Next year's Bacardi Biennial and the new Charman Prize should present an opportunity, not a conflict, for local artists say the Bermuda National Gallery (BNG) and the Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art.

In a joint statement issued by Laura Gorham and Tom Butterfield, director and founder-director of the Bermuda National Gallery (BNG) and the Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art respectively, they stressed that, despite the two juried events being scheduled within a month of each other — the Charman Prize runs from March 1-25 and the Biennial opens April 25 — artists should feel free to enter both.

"There have been concerns expressed within the local arts community that the scheduling of the Bacardi Biennial and the Charman Prize presents a conflict," the statement says.

"The Bermuda National Gallery and the Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art wish to emphasise that, as far as our respective museums are concerned, there is no conflict between the events.

"Both are juried shows, but local and resident artists do not have to choose one or the other — in fact, we encourage artists to enter both.

"Work entered in the Biennial may also be submitted for the Charman Prize, and selection in one show will not preclude selection for the other. It is our opinion that the more juried shows there are in Bermuda can only be of benefit to local artists.

"Further, the BNG and Masterworks look forward to working closely together in the future, and have discussed a number of joint programming concepts."

The Bermuda National Gallery's Biennial, first held in 1994, is an internationally juried exhibition of contemporary work open to all artists resident in Bermuda and Bermudian artists overseas. Entries closed on December 10.

The Charman Prize, announced earlier this month, has similar criteria, and will be judged by a panel of local and overseas judges.

Selected entries will be shown in the Rick Faries Gallery in the new Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art in the Botanical Gardens, with a $10,000 prize donated by John Charman, CEO and president of Bermuda-based Axis Capital Holdings Ltd.

For further information contact: BNG Director Laura Gorham at 295-9428 or e-mail director[AT]bng.bm or Masterworks director Tom Butterfield at 236-2950 or e-mail mworks[AT]ibl.bm.

On the web:

Bermuda National Gallery: www.bng.bm

Masterworks: www.bermudamasterworks.com