Yellow™ Art Awards open for entries

MEDIA RELEASE
5 February 2009

WELLINGTONcommunity project to benefit as Yellow™ Art Awards open for entries

Community projects in six regions, including Wellington, stand to benefit from the revamped Yellow™ Art Awards, which has opened for entries for 2009 in the Wellington, Hawke’s Bay, Waikato, Timaru & Oamaru, Wanganui and Otago regions.

The Yellow™ Art Awards programme has been enhanced by The Yellow™ Foundation Trust which will top-up and distribute the funds raised from auctioning the artworks.

The Yellow™ Foundation Trust will select a community project from submissions by Yellow™ staff, in each region, that will benefit to the value of $10,000.

Yellow™Marketing Director Kellie Nathan says the trust will donate money to regional initiatives in each of the 18 regions rather than via one centralised charity.

“We looked at our successful Yellow™ Art Awards programme and felt there was an opportunity to connect more with regional communities.”

An expert judging panel comprising Mark Olsen, a winner from the 2007 competition; John Daly-Peoples, an art consultant and critic, and Hamish Coney, Managing Director of Art + Object will select the finalists from each region. The public will then have the opportunity to vote online to decide whose artwork makes the White pages® cover in the Wellingtonregion.

Ms Nathan said the Yellow™ and White pages® represented nearly all New Zealanders and the Yellow™ Art Awards programme was about reflecting the regions of those New Zealanders.

“Our books are used by 1 in 3 New Zealander’s each week and our Yellow™ Art Awards programme ensures that the books reflect the regions they are part of.”

Later this year, the annual Yellow™ Art Awards Charity Auction will be held in Aucklandwhere the three finalists from each region will go under the hammer to raise money for the chosen community projects.

Entries for Wellingtonare open until Friday 22 May. To enter, people have the option to either submit their entry via the website www.yellowartawards.co.nz or by post.

Further information is available by visiting the website.

Key facts about the Yellow™ Art Awards:
• The Yellow™ Art Awards have been held annually since 1990 (previously the Yellow Pages Group™ Art Awards).
• Many well known New Zealand artists have entered the Yellow™ Art Awards and had artworks featured on the front of the White pages®.
• Each year up to 1,000 entries are received from emerging and established artists.
• 324 original artworks have been published on the front covers of White pages® since the competition started.
• Competition details and entry forms can be found at www.yellowartawards.co.nz or by calling 0800 104 509.
• The winner receives $2,000, first runner up $1,000 and second runner up $500.

ENDS

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