FINAL CALL FOR ENTRIES
Last chance for John Moores artists
The last chance to register for Britain’s biggest contemporary painting competition – the John Moores 24 exhibition of contemporary painting (16 September to 26 November 2006) is Friday 17 February 2006.
The often quirky and always unpredictable exhibition at the Walker Art Gallery – an integral part of the Liverpool Biennial 2006 – is an open submission competition available to all UK-based artists working with paint.
The team of judges is now complete and comprises of conceptual artist Tracey Emin, artist Sir Peter Blake, former John Moores prizewinner Jason Brooks, director of art, architecture and design at the British Council Andrea Rose and curator of fine art at the Walker Art Gallery, Ann Bukantas.
In addition to an outright first prize of £25,000 there will be four prizes of £2,500 each. Initial judging will be by slides – one painting per artist with up to two slides of that painting. This will lead to a short-list of up to 500 works, which will be called in for judging and from which the final exhibition selection will be made. The £1,000 ‘visitors’ choice’ prize, which proved very popular and provoked great debate during the 2004 exhibition, makes a welcome return.
Juror, Peter Blake says: ‘Having been a previous John Moores prize-winner in 1961, I have never been a judge and at this point in my life, I am thrilled to be taking part on the jury and especially happy to be working with Tracey Emin.’
Fellow juror, Andrea Rose adds: ‘The John Moores exhibition continues to do what it set out to do nearly half a century ago with such energy- supporting the very best in contemporary painting and making it accessible to as wide an audience as possible. It’s a marvellous institution and I am very proud to serve as a juror this year.’
The deadline for artists to register is 17 February 2006 – registration forms can be obtained through www.thewalker.org.uk/johnmoores24 or from the Walker Art Gallery. Slides must be sent in by 1 March 2006. Winners will be announced at the opening of the exhibition which runs from 16 September to 26 November 2006.
Entries have to be original new or recent paintings within a set size, designed to hang on walls, by someone who lives, or is based, in the United Kingdom. Full conditions are in the entry pack. Littlewoods founder Sir John Moores, a keen painter, started the exhibition in 1957.