New name and venue for long-running art show | PHOTOS

NEW HOME: Town of Murals Art Show committee members Bill Holland, Julie Pyke, Graham Smith and Sharon Dyson-Smith at Kurri Kurri Community Centre, where the art show will be held in September. Picture: Chelsea Harrison

A landmark event in the cultural life of the Lower Hunter is changing its mode of operation.

The Weston Art Show commenced in 1964 and established itself as an important social and cultural event for the Hunter Valley.

After 50 years of managing the art show, the Anglican Parish of Mount Vincent and Weston has this year handed over the role to Towns With Heart Inc.

In 2017 the art show will be renamed the “Town of Murals Art Show” and will be held at Kurri Kurri Community Centre in September (coinciding with Mural Month).

Attracting hundreds of artists each year, the competition is strong and the standard of entries is exceptional.

There is a wide range of categories with prize money offered.

“Towns with Heart is delighted with the continuing strong support from Cessnock City Council and other local sponsors,” committee secretary Sharon Dyson-Smith said.

“This allows us to continue this important event, which has been an integral part of community life for so long.”

The opening ceremony and presentation of prizes will be held on Saturday, September 9. The official opening will be carried out by Paterson MP Meryl Swanson.

The art show will be open for public viewing from September 9 to 12.

Entry forms can be obtained from the Kurri Kurri Visitor Information Centre or downloaded from www.visitkurrikurri.com.

Take a look back at previous Weston Art Shows in the gallery below.

New name and venue for long-running art show | PHOTOS

2000: St Mary's Weston organist Linda Collett with one of the winning entries The Bullocky and the Station Hotel, Kurri.
2000: Weston Art Show committee member Gaye Olive (left) is pictured with Encouragement Award winning artist Catherine Turner and her work Pelican Beach.
2000: Art show committee member Aaron Wilkinson with one of the entries.
2002: John and Robyn Black with one of the works that has featured in the Weston Art show.
2003: Winning artist Peter Incze and his painting with Bishop of Newcastle the Rt. Rev Roger Herft who opened the exhibition.
2003: Judge Brett Alexander and Weston rector, the Rev. Margaret Carr look over the entries on the night.
2003: Weston Art Show committee members Gaye Olive, secretary Virginia Wilkinson and RObyn Black with a painting that will be raffled at the show.
2004: Allan Jenkins with his winning work General Store-Wollombi. Mr Jenkins was brought up in Weston, attended Weston Public and Kurri Technical High and was confirmed at St. Mary's Church Weston.
2004: Robyn Black of Weston received a special presentation recognising her 37 years on the art show committee.
2004: Major award winner Kay McFarlane-Smith, second from right, with councillors Dale Troy and Catherine Parsons and Mayor, Cr. John Clarence after the Weston Art Show official opening.
2005: Paul Naylor from Hydro Aluminium, Kurri congratulates Regional Art Prize winner, Marea Kozaczynski.
2005: Mayor of Cessnock, Cr. John Clarence with the Cessnock City Council acquisitive prize winner Eleanor Anson and jude Nick Mitzevich.
2008: Carey Bay artist Bruce Naylor won the Best in Show award with his painting entitled Simpson that had been entered in the contemporary section.
2008: Art show organisers Kathy Gilshenen and Gaye Olive with Bishop of Newcastle, the Rt. Rev. Brian Farran.
2008: Gerhard Ullmann reached new heights when his work Kosciusko took out the regional art prize. He had further success with his entry After the Rain that won the traditional section.
2008: Nicole Moate's introduction to the Weston Art Show was full of merit. The 16-year-old from Largs, who attends St. Mary's Maitland, won three awards. It was the first time she had entered and was rewarded with the rising talent award, senior youth 16 to 18 years prize and senior youth encouragement.
2009: Bruce Naylor with his winning work Whitebait.
2009: Geoffrey Breen took out the major prize with Paddocks Buchanan NSW.
2010: Weston Art Show organisers Gaye Olive and Kathy Gilshenen with some winning entries from previous years.
2010: Christine Hogan, Pretty in Pink.
2010: Gerhard Ullmann with Distant View.
2011: Kurri High School Year 11 students Katelyn Humphris and Tamara Lampe helped judge the primary school section of the Weston Art Show.
2011: Major award winner Christine Pike with Still Life #2
2011: Regional Art Prize winner Gerhard Ullman with Stepped Street in Tuscany.
2011: Special guest Margaret Sivyer OAM, committee secretary Kathleen Gilshenen and Fr. Keith Joseph at the Weston Art Show.
2012: A big crowd attended opening night for the 49th annual Weston Art Show.
2012: Deanne Newland of Swansea Heads with daughters Isobel, 11, and Josie, 9. Deanne won the pencil, pen or ink on paper section, Isobel received the junior youth rising talent award and Josie was awarded first place in the junior youth section.
2012: Nelson Bay artist Gerhard Ullmann won the major prize sponsored by Cessnock City Council with his work “Concentration”. Gerhard has won many awards at the Weston Art Show over the past eight years but this is his first major prize.
2013: More than 400 entries were recieved in this year's Weston Art Show.
2013: Pictured at St. Mary’s Anglican Church, Weston is Weston Art Show organisers Kathy Gilshenen and Gaye Olive, getting ready for the 50th annual art show.
2013: More than 100 guests packed Weston Civic Centre on Tuesday evening for the official opening of the 50th annual Weston Art Show.
2013: Gloria Dawn Midson recalled the art show’s early days and thanked everyone who has been involved over the years to make the show the success it is today.
2013: Original committee member Bonny Wood (right) and former long-serving committee member Gloria Dawn Midson (left) were invited to cut the cake. They are pictured with current committee member Kathy Gilshenen and parish rector Fr. Keith Joseph.
2013: Cessnock Regional Art Gallery Director and show judge, Dr. John Barnes, and Aboriginal Elder and artist Les Elvin with the Major Award winning piece 'Christmas Bush', painted by Les's daughter Lesley Salem.
2013: Artist Bruce Naylor and his piece ‘Big Red Ahead’, winner of the Regional Art Prize.
2015: Cessnock Mayor Bob Pynsent, art show judge Vicki Sienczuk and major prize winner Les Elvin.
2015: Regional Art Prize winner Michele Heibel, with her son Luca and mother Dorothee.
2015: A section of the crowd at the 2015 Weston Art Show opening night.
2015: A section of the crowd at the 2015 Weston Art Show opening night.
2015: A section of the crowd at the 2015 Weston Art Show opening night.
2015: Miss Cessnock City, Cassandra Battle and Cessnock Mayor, Bob Pynsent.
2015: Anglican Parish of Mount Vincent and Weston priest Fr Chris Jackson, Towns With Heart community projects manager Lesley Morris and Assistant Bishop of Newcastle Rt Rev Dr Peter Stuart.
2015: Weston Art Show committee members Di Stackpool and Pam Menzies.
2015: Prize sponsor Margaret Sivyer congratulates Rising Star award winner Adelaide Swanson.
2015: 'Scenes of Weston' winner Jenny Dimmock.
2016: Major prize winner Susan Ryman, of Coal Point, and Cessnock Mayor Bob Pynsent.
2016: Amelia (5) and Melanie Dagg, of Branxton.
2016: Julie Hosking, of Gillieston Heights; Verona Lucas, of East Maitland; Gaye Shield, of Dungog and Ileana Clarke, of Nelson Bay.
2016: Joan Crouch, of Wamberal.
2016: 'Scenes of Weston' prize winner Hugh Cross, of Toronto.
2016: Carol Doherty, Toby Thomas and Rod Doherty.
2016: John Price, of Vacy; Archdeacon of Maitland, Fr David Battrick; and Graham Smith, from the Anglican Parish of Mount Vincent and Weston.
2016: Janelle and Michael Goldman, of Cessnock.
2016: Regional Art Prize winner Michele Heibel, of Lovedale, and her son Luca (6).
2016: Former Lang Street Family Medical Centre staff members Cathy Bourke and Joan Critchley were touched by Ed Wright's tribute to the late Dr Gerald Wong, titled 'Missing a Doctor, Missing a Friend'.
2016: Art show secretary Pam Menzies and Towns With Heart community projects manager Lesley Morris.
2016: Kay Sparkes, of East Maitland.
2016: Part of the crowd at the Weston Art Show opening night. Picture: Krystal Sellars