About MWAC
The small city of Mosjøen, in Northern Norway, is about to acquire a reputation as a city of arts. Arts and creative industries are to be put up to a strategically level to develop this position.
The MWAC X event is part of several measures for awareness about the cultural Mosjøen and Sjøgato (the oldtown) and establishing creative industries in the municipalities of Vefsn, Grane and Hattfjelldal.
MWAC`s goal is to gather artists from all over the world to become better acquainted with each other. At the same time people have the opportunity to see artists at work and watch the art. This will build up the foundation to make this region of Norway to a major artist arena. Also it is important to have art activities in wintertime, when the Helgeland region maybe is at its most beautiful.
Mosjøen Winter Art Challenge is an open competition for visual artists, running over three days. The first price is NOK 100.000, made possible by Sparebank1. All kinds of expressions and optional techniques in form of painting, print, drawing, collages, computer graphics and photography are allowed in the competition. The winner is selected by a jury on the basis of the best approach to the theme of winter.
This is a challenging competition in which the artist must get to Mosjøen, find accommodation and a place to work them selves. Participants must get to and from Mosjøen by self-cost travel and they must obtain a residence and studio/work space themselves. Each participant may submit three works for the jury, consisting of renowned artists and art experts. The best ten works will be awarded a prize, and the top 40 images will be presented on a sales exhibition right after the competition.
At the website, www.mwac.no, there will be tips about how to get to Mosjøen, where to accommodate and work, but the arranger do not have any responsibility in this respect. If you add up to photography, digital graphics, etc., the artists must be at the forefront providing a place where to print, presentation equipment and so on.
The high first prize value will generate interest far beyond the borders of Norway and there will be a tough competition. But Mosjoen and the surrounding area has plenty of motif to offer. Participants must reside within the boundaries of Vefsn, Grane and Hattfjelldal those days.
Despite tough competition there will be opportunities to be social and gather new interesting friends.
The Artists' group Waterpower, based in Mosjoen and Inderøy, is responsible for this event. The croup consists of the watercolour artists Morten W. Gjul, Per Vikan and Stig-Ove Sivertsen.
Other partners: Mosjøen Vicinity Commercial Company, Vefsn municipalities, Info Helgeland, sponsors to come and internationally renowned artists in the jury.
