It’s a record number of entries, including a marked increase in local entries, and exhibition secretary Helga Visser said it would be a challenge to squeeze everything into the exhibition space at Taree High School hall.

Today the judge, curator for the Coffs Harbour Regional Gallery Deb Wall, has cast her expert eye over the entries in the lead-up to the official opening tonight at 6.30 with the winners announced at 7.30.

Famous Spanish maestro Quentin Arnold, who has played widely in Australia and overseas, will entertain the crowd for the second consecutive year.

Regional manager Mid North Coast for Fairfax Regional Media (publisher of the Manning River Times), John Bulmer will conduct the opening, which will have a small entry fee of $10 and includes light refreshments.

During the following nine days entry will be free, and the exhibition will be open every day from 9am to 4pm with the exception of the last day (Sunday July 15) when it will close at 2pm.

The Taree Open Art Exhibition is one of the most generous in New South Wales and has more than $5000 in prize money.

The major prize of $1000 is for the best work in the exhibition and may be chosen from any section.

The competition includes eight categories: oil or acrylic on canvas, water colour/water medium, pastels, open section (all media and mixed media), drawing, members of Taree Artists, miniatures and three dimensional (sculpture, pottery).

All the artworks are for sale.

This year donations will go to Taree High School as a mark of appreciation for the use of the hall facilities over the past nine years.

Taree High School Hall is located on the corner of Albert and Macquarie Streets, Taree.