Joan Seabrook’s winning entry in 2008? And, if you work in glass, in collage…in fact, in any medium whatsoever, please don’t worry. The EAC Art Awards want to be inclusive, and to celebrate and encourage the creativity of older people in all visual art forms…so…surprise us all!

Joan Seabrook 'Tea in the Garden' prizewinner 2008

We have been very busy behind the scenes, answering the phone, scanning in postal entries, planning for the exhibition in May (have you looked at the RBSA’s brilliant website yet, at http://www.rbsa.org.uk ?) and we have made some changes to the online entry form, which some entrants were finding a bit unfriendly. We are sure you’ll find it much more friendly now. If not, let us know!

Lastly…about EAC Art Awards on Facebook! We certainly pressed some buttons here, and we’ve had loads of emails from people who’ve visited the site, but can’t post a comment because they’re not members. Understandably they don’t want to sign up to something they don’t fully understand. So, no worries. We’ll use it for more frequent snippets of news to keep artists informed, and update this blog in addition, every week or so. So please keep looking. It’s our news board.

Don’t forget: The deadline for entries is 4th March and the initial round of judging is now scheduled for 10th March. Entrants will hear of the result of their entry by the 14th March…or perhaps a day or two later if they don’t have email.