Media release – November 4, 2009

Last chance for thousands of Canterbury school children to win art competition

Entries close on Saturday for thousands of Canterbury school children in an art competition designed to highlight concerns over the future of the region’s rivers.

The Canterbury Children's Rivertalk Art competition closes this weekend. The project is drawing public attention to the Central Plains Water Scheme. This is affecting the Waimakariri and Rakaia Rivers and has been granted interim approval but may still be appealed in the Environment Court.

Environment Canterbury is hearing 34 companies and individuals who have lodged applications to take more than 164 million cubic metres of water from high country rivers and lakes to irrigate 27,000 acres in the Mackenzie Country.

Three Canterbury school children have the opportunity to win the river art competition and a prize of Alpine jet-boat ride.

The wining artworks will be selected by artists Sally Hope and Jane Zusters and Lady Diana Isaac of the Canterbury Water Trust at the COCA Gallery at 1 pm November 9.

The three winning entries from three age groups will be framed and hung alongside the art of Mark Adams, Nigel Brown, Linda James, Sam Mahon, Albi McCathy, Ramonda Te Maiharoa, Becky Turrell, Irene Schroder, Ben Woollcombe, Margaret Ryley, Sally Hope and Jane Zusters .

These works will make up an exhibition -- He Awa Reo -Rivertalk: art celebrating our rivers -- opening at COCA Gallery on November 24.

ENDS

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