Arenas 10th Annual Auction is on its way and there is some fantastic art work up for grabs! The auction itself will be held from 7pm onwards with viewing from 6pm. We have artwork donated from all of this years shortlisted Liverpool Art Prize artists alongside work from some of the biggest names in the city. If you cant wait untill the 4th of March we have set up a special website where you can view the work http://arena-art-auction-2012.tumblr.com/ and if you just cant wait – you can always email a bid through!

Arena Studios and Gallery would like to invite Merseyside artists to submit work for our 10th annual charity auction to be held this year in conjunction with The Liverpool Art Prize month.
Artists can submit up to 3 images of their work fo…r selection. Artwork should be no bigger than 60cm x 60cm, there is no restrictions on media and 3D work will be considered. All submitted work will be viewed and selected by a panel consisting of members from the Liverpool Art Prize Consortium. Due to time restrictions on the night it is likely that only one piece of artwork from each artist will be selected however this may not always be the case. Successful artists will be notified by email and requested to deliver their artworks to Arena Studios. Work will be catalogued, photographed and posted on both Arena’s and the Art Prize Consortium websites and across all the usual social media networks. Work will be on display in The Elevator Bar in the week running up to the auction. It will be possible to register and submit bids prior to the event via e mail.
Important Dates & Deadlines
Tuesday 20th March 2012: Call for expressions of interest.
Friday 6th April 2012: Deadline for submission of JPEG images.
Monday 9th April: Successful applicant will be notified by email.
Friday 13th April: Submission of artworks to Arena Studios for photographing.
Monday 16th April: All selected artworks and artist details posted on web and social network sites.
Monday 30th April: Work will be on display in The Elevator Bar, Parliament Street.
Friday 4th May: Auction Night. Viewing and registration from 6pm. Auction 7pm till 10pm.

Arena take a 30% commission from each sale and the money raised is put back into Arena Studios & Gallery to help continue the development of our free art exhibition and events programme.

Please submit all JPEG images to pamela.sullivan@hotmail.co.uk

*PLEASE NOTE CHANGE OF VENUE FOR THE AFTER PARTY*

Due to circumstances beyond our control, we have had to move the exhibition after party to Camp & Furnace, Greenland Street. It is still FREE entry with Nick Power (The Coral) playing top tunes from 9pm till late.

Acetate Steps exhibition private view is still at the Arena Gallery from 7-9pm. 1st floor Elevator Building, Parliament Street.

We look forward to seeing you all

2012 will be an exciting time for Arena as we prepare to celebrate our 30th anniversary with a series of events and exhibitions currently being planned and we also aim to have a shiny new website soon. More news to follow…

Arena artists have produced sets of bespoke, one off Christmas Baubles and we are now offering you the opportunity to bid for (and possibly win) a set of these beautiful artworks. There will be 10 sets, each with 8 baubles up for auction. The sets are presented in a hand made box complete with a catalogue signed by the artists who have created these highly sought after, collectable baubles. Bidding is via a ‘sealed’ email bid system starting today, 12th November 2011 and will end at midday on 12th December 2011. The top ten bids will each win one set.

Bids start at £15 per set, please send your details and bids to pamela.sullivan@hotmail.co.uk and we will send you further details of the auction and keep you up to date with bidding.

ARENA Studios & Gallery, Liverpool is pleased to announce an artist residency to take place over 1 month.

Arena offers a free single studio space within their studios in Elevator Building, Parliament Street, Liverpool with use of a communal kitchen alongside other Arena artists and makers as well as a café/bar downstairs.

This residency is offered to artists who can demonstrate how an intense period of focus may still allow for a considerable effect on the development of their practice through having time and space to experiment and create new work or strive towards completing an existing project.

Residency will take place 1st November – 30th November 2011. The successful artist must commit to working in the studio a minimum of 4 days per week for the duration of the residency.

The residency will conclude with an exhibition within the Arena Gallery during December 2011 and a private view evening Thursday 1st December.

Applications (including artists CV and proposal with images of existing work) should be sent to pamela.sullivan@hotmail.co.uk by 26/10/2011.

Janet Wilkinson features in this exhibition at Victoria Gallery & Museum.

Merseyside Branch of the Embroiderers’ Guild exhibiting at the Victoria Gallery and Museum.
University of Liverpool, Ashton St, Liverpool L69 3DR
www.liv.ac.uk/vgm
October 18 – November 19
Open Tuesday to Saturday 10.00 – 5.00
Beautiful building built in 1892, Art Gallery, Museum, tea room 10 – 4, free admission

Get together and meet the artists Fri 21st Oct 2.00 – 5.00

Two of our studio members are moving into their own shop and are developing their businesses, as a result of this Arena have four spaces available for rent. We are looking for vibrant new artists to join our group; preferably from the visual arts. We are looking for artists who are enthusiastic and keen to develop their own practice and develop their skills through involvement with the initiatives and exhibition opportunities both local, national and internationally offered within Arena.

Space 1: 2.5m x 2.5m and is £116 per month
Space 2: 3m x 3m and is £140 per month
Space 3: 2m x 2.5m and is £110 per month
Space 4: 1.5m x 2m and is £65 per month

Studio rent includes all bills and Arena membership, we have internet access and Wifi, plus a cafe downstairs for meetings and socialising.

If you are interested in joining Arena please forward your details and some examples of your work, if you are selected there is an informal interview and you will be asked to bring some examples/portfolio to the interview.

Contact pamela.sullivan@hotmail.co.uk or on 0151 707 9879 for further details and to arrange a time to visit Arena.

Arena artist Sarah Jane Richards, an Art Club group leader at the Chapel Gallery in Ormskirk, has been working with local children to inspire each Art Club member to create their own individual ideal world in this exciting and dynamic project.

An exhibition of work created by members of the Art Club runs from 24th September – 5th November at the gallery and coincides with the Rise Up and Build exhibition.

Drawing is a fundamental basic, full of ritual and often very personal, it is the most honest form of the creative process. The beginning and end of a journey that is often full of elation and despondency, it is creativity in its most rawest of states.

Arena artists will be presenting their personal response to the concept of drawing at Bankley Studios in Manchester.

PV Friday 16th September 6 – 9pm

Open Studios 17th 18th September 11 – 5pm

Open Sat – Sun 24th – 25th September and 1st – 2nd October 11am – 5pm.