This year, for the first time, a lottery draw will be held as part of the Bath Society of Artists Annual Exhibition, hosted by the council at the Victoria Art Gallery from 16th May – 27th June.
On Friday 26th June, 109 envelopes, from hundreds placed in the gallery’s donations box, will be drawn, and those named on the envelope will win an original postcard-sized piece of art created by one of the artists who took part in the exhibition.
Artists who have donated work include Malcolm Ashman, Peter Brown, Chris Gornall, David Inshaw, Mo Lancaster, Sarah Target and Anna Teasdale.
The winners will be informed that they have won one of the 5 x 7 artworks prize later on that day and be invited to the gallery to collect their mystery artwork from Saturday.
The lottery draw will be made by the following: Susanna Lisle, Bath Society of Artists; Dr Michael Rowe, Friends of the Gallery; a representative from Julian House, and Jon Benington, Victoria Art Gallery Manager.
Money raised will be shared between Julian House and the Friends of the Victoria Art Gallery.
Councillor Patrick Anketell-Jones (Conservative, Lansdown), Bath & North East Somerset Council’s Cabinet Member for Economic Development, said: “The Bath Society of Artists Annual Exhibition is always incredibly popular, and is one of the highlights in the Victoria Art Gallery’s calendar.
“Winners of the new lottery will I’m sure be delighted to win an original piece of art, and the two charities will benefit as well.”
The Bath Society of Artists was founded in 1904 with 26 members.
It has grown over the years to a membership of around 120 diverse, talented artists.
The annual exhibition, which is open to non-members, attracts about 1,000 entries and 7,000 visitors, with sales doubling in the last few years.
Many distinguished 20th-century painters have exhibited with the Society including Walter Sickert, John Singer Sargent, Philip Wilson Steer, Gilbert Spencer, Patrick Heron, Mary Fedden, William Scott and Howard Hodgkin.
The Victoria Art Gallery, near Pulteney Bridge in Bath, is open Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 5pm, Sundays 1.30pm to 5pm and closed on Mondays.
Admission for the Bath Society of Artists Exhibition is under 21s and Discovery Card-holders free; otherwise £3.50 / concessions.
