Artists from across County Durham are invited to submit their work for display at an annual exhibition held to celebrate local talent – and there’s a new category for 12 to 18-year-olds. The Open Call Exhibition will go on show at the Bishop Auckland Town Hall gallery, run by Durham County Council, from Monday 11 December until Saturday 17 February.
Last year’s exhibition attracted nearly 6,000 people and featured 78 pieces of art by 30 artists from areas including Teesdale, Weardale, Derwentside and East Durham. Applications for this year’s exhibition are now open to anyone who lives, works or studies in County Durham.
Councillor Elizabeth Scott, the council’s Cabinet member for economy and partnerships, said: “We’re delighted to be providing local artists with this opportunity to have their work displayed at such a prestigious venue. While we’re very proud to host major food and music festivals and huge events like Lumiere, celebrating local talent in this way is every bit as important to our aspirations to make County Durham the culture county.
“One of the great things about this exhibition is that it is open to people from all walks of life. Last year’s artists ranged from their mid-twenties to their seventies and this year we are hosting a Youth Open Call for the first time. It really is a fantastic opportunity and we look forward to seeing the submissions.”
Artists can submit up to three pieces of artwork, wall mounted or free standing, for consideration by a panel, which will ensure a wide range of mediums, subjects and genres are displayed. The Youth Open Call is open to those aged 12 to 18 and up to two pieces of artwork can be submitted with parental, carer or guardian consent.
The deadline for submissions is Sunday 1 October and organisers are aiming to inform successful applicants by Tuesday 31 October. To find out more about the exhibition, and for full details of the application criteria and how to submit work, click here.
South West Durham News covering news across County Durham.
