Business Voice WM is urging the public to vote for free in a
national competition that could boost the tourism sector in the
Midlands.
The Art Fund is currently undertaking a competition to decide
which national museum has achieved so much that it should win a
£100,000 prize.
And there are two in the region which have made the 11-strong
long list - Blists Hill Victorian Town, part of the Ironbridge
Gorge Museum Trust, and the Herbert Art Gallery and Museum in
Coventry.
Blists Hill interprets life in a typical town of the East
Shropshire Coalfield around 1900, while the Herbert, a
long-established venue, has been transformed through a major
£20 million redevelopment and is reaching new audiences and
has become a fresh focus for local pride.
BVWM executive director James Watkins said: "Whichever museum
wins this amount of money can invest in its future and so further
develop our tourism sector - and help safeguard the many businesses
linked to it.
"We would urge everyone in the West Midlands region to consider
backing one of the two in our area."
They are in contention with the Leach Pottery, St Ives; the
National Army Museum, London; the Natural History Museum, London;
the Royal Institution of Great Britain; the Towner,
Eastbourne; the Ulster Museum, Belfast; Great North Museum,
Hancock, Newcastle upon Tyne; Hampton Court Palace, Surrey; and the
Ashmolean, Oxford
To vote go to the link -
http://www.artfundprize.org.uk/2010/vote/ Voting closes on May
7.
The judges, chaired by broadcaster Kirsty Young, will visit each
of the 11 long-listed museums and galleries before selecting a
short list of four, to be announced at the end of May.
People can vote for their favourite and leave comments for the
judges on the Art Fund Prize website explaining why their choice
should win.
The poll results and online comments will be given to the judges
for their consideration when selecting the short list and
winner.