See your art on canvas - and on sale in Festival Place - courtesy of a new competition (From Basingstoke Gazette)

See your art on canvas - and on sale in Festival Place - courtesy of a new competition

2:39pm Tuesday 13th November 2012 in Leisure

BUDDING Basingstoke artists could see their work featured on canvas and on sale in town, courtesy of a new competition.

Festival Place has teamed up with one of the shopping centre’s stores Inside Out to encourage budding artists to express themselves through any medium – photography, oil, watercolour or even pencil.

The best images, as judged by the store’s management, will be commissioned, manufactured onto canvas, and sold exclusively by Inside Out. One additional prize of £150 cash plus £50 worth of free artwork from Inside Out is up for grabs, although all commissioned work will receive a fee.

Peter Daynes, manager of Inside Out, said: “We’re grateful to be in a position to foster local talent. Everyone is welcome to enter the competition and we’re looking forward to seeing what talent we can uncover right here in Basingstoke.”

Steven Connolly, centre director at Festival Place, added: “This competition is perfect as it encourages creativity and gives the people of Basingstoke a chance to showcase their talent!”

Two Basingstoke artists, Alex Hooker and Nathan Gowan, have already had their art discovered by Inside Out and manufactured onto canvas.

Alex said: “Nathan and I are both so overwhelmed that our artwork has been chosen for commission. It’s every artist’s dream to have their work appreciated and manufactured on a large-scale. We’re thrilled that Inside Out and Festival Place are now running a competition to give other undiscovered artists out there a chance.”

For more information, collect a form from Inside Out in Festival Place. The closing date is November 30.