Are you an artist who lives, works, volunteers, or studies in Knowsley with a passion for sharing your creations? Or are you new to making art and would like to exhibit with the gallery for the first time? Kirkby Gallery is inviting you to submit your work to be showcased in the 20th Knowsley Open Art Exhibition.
Artists have until 24 March to apply to present their work in the art showcase, which will be on display at the gallery from 24 April – 22 July
Artists of all ages, including young artists under the age of 18, will be given the opportunity to submit up to two pieces of their 2D work which will be displayed in Kirkby Gallery. Artists can use whichever medium they prefer – painting, drawing, textiles, photography, printmaking, mixed media – anything goes.
Visitors will be invited to vote for their favourite pieces in the Young Artist and Adult Artist categories.
To celebrate the exhibition’s legacy, this year there will be 20 cash prizes awarded in each category – for Adult Artists there will 10 prizes of £50, for Young Artists there will be 10 prizes of £10. The Young Artists prizes are kindly funded by Edge Hill University.
An additional £50 cash prize will be awarded for the Reg Robinson Prize; a special award that pays tribute to local artist Reg Robinson, a dedicated painter who entered works into the Open Art Exhibition from its outset and who sadly passed away in 2013. The Reg Robinson Prize will be awarded to a selected artist who echoes the skills and creativity that embodied Reg’s work.
A highlight of this year’s exhibition will be the Open Art Auction on Wednesday 26 July where exhibited artists have the opportunity to sell their work to the public. Hosted by professional auctioneer Adam Partridge (Flog It, Bargain Hunt and Cash in the Attic), artists can set the reserve price for their work, and instead of paying commission fees, a proportion of the price will help raise money for the community group Friends of Kirkby Gallery & Prescot Museum.
Cllr Shelley Powell, Knowsley Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities and Neighbourhoods said: “The Knowsley Open Art Exhibition is a fantastic example of how art and culture bring people together; from the artists creating these fantastic pieces to the public who see and engage with the work.
“Last year Knowsley was Liverpool City Region Borough of Culture and during the year we celebrated the passion and creativity we have here in the borough – this exhibition continues this fantastic legacy.”
The application deadline to enter the Knowsley Open Art Exhibition is Friday 24 March. For more information and to enter the exhibition download the entry form here or pick one up at Kirkby Gallery. For more info visit www.prescotmuseum.org.uk/knowsley-open-art/
Kirkby Gallery is open Monday – Friday: 10am – 5pm (last entry: 4.30pm) and Saturday: 10am – 1pm (last entry: 12.30pm)