Cathy McGowan (Indi, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Next month, the Benalla Art Gallery will uncover the bare truth of art in lndi when the winner of the 2014 Benalla Nude art prize is revealed. This award is for artwork depicting a naked human figure. With a prize of $50,000, the entries are sure to be blushingly good. Open only to Australian artists, the award is one of the most valuable in the art world and exposes the exciting arts and culture initiatives in the rural and regional art scene. The exhibition of the shortlisted entries will be open from 11 April until 27 June.

I encourage all members to make the trip down the Hume Highway to Benalla to see for themselves the raw talent in the Australian art world, as well as the gallery's outstanding collection of Australian and international art. Situated on the Broken River, the gallery also has a tapestry of Sidney Nolan's Glenrowan, from his Ned Kelly series on permanent display. After the 2002 bushfires, artist Rick Amor was commissioned to create a work which responded to the blackened landscape. The result, The Arc - aftermath of bushfires in the North East is well worth seeing. Congratulations to the Benalla Art Gallery for its work in bringing quality artistic experiences to Indi and neighbouring electorates. I thank the staff of the gallery for daring to hold such an innovative and prestigious event as the Benalla Nude. (Time expired)