News
Gallery launches Art Award to honour benefactor - 29 Jul 2010
Tauranga Art Gallery has launched the biennial Miles Art Award in honour of one its first benefactors, Venetta Miles.
Venetta Miles generously donated over $1 million to the Tauranga Art Gallery Trust for the establishment of a public art gallery.
The award is open to artists over 18 years of age, who reside in the Bay of Plenty. All works submitted will undergo a selection process, and those selected will be exhibited in the Gallery from 18 December 2010 through until 27 February 2011.
"This is great for our region," says Gallery Director, Penelope Jackson. "It's an opportunity to showcase the wealth of creative talent the Bay of Plenty has to offer, especially for our visitors over the summer period."
The Miles Art Award has four categories of prizes. The winner of the Miles Award will receive $2,000. Recipients of the Ethel MacMillan Award and the Friends of the Gallery Award will each receive $500, and the recipient of the Blur Opticians Award for best emerging artist, will receive $200.
Winners of the awards will be announced on Friday 17 December.
Venetta, or Netta as she was known, and Herbie Miles farmed near Cambridge Road, Bethlehem for fifty years. Miles Lane was named for them. The couple's two children died in infancy, and after Herbie's death, Venetta subdivided and sold the farm, which was the basis of the donation Venetta bequeathed to the Tauranga Art Gallery Trust.
Venetta was always interested in art, gardens and horticulture. She was an original member of the Tauranga Sketch Club and a prolific amateur painter. Upon her death in 1992 aged 79, Venetta left the bulk of her estate for the purchase of a public art gallery for Tauranga.
Venetta's generosity and foresight will be remembered through this newly established biennial exhibition and award.
Entries for the award are to be submitted to the Gallery on Thursday 18 and Friday 19 November.
Click here for further details (Entry Forms and Conditions of Entry)
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