An innovative art sale in Shrewsbury has raised around £13,000 for three charities, with buyers queuing overnight to snap up original works by both local and nationally known artists.
Held as part of the Shrewsbury Arts Trail, The Secret Artist Sale was hosted by The Soden Collection on Wyle Cop over the bank holiday weekend.
The event featured more than 200 A5-sized pieces, all sold for a fixed price of £50. The unique twist? Each piece was signed on the reverse, so the artist’s identity remained a mystery until it was purchased, giving attendees the chance to buy a piece by a well-known name for a fraction of its usual value.
Jonathan Soden, one of the organisers, expressed his delight with the turnout. “There was an overwhelming response to this, our third Secret Artist Sale,” he said. “People queued overnight to be amongst the first customers through the door and there was an amazing atmosphere, with everyone pleased to be part of such an innovative art sale.”
All proceeds from the sale are being split between three charities: The Hive, Grinshill Animal Rescue, and the Alzheimer’s Society.
The event was sponsored by Halls Fine Art and received additional support from Callaghan Framing, Belle Vue Arts Festival, and the retailer Oberon.