The Grosvenor Museum’s 15th Open Art Exhibition
9 February 2025 – 31 August 2025
CALL TO ARTISTS
Online submissions open Monday 2 September 2024
Closing date Sunday 17 November 2024
PRIZES
1st £1,000
2nd £500
3rd £250
Visitors’ Choice £100 kindly sponsored by Sykes Holiday Cottages
SELECTORS
Jeremy Turner, University of Chester
India Hackett, Artist and Illustrator
Jessie Petheram, West Cheshire Museum
Declan Connolly, Open Eye Gallery
Showcasing the best in contemporary art from in and around the region, our biennial exhibition is a dazzling display of artistic talent from professional and amateur artists alike.
Selected from works submitted by North-West based artists over the age of 16, the vivid mix of styles and themes will include pieces you’ll love – and possibly a few you’ll hate! Visitors are invited to vote for their favourite work, with the Visitors’ Choice winning £100.
This is a selling exhibition, and selected works will be available for purchase. Please note that works cannot be removed from display until the end of the exhibition.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Work
Entries are invited from artists over 16 years old living and/or working in the North-West, North Wales and Cheshire’s other bordering counties.
Work may be in any visual arts medium, except giclée prints, installation, performance or work requiring electricity. Three-dimensional work is welcome, but should be sufficiently robust for open display on plinths, which the museum will supply.
Each work should not exceed six feet (including frame) in any dimension, and should not need more than two people to carry it.
Do not use non-reflective glass or clip frames.
Entry
There are two rounds of judging: the first to select entries; the second to select prize winners.
Initial entry is online, via the link below. If online entry is a barrier to you, please get in touch via phone or email to discuss how we can help. Entries will not be accepted after the deadline at midnight on Sunday 17 November 2024.
Please note images must be JPEGs and no larger than 5MB.
If you are successful, you will be invited to bring your work/s to second-round judging on 24 or 25 January 2025. We will send successful artists further information on preparing your works and bringing-in days. Works may by submitted by post or courier, or brought in yourself.
Up to three works may be submitted by each artist. The entry fee is £10 per work, payable when submitting the online form. This is non-refundable and goes towards artist prizes and acquisitions from the exhibition.
Any work accepted and sold at the exhibition is subject to a commission of 30% payable to the Grosvenor Museum. Prices should include the frame where applicable. When a print exists in more than one impression, only the framed one in the exhibition may be offered for sale. Prices cannot be advertised as negotiable or altered during the exhibition. Work not for sale should be marked N.F.S. on the Entry Form.
The selectors’ decisions will be final and binding, and no discussion will be entered into. If you have submitted multiple works, any, all or none of your entries may be selected.
Work may be photographed to publicise the exhibition, including on the museum’s website www.westcheshiremuseums.co.uk.
TIMETABLE
- 2 September 2024, 9am – online submissions open.
- 17 November 2024, midnight – online submissions close.
- 6 December 2024 – all artists notified of outcome.
- 24 and 25 January 2025 – bringing in days at the Grosvenor Museum for successful artists.
- 8 February 2025 – official opening of exhibition with evening event and prize-winner announcements/presentations.
- 9 February – 31 August 2025 – exhibition open to the public, Tuesday – Saturday 10.30am – 5.00pm, Sunday 1.00 – 4.00pm.
- Wednesday 3 – Saturday 6 September 2025, 10.30am – 5.00pm – all unsold or otherwise remaining works must be collected from the museum.
Please put all these dates into your diary now!Submit your Open art entries >