City workers show their artsy sides - Manchester, NH

Art is lining the halls of City Hall from the Aldermanic Chambers to the Tax Collector’s Office for the City of Manchester’s Sixth Annual Employee and Family Art Show.

 

The show, which runs in collaboration with the National Arts Program®, officially opened Thursday and features painting, photographs, sculpture, pottery and other artworks from city employees and their families. The public has not only been invited to come take a look at the work of these local artists, but also to vote for the People’s Choice Award. Voting will continue through July 20.

 

The show can be viewed during City Hall business hours: 8am to 5pm, Monday-Friday and Tuesday until 8pm.

 

Entrants range from Manchester School District art teachers to staffers in the City Hall offices. The largest piece was submitted by Central High School math teacher Tim Bower. His sculpture, “Inside the Mind of a Cube,” measures nearly 4 feet wide by 3 feet high.

 

City Hall has long been a place to display local art with the Art on the Wall at City Hall Gallery in the center hallway at the main entrance of the building. Visitors will see displays there, as well as throughout City Hall during the show, which runs until Aug. 30.

 

The work is divided into amateur, intermediate and professional categories for adults and 12 and under and teen categories for youth. Cash prizes will be awarded to the first-, second-, and third-place winners in each category. Prizes also will go to the winners of the Mayor’s Choice, Governor’s Choice and People’s Choice category.

 

The prizes will be awarded at the Employee and Family Art Show Reception and Awards Ceremony on July 22. The ceremony will be hosted by New Hampshire Union Leader columnist John Clayton and is sponsored by Northeast Delta Dental, Bell-wether Community Credit Union, Continental Paving, Pelmac Industries and other local restaurants and businesses.

 

Bruce McColl, director of the Currier Museum Art Center; Paul Laro, Bentley Commons at Bedford activities director; and Christina Burke-Gagnon, Manchester Artists Association member and instructor for Grumbacher Fine Arts Brand will serve as the contest judges for the main awards.

 

Gov. John Lynch and Mayor Ted Gatsas will also be on hand to give their respective awards at the reception and ceremony.

 

The Employee and Family show was created by the National Arts Program® of Malvern, PA. The organization aims to promote the arts by providing prize money and support services needed to get these shows off the ground. This year, Manchester will give out $2,400 in prize money to local artists.