Tamworth Regional Art Gallery's silent auction to help artists in tough times

Fifty leading regional artists have been invited to submit small art works including paintings, ceramics and woodwork for the gallery's Silent Auction, which will run this weekend.

Every dollar is set to go to the Friends of the Gallery, largely to buy new works for preservation in Tamworth city's collection.

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Gallery director Bridget Guthrie, said it was going to mean an important boost in hard times.

"It is about artists helping artists and artists helping the friends of the gallery ensure that particular signature pieces are then purchased for the collection for their longevity," she said.

The gallery will conduct a silent auction, rather than a traditional big launch and opening, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Art-lovers can enter the gallery at any time this weekend to peruse the works, and make a silent bit at any time during the exhibition period.

The auction will close at 1pm on Sunday 18th July.

Ms Guthrie said the friends of the gallery raised about $10,000 at their last silent auction.

"If they could raise that again that would be fantastic," she said.

Friends of the gallery chair Ruth Blakely said the gallery opening would also give local artists an opportunity to get their work in the public eye in a more prominent way.

"Some of them are donations, which is really very good of them, to do that," she said.

"The works are diverse, they're beautiful, there are prints, there are paintings, there are acrylics, there are oils on canvas.

"So we're very fortunate."

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