Mary Valley Art festival

Equine art welcome at Mary Valley Art Festival

Equestrian events dominate the events calendar in the Mary Valley and the popularity of the horse is now recognised with a new category in the up-coming Mary Valley Art Festival.

Entry forms are now available for the annual exhibition, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year with an innovative project called 10/10.

Yes, the organisers of the annual event have given themselves full marks for its success in the country village of Imbil, but you will have to wait until opening night to see what it’s all about.

This year the festival fun runs from July 8-11, with awards valued over $5000 and entries expected to exceed well over 300.

It has enjoyed ever-increasing interest from the art sector and general public and to mark its anniversary, all previous participants over the festival's 10 years have been invited to submit an original piece for an innovative project.

The collective artwork brings together the works of 130 artists to create one piece which will be unveiled on opening night. It is the brainchild of interior designer and the festival’s creative director Heinke Butt, of Imbil, who was engaged by the organisers to develop the project.

Opening and awards night on July 8 is always a fabulous celebration with entertainment and great food, wine and company.

The lucrative festival’s open award has $1000 in prize money. Other categories offering $400 in prize money include landscape, novice, human form and the acquisitive abstract and miniature categories.

A standard addition to the program is now the People’s Choice Award, sponsored by Borumba Deer Park and announced on the third and last day of the Fest, accompanied by a wine and cheese celebratory closing of the event.

Entries close on June 18, and entry forms are available at Gympie libraries and the art gallery, and selected outlets, or download a form from www.maryvalleyshow.com

Inquiries to mvartfest@gmail.com or ring Jan Watt on 0437 733383.

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