There were celebrations at Falmouth Art Gallery recently when the winners of Imagine Falmouth, the gallery's first open arts prize, gathered together for a tea party and prize giving.

John Lowry, of Hine Downing Solicitors, who sponsored the prizes, met and awarded the four prize winners in the Entrance Gallery. It was a great opportunity for the artists to meet each other and to discuss all the works in this vibrant show.

Overall first prize of £500 was awarded to Bianca Cork for her work of the Falmouth Docks entitled Graving Docks, mono print, screen print, painting and varnish.

Eloise Pilbeam, a recent Falmouth University fine art graduate, was the student prize winner with her Soul Containers, sculpture, mixed media-up cycled rags, crochet, sewing and dying.

In the youth category India Preston, a Truro School pupil, was highly commended for her work entitled "How do our surroundings shape our identity?" India's prize is to work alongside local professional artist Hannah Woodman for a day in her studio.

The judges were so impressed with one painting that they added a highly commended artist award for Lizard-based painter Martin Grimshaw for his painting, Early Morning, Falmouth Harbour, acrylic.

The independent judges of Imagine Falmouth were Dr Virginia Button, director of the Falmouth School of Art, and Janette Kerr, president of the RWA. The gallery thanks the judges for their time and deliberation in choosing the final selection from over 200 artist submissions.

Bianca, who exhibits nationally and internationally, will be attending the Swatch Art Peace Hotel Residency in Shanghai from this month (July) until next January. Following the residency she will be returning to her job as a printmaking technician at Falmouth University's Falmouth School of Art.

Eloise is based in Falmouth and is using her £250 prize money to set up a business printing her designs onto t-shirts.

"The response to this arts prize has been positive and enthusiastic from artists and visitors," said art gallery director, Henrietta Boex. All the works are for sale and the exhibition continues until the July 16.