Since 1876 the Art Institute has been the hub of rewarding a high level of artistic talent not only in Paisley but throughout Scotland. Our new committee, fresh from the resounding success of the 133rd annual exhibition in the prestigious Art Club, are ready to prepare for our next show.
This year we are off to Ayr at the MacLaurin galleries, Rozelle Estate. This is a lovely venue set in beautiful grassed surroundings with parking areas and it’s own tea room. It offers 5 galleries and is all on ground level. We are back to our traditional Spring slot, opening in May, so you may well be able to enjoy some fine weather and a stroll in the grounds.
Submission update –
Congratulations! – ‘If you have not received an email by now, then you are successful in being hung!’
134th opening
As Paisley’s Art Galleries have been ‘reimagined,’ we have come to Ayr for a quality venue for this, our 134th annual exhibition. We have enjoyed working with the MacLaurin team and thank them for their efficiency. A healthy submission of some 400 items are wide-ranging in styles. We are looking forward to a fine display.
We will have some 20 prizes to reward excellence, with some award sponsors choosing their own prize and others leaving it to our invited judges, including Bill Costley, himself an artist as well as a collector, Mike Leonard, convenor at Glasgow Art Club, and your own John Walker, chair of the MacLaurin Trust. Don’t miss a day out in the lovely gardens as you join us at 2pm on Saturday 20th May and perhaps spot a must have purchase to grace your home!
The event will tee off with a few words from Peter McEvoy OBE, leading amateur golfer and writer. The exhibition will run until 25th June.
PAI Galleries update-
While we are busy looking forward to a fantastic Exhibition, the museum team have not replied to our year long request to discuss the huge issue their mistaken reimagining plans have created.
This cannot happen to Paisley because we have a legal agreement, and it has been the custom and use for over 100 years of sharing. Members will see much press now but need not be concerned for the Institute. We are flourishing. Art is on the rise. Budding creatives need our prestigious galleries. We have launched careers with our awards recognising new talent and enriching CV’s. We have more members each year and need all of our 6 gallery spaces.
There’s no place like home!
Former committee made heroic efforts trying to find suitable temporary venues and found nothing except an empty shop. A later attempt to use shop space ended in failure to even have the annual show as the space became tenanted!
We need our base back. All we need is to share according to the agreement!