CREATIVE CUTS - Open for entries!

Entries are open for the Mary Valley Art Festival which celebrates its 25th  anniversary this year. 

Artists have until July 6 to lodge the paperwork for their entries, which must be delivered no later than July 13 for the festival. From July 23-26 the Imbil Public Hall will be filled with hundreds of artworks. 

Festival President, Heinke Butt, said the festival continued to attract strong participation, with more than $10,500 in prize money and a wide range of categories, including a dedicated youth section. 

Highlights include the Best in Show Award, supported by the Gympie and District Community Bank,  and a full program of events including the awards night on July 24 and Sunday artisan markets.  

It has been a big year for Mary Valley Artslink, which opened a purpose-built fine art gallery in Imbil in  February. Art on Yabba has a growing following and opens its next exhibition Evoke Modern on Saturday June 6 at 4pm. 

Evoke Modern is presented by the Forshaw and McGannon Studios from Doonan. The eight  contributing artists push the boundaries of their personal styles in this collection of 2D and 3D works. 

This month, the gallery supports the GourMay Mary Valley Food Festival with a feature exhibition,  Palate and Poise. This group exhibition brings together celebrated artists exploring the theme of  food—from the natural sources that sustain us to contemporary interpretations of still life. The  exhibition runs throughout the month, with the gallery open Thursday to Sunday, 10am to 2pm. 

Mary Valley Artslink has also secured funding to deliver an exciting year of arts programming, with the  launch of a new 12-month workshop series. Led by highly respected tutors, the program aims to provide accessible, high quality creative opportunities for both local artists and the wider community. 

The initiative has been made possible through the support of the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland, part of the Department of Education. Full program details and booking information will be released via the Mary Valley Artslink Facebook page. (Pictured: Om Mandala by Lisa Stanton.)