East Midlands Art Auction

Wednesday 27 October 2004

reading time: min, words

Feature Art

An exhibition and auction of affordable art by East Midlands practitioners at the Lakeside Arts Centre

The Tenth East Midlands Contemporary art auction is taking place on Saturday featuring the work of fifty artists from the East Midlands.

Viewing of the work is already underway at the Lakeside Arts Centre and reserves on the work range from £50-£400.

We asked Founder Marek Tobolewski about the history of the auction:

"Our first auction was held in 1993, at the then Oldknows Gallery in Nottingham. It was devised to create new sales for local studio group artists, directly to the visiting public of an Open Studios event. That event was an extraordinary evening and a remarkable success as over 70% of the lots sold.

The following year it moved out of the studios to the artist initiated Broadway Gallery. An independent event with a quiet turn-out but we still raised over 60% in sales.

On offer in 2004:
(Hover over image for details.)

Marek Toblewski - 2 Line Continuum - Acrylic on grey paper - Reserve £50-100

Hannah Lobley - Pivot 2002 - Reseve £100-250

Eleanor Mutale - Mamaroo - Reserve £100-250

In 1995 Nottingham Castle Museum & Art Gallery offered to host the 3rd auction. The format was adapted to more of a serious auction and exhibition opportunities opened up to practitioners in all of the East Midlands. Bonhams Auctioneered the 3rd sale, stating the poor 16% sales as well above the national average for contemporary art auctions held in the provinces'.

One more auction hosted at Nottingham Castle was agreed. It was allowed to revert back to its' original format and it worked! A buzz was the air all night and the 4th Auction had an amazing 80% sales.

A partnership between CIA and the Castle hosting the auction was quickly established. It lasted 5 auctions until 2000 and developed into a highly successful annual event. The 1998 auction topped all with nearly every lot selling!

Due to the re-calling of the Nottingham Open at the Castle, a new host venue was sort out. The Djanogly Art Gallery at the Lakeside Arts Centre committed to hosting the event for the next 3 years.

This is the third year that the auction will be held at the Djanogly Art Gallery and we hope that we can continue to build on the success of the previous two events.

For the 10th East Midlands Contemporary Art Auction 48 works have been selected from an open submission and exhibited in both galleries for the first time.

As in previous years the selection shows the quality and diversity of art being created in the region and will, we hope, contribute to the growing awareness of artistic talent in the East Midlands.

We would like thank all the artist that have submitted work over the last 10 events, our past sponsors and to all our the viewers, bidders and buyers. Your support of this event in the last 9 Auctions has made a total of 304 sales - totalling £54,000 of new art bought by you - created by Artists and Makers from the East Midlands."

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