THE annual Canberra Tenants Union art exhibition will be opened by Canberra/Queanbeyan rapper and writer, Omar Musa this Wednesday, September 24–and for the first time it’s at Belconnen Arts Centre.

According to Leigh Watson, executive officer of ACT Shelter, they already have about 40 entries and are expecting a good crowd of artists and members of the wider public.

According to Leigh Watson, executive officer of ACT Shelter, over one third of the residents of the ACT community rent their homes. “The first Monday in October is International Tenants’ Day,” she says, “and through this exhibition of works by Canberrans who rent their homes, we can see what this means to them.”The show is the culmination of an art competition and other related events, including an arts mentorship program run by Timo Nest.

It is a project of the Tenants’ Union ACT, ACT Shelter, the ACT Community Cultural Inclusion Officers and Housing ACT.

One local artist, who writes and paints under the name of “Carlsford” has written to “CityNews” in praise of the event and this year’s theme, “Sharing a bond” and enclosing an image of her painting, “Rowing together,” which she believes fits in with that theme.

She says it matters to her as, “a disadvantaged senior visual artist,” that somebody may wish to buy one of her paintings at the show, as she hopes to be continue painting pictures for as long as she is able to do.

The Canberra Tenants Union 2014 Annual Competition/Exhibition, in the foyer, Belconnen Arts Centre, September 25 to October 12. Meet the artists: Sunday, October 5 at 1pm. Free event. Visitors will be asked to participate by voting for the People’s Choice Award.

From October 13 the exhibition will be on tour to several ACT libraries.