A NEW prize worth £10,000 for contemporary visual art has been launched for artists in the North of England.

But artists themselves cannot enter - they must be nominated by members of the public.

The Comme Ca Art Prize has been founded by the Comme Ca Art organisation with the aim of bringing art, artists and galleries in the North-East, Yorkshire and North-West to a wider audience.

Nomination forms are being distributed through art networks and can be printed off the web site www.commecaart.com. Closing date for entries is April 30.

The winner will be selected from a shortlist of artists whose work will be exhibited at the Comme Ca Art Gallery, Castlefield, Manchester, from October 8 - the day the jury decides and announces the winner.

Sune Nordgren, director of Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art, Gateshead, is one of three jury members in year one, chosen from each of the three regions, who will select the winner.

He said: "Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art is a relatively new addition to the rapidly expanding art scene in the North. Since our opening in July, we have had more than 500,000 visitors, showing that there is a large and enthusiastic audience for contemporary art in the region.

"We welcome this award, which promises to raise further the profile of artists working in the North and to draw attention to the dynamic and well-established artistic communities in many northern towns and cities in the UK."

Comme Ca Art, the North's leading visual art agency, has been promoting artists in the North for a decade.

The patron in the first year is Chris Ofili, from Manchester, winner of the Turner Prize in 1998 who will represent Britain at the Venice Biennale in June. The other two jury members are Lewis Biggs, director of Liverpool Biennial, and Carol Maund, director of Site Gallery, Sheffield.

To be eligible for entry, artists must demonstrate a minimum of five years working independently of university or art college