On behalf of the Government, I would like to congratulate Hadley’s Orient Hotel on the launch of the Hadley’s Art Prize.
This will be one of the biggest art prizes not just in Australia, but in the world. It will firmly put Tasmania on the map as a creative hub and it will be one of the biggest developments in the Tasmanian art community since the opening of MONA.
Each year Hadley’s Art Prize will draw thousands of locals and visitors alike to view the finalists and enjoy Tasmania’s rapidly emerging arts scene. It will compliment other mid-winter events, such as Dark MOFO and the Festival of Voices and increase our reputation as a cultural tourism hotspot.
The $100,000 prize will promote and celebrate the work of Australian landscape artists and I encourage Tasmanian artists to submit their work.
I look forward to an exhibition of the finalists’ artworks in July 2017 at the Hadley’s Orient Hotel and seeing which work is awarded the inaugural Hadley’s Art Prize.