A steady stream of artists brought works of all kinds to Whanganui's Sarjeant Gallery yesterday- hoping they will be chosen for the 2018 Sarjeant Gallery Te Whare O Rehua Whanganui Arts Review.
2018 is the 30th year for the review, which is the longest running in the country, gallery relationships officer Jaki Arthur said. She liked what she was seeing.
"Whanganui can be proud of its artists and today we have seen them coming out in force with some very exciting, daring and different kind of works," she said.
There were ceramics, glassworks, paintings, photographs, and textiles. By 3pm 117 had been handed over, and the total was on track to rival last year's 140.
Artists will know if their work has been chosen by March 7.
The oldest entrant was Elva Abbott, 92, who had work in the first arts review in 1988, and many others later.
Sarjeant Gallery assistant curator Jessica Kidd, glass artist David Murray and new Tylee Cottage artist-in-residence Kate Fitzharris will choose what goes in the show. Then an external judge, Tauranga Art Gallery's Karl Chitham, will choose who gets the many awards.
The top prize, for the open award, is $2000.
This year the Sarjeant is sponsoring its own awards, in celebration of the redevelopment of the earthquake-prone gallery on the hill - which is set to begin this year.
Opening night for the exhibition will be March 9, with works at Sarjeant on the Quay and awards given in the Whanganui War Memorial Centre's Pioneer Room.
It costs artists $30 to enter - or $15 if they are members of the gallery. The artists must be from the Whanganui, Rangitikei and Ruapehu districts, and the work must have been made in the last 12 months.
All the works chosen will be for sale. The show will be up from March 10 to May 13.