Artists are being invited to showcase their work at a special Nottingham Castle exhibition which dates back nearly 140 years.

Submissions are now being requested for the Nottingham Castle Open 2015 and are available to artists who live, or are professionally based, within the Midlands.

All work entered must be for sale and, if selected, will be displayed in the Victorian splendour of the castle’s temporary galleries, giving local collectors and enthusiasts a chance to buy unique pieces of art while supporting home-grown artists.

The judging panel will select between 30 and 40 artists to exhibit their work and an overall winner will receive a £2,000 first prize. Others will secure a solo exhibition at the castle or at the Tarpey Gallery in Castle Donington, £500 of artist materials from GreatArt.co.uk, plus further cash and residency prizes provided by the event sponsors.

The judging panel will be made up of artists Deb Covell and Ben Woodeson (cor), plus Kerry Harker, artistic director at The Tetley gallery in Leeds, and Robert Dingle, contemporary projects manager at Artfund.

Last year, close to 450 artists applied from across the Midlands and 33 were selected to reflect a wide variety of media including, film, video, collage, drawing, photography, painting, printmaking and installation.

Up to four pieces can be submitted by each artist before the deadline of Sunday, July 12, and the competition is free to enter.

The much-loved exhibition has been a regular feature at the castle since 1878, and continues to be as popular as ever. The Nottingham Castle Open develops year-on-year and is a great boost for the region’s emerging artists. It will run from September 19 to November 8.

 

Councillor Dave Trimble, Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Culture at Nottingham City Council, said:  “The Nottingham Castle Open is an exciting and energetic exhibition representing the best of regional talent, ranging from the recent graduate or amateur artist to the more seasoned professional.

“It provides a platform for artwork to be anonymously judged within a competitive field for an opportunity to be shown in one of the city’s major gallery venues, while exhibitors can also win a large range of exciting prizes and opportunities.  Furthermore, for the third consecutive year it is free to enter via the website.”

Selected artists will be announced from Monday, August 3, and all prize winners will be announced at a closing party at the castle on Friday, November 6.

For details on how to apply for the Nottingham Castle Open 2015 visit www.nottinghamcastleopen.com. Alternatively for further details or application advice contact: Colette Griffin, Visual Arts Assistant on 0115 876 1433 or e-mail: colette.griffin@nottinghamcity.gov.uk