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University sponsors first prize at local art exhibition

24/05/2016

University sponsors first prize at local art exhibition

The University of Wolverhampton has sponsored this year’s first prize winner at the Staffordshire Open Art Exhibition.

Laura van Helmond from Newcastle under Lyme is celebrating after her painting ‘Horse’ took the top prize of £1,000.

The unique show features paintings, drawings, prints, sculpture, photography, film and animation submitted by local artists at Staffordshire Shire Hall. The exhibition will run until Sunday 3rd July 2016.

Laura said: "I am delighted to have won 1st prize at the Shire Hall Gallery Open Art and would like to thank the judges for selecting my work, the University of Wolverhampton for awarding the prize and all the gallery staff for all the work they put into arranging the exhibition."

The Open Art Exhibition is being promoted as part of the University’s seven week festival, Artsfest, which will see over 20 organisations and venues staging over 100 events across Wolverhampton, Walsall and Stafford in celebration of the arts.

University sponsors first prize to the sum of £1,000 at the Staffordshire Art Exhibition  

William Foster, Dean of Staffordshire at the University of Wolverhampton, said: “The University is proud to have a presence in Stafford and sponsorship of the winning prize shows our ongoing commitment to engaging with the local community. The show is an extremely important event in the gallery’s calendar as it promotes new talent and provides an opportunity for newly emerging artists in the region to show their work, often for the first time.

“It’s wonderful that this unique exhibition coincides with Artsfest - a great example of how cultural venues join together and celebrate what the region has to offer in terms of creativity.” 

Artsfest runs throughout May until 24th June 2016 and over half of the events are free and a third of them under £10. Full details of events can be found on the website: http://www.wlv.ac.uk/about-us/our-schools-and-institutes/faculty-of-arts/artsfest/. Join the Artsfest conversation online by using #WLVArtsfest

ENDS

For more information regarding Artsfest please email Fran Richards – Artsfest Co-Ordinator f.richards2@wlv.ac.uk or call 01902 321 321 or contact the Media Relations Office on 01902 322003/322736

Date Issued: 25th May 2016

For more information please contact the Corporate Communications Team.

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