By Anonymous, 01 July 2016, 14:20PM
Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust will be celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2017. To mark this significant milestone, the Trust has a launched an open art competition inviting members of the local community to submit artwork that has been inspired by the Museums.
The free-to-enter Community Art Competition is open to both amateur and professional artists living in Telford and Shropshire. Submissions can be two or three-dimensional and created in any medium including paint, wood, metal, ceramics, textiles, photography, film, multi-media and more but they must reflect an aspect of the Museums.
There will be three age categories, under 12s, 12-17 years and 18 and over, plus education categories for both primary and secondary schools. Individual artists may only enter one piece, while each school can submit a maximum of five. There will be cash prizes for all categories, with the schools receiving the funds on behalf of their winning pupils.
All work must be delivered in person to the Trust’s head office in Coalbrookdale between Wednesday 15th and Friday 18th March 2017 from 3pm to 6pm for consideration by the panel of judges. These will include senior members of the Trust and its Community Panel, a local artist and a member of the Gorge Parish Council.
The selection process will be based on the skill demonstrated by the artist, their artistic integrity and the work’s relevance to the Museum. Those selected will be displayed across the 10 museums from 22nd May 2017 until 2nd January 2018. All entries will also be photographed and displayed in a virtual exhibition on www.ironbridge.org.uk .
Submissions from people living in other regions may be accepted at the Museum’s discretion and applicants should contact the Museum in advance of sending them. These works may be exhibited but will not be entered into the competition.
For more information email [email protected] or download an application form from www.ironbridge.org.uk, where details about the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust and the 10 Museums which it runs visit can also be viewed.
2017 also marks 300 years since the death of Abraham Darby I, widely recognised as the man who started the Industrial Revolution. In addition, it’s 300 years since the completion of Dale House, one of the former Quaker Ironmaster’s homes at Coalbrookdale. As part of the anniversary celebrations the Museum of Iron will be closing late autumn for a million pound-plus refurbishment with plans to re-open for Easter 2017.
