A national treasure is celebrating its fifteenth birthday next week and has already received it’s first present.

The Bermuda National Gallery (BNG) opened on March 15, 1992, in the City Hall and Arts Centre in Hamilton and is the home of Bermuda’s national art collection and the centre of the island’s thriving arts scene.

Next Thursday represents the 15th birthday and the gallery received its first gift a striking painting of boys at prayer, Each in His Own Way, 2005 by Sharon Wilson. The painting was donated by Ms. Wilson and Arthur and Monica Jones.

The BNG has organised two days of special events, which will celebrate 15 years of “bringing the world of art to Bermuda and Bermuda’s art to the world” and announce plans for the future of the gallery.

The first of the events is a lunch-time panel led by Dr. Charles Zuill, a founding trustee of the BNG, next Wednesday from 12.30 to 1.30 p.m. Dr. Zuill’s panel is open to the public and will take a look at the BNG’s founding, it’s first 15 years and its future.

The following day at 3 p.m. the Par-la-Ville Sculpture park will be dedicated to the two collectors who made it happen, John Hinson Young II and Nelga Young, by giving their sculpture collection to the BNG in 2005.

Their collection included Enzo Plazotta’s Jete, <$>American sculptor Berthold Schiwetz’s bronze Praying with Mantis>and Hungarian Artist George Gach’s steel sculpture Birds of Fligh$>

The Young collection, which is already installed in the park, will be joined by Student, a stone sculpture by Shona artist Jonothan Mhondorohuma from Zimbabwe.

BNG Trustee and African art collector Dusty Hind and his wife Barbara O’Shaughnessy gifted the sculpture, which was part of the BNG’s collection, to mark the anniversary.

The dedication ceremony will also honour 15 people who played key roles in the BNG’s history and development by presenting each with a special anniversary award and a reception hosted by the Lemon Tree Cafe, in the park, will follow.

As a cap to the two-day celebrations a Jazz night featuring Gita Blakeney Saltus, the BNG’s Development Director and the Tony Bari Trio will be held at the gallery from 5.30 to 8.00.

During all of these celebrations the Bermuda National Gallery will remain open to the public from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.

These include: Winter Exhibitions - New Acquisitions: Recent gifts to the Bermuda National Gallery; The Art of Drama: Kabuki Theatre through Japanese Woodblock Prints; the African Collection; the European Collection and the Bermuda Collection. The exhibits will close on April 5 and for more details contact Director Laura Gorham on (441) 295-9428, director[AT]bng.bm or visit www.bng.bm.