to see this in the real world

Liverpool Life It might not have escaped your notice, but the Liverpool Biennial 2010 begins next week which coincides with the opening of the John Moores Painting Prize exhibition at the Walker Art Gallery. The presentation of said prizes to the winning paintings is next Thursday and for the first time they're to be live streamed across the internet. Here is their press release:

For the first time in the history of the prestigious John Moores Painting Prize, the winner and runner-up announcements will be broadcast live.

This exciting online event will take place on Thursday 16 September 2010 at :

www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/johnmooreslive

The announcement will take place at 6.30pm but the broadcast will begin earlier.

Those tuning in will be amongst the very first to find out who has scooped UK’s biggest painting prize, along with artists, guests, critics, and associates attending the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool for the private view and prize ceremony.

The John Moores Painting Prize 2010 live broadcast will give viewers a unique opportunity to see behind the scenes at one of the biggest events on the art calendar on the eve of Liverpool Biennial’s launch. Just add canapés and friends to throw your own ‘private view’ from the comfort of your home!

45 shortlisted artists from 3000 entrants are to be included in the exhibition, each with a chance of winning the £25,000 first prize or 4 runner-up prizes of £2,500 each. The paintings will be on display at the Walker Art Gallery from 18 September 2010 to 3 January 2011.

The long-running competition forms a key strand of the Liverpool Biennial and is always a hot topic conversation amongst art lovers visiting the city for the festival, both online and offline.

Join in with the discussion on Twitter using the #JM2010 hashtag. ‘Tweets’ will form part of a stream of conversation published on the broadcast page in the run up to and during the live broadcast. You can follow John Moores Painting Prize 2010 on Twitter at:

www.twitter.com/JohnMoores2010

Ironically, though I've been invited to see this in the real world, I begin work again next week which includes the usual late Thursday so will miss the prize giving either way. But I'm planning on popping in afterwards. If they'll let me in late.