B.

This exhibition showed the prizewinning works of art from previous Manawatu Prize competitions.

The Manawatu Prize for Contemporary Art was an annual award for painting in New Zealand, organised by the Manawatu Society of Arts and the Palmerston North Art Gallery. It was the first award of its kind in New Zealand and was established in 1965. Originally there were two cash prizes of $300 and $150 but in 1968 it was converted into one award of $500.

Each year an independent judge selected the paintings for the exhibition and choose the award winner. The winning painting automatically became the property of the Palmerston North Art Gallery. There were no restrictions on subject matter or on materials used.

Since establishment, this prize had consistently drawn support form major contemporary artists, including Toss Woollaston, Pat Hanly, Milan Mrkusich, Gordon Walters and Louise Henderson as well as a younger generation of emerging painters, such as Gavin Bishop and Richard Killeen.