Entries open for Greater Manchester arts prize

Andrew Brooks - winner in 2016

Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce is holding a competition for emerging contemporary artists.

The GM Arts Prize was launched last year, thanks to a grant from Arts Council England and sponsorship from the business community.

The prize is open to practising semi-professional and professional artists working or living in one of the 10 local authorities across Greater Manchester. The overall winner and three runners-up will be presented with an award at the Chamber’s Annual Business Dinner on 18 May at Victoria Warehouse.

The overall winner will receive a cash prize of £1,500 (with £150 of vouchers from art suppliers Fred Aldous and paper products from G.F Smith), with the three runners-up each receiving a cash prize of £750 (with £50 of vouchers from Fred Aldous and paper products from G.F Smith). Shortlisted entries and the winners will receive exhibition space to display their artwork in the Chamber Summer 2017 Exhibition.

Sitting on the judging panel are: Paulette Terry Brien, Co-director of The International 3 and Co-curatorial Co-ordinator of The Manchester Contemporary; Helen Wewiora, Director of Castlefield Gallery; Rachel Goodyear, Visual Artist; Andrew Brooks, Manchester-based artist, photographer and the winner of the 2016 Greater Manchester Arts Prize; Louise Durose, General & Legal Counsel at MAN Diesel & Turbo UK Ltd.

Joy Sewart, Head of Skills Development at Greater Manchester Chamber, said: “We launched the GM Arts Prize to provide a platform for emerging contemporary artists in Greater Manchester to showcase their work to the business community.”

The 2017 arts prize is now open for entries. Artists can submit work via the website at:

www.gmartsprize.co.uk