Voting for one of the biggest student art awards in the island comes to a close next week.

The Sovereign Student Art Prize 2019 is currently displaying the finalists of the prestigious art competition at the Youth Arts Centre, on Kensington Road, and is asking for people to come along and help decide the winner for the popular public vote.

The annual competition, run by the international finance group Sovereign, invites each schools and sixth form colleges to submit work from their top students for the awards, and this year there are 12 very different works of art on display.

There are two top awards on offer, with the winner of best piece, decided by a judging panel, and the winner of the public’s favourite piece both being awarded prizes of £1,000, with a further prize of £1,500 being awarded to the schools of both winners.

The runners-up receives a prize of £500, with £750 going to the school.

The panel of judges are made up of some of the biggest names in the Manx art scene, including Anna Clucas, Jeremy Paul, Eve Adams and Maureen Kennaugh.

Organiser Sandy Koh, from the Sovereign Group, said that they have placed the exhibition at the Youth Arts Centre, as they wanted to help raise the profile of the charity Youth Arts Isle of Man.

’They do so much amazing work, and their main focus is to support the YAC with their work, clubs and societies, such as the Art Tank, the Soundcheck music project and their various drama groups, some of which can be as cheap as £2 to take part in,’ said Sandy.

The exhibition continues until Monday, November 18, and votes can be cast until then, either in person or via either the Sovereign art prize Facebook page or the art foundation’s website.

’This year we have a wide mix of work, including an edgy, political piece, a wonderful landscape, and lots of portraiture,’ said Sandy.

’This is the first time we have had architectural work submitted too and also for the first time this year we have a 3D sculpture.

’The sculpture piece has to be seen in real life, as it is hard to get the same appreciation looking at a picture of it online.’

The winners will be announced at a special event on Monday, December 9.

More information is available from sovereignartfoundation.com

by Mike Wade

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