Prizes of up to $7000 for artists from around region in 2022 Whanganui Arts Review

Principal sponsor Anne Pattillo is backing the Whanganui Arts Review for a fourth year. Photo / Supplied

Artists from across the Whanganui region will have the chance to have their art on display at Sarjeant on the Quay during the annual Whanganui Arts Review.

The submission day for this year's exhibition, which is open to any artist living in the Whanganui region, including Ruapehu, Rangitīkei and South Taranaki, is November 1 at Sarjeant on the Quay, from 10.30am to 4.30pm.

The resulting exhibition of selected works will open on Saturday, November 12, and will be on display over the summer, closing on February 26.

For the first time in the history of the review, students enrolled at UCOL Whanganui studying towards a degree, diploma, or certificate in creative industries are eligible to enter, regardless of where they live.

Sarjeant Gallery curator and public programmes manager Greg Donson said the submission day was one of the busiest days of the year for gallery staff.

"The exhibition is a great opportunity for a huge range of artists to throw their hat in the ring and have their work seen; one of the things that the staff always enjoy is the social aspect of the day, and it's a reminder of the strength of the arts community in the city," he said.

This year, all selected entries will also be in the running for the review's main prize, the Open Award - the value of which has been increased to $7000, thanks to principal sponsor, Pattillo.

The 2022 Open Award winner will also be the recipient of the Pattillo Project, a solo artist showcase exhibition which will be in the reopened Sarjeant Gallery in 2024.

Donson said the Pattillo Project was like no other exhibition in New Zealand, as it was awarded on the merit of a single piece of work.

"It's all about seeing the potential, and then about supporting that potential to be fully realised as a bigger project in the gallery space," he said.

The Open Award winner will also receive a website designed and hosted by Whanganui web design company, Two Monkeys.

As well as the Open Award, two Excellence Awards of $1000 each will be awarded, sponsored by Dalgleish Architects, Article, and Money Poppins.

Eight Merit Awards of $250 will be up for grabs, and a Youth Recognition Award of $200 is open to all entrants between the ages of 12 and 24.

Entrants will be notified of their selection for the review exhibition and the awards on November 7, with the awards night on November 11.