Open Art Exhibition

The Grosvenor Museum’s Open Art Exhibition returns for its 15th year presenting the best in contemporary art in the region.

Over 460 entries were received, and visitors can see 102 exhibits including paintings, drawings, textiles, photographs and ceramics.

The competition gives artists of all descriptions a chance to share their work, with prizes awarded by a panel of judges for first, second, and third place, and a Visitors’ Choice prize for the artwork that receives the most votes by public ballot, awarded at the end of the exhibition.

This year the judges - Jeremy Turner, University of Chester, India Hackett, Artist and Illustrator, Jessie Petheram, West Cheshire Museums and Declan Connolly, Open Eye Gallery. Awarded:

First place winning £1,000 – Keepsake Comes to Life, by Sarah Wood (watercolour and gouache)

Second place winning £500 – Matter II, by Catherine Taylor Parry (mixed media)

Third place winning £250 – Interconnection, by Debbie Baxter (acrylic)

Highly commended are Ian McCullough; Janet Howkins; Alison Holt; Robert Jones; Jackie Stephens; Alan Edwards and Sophie Parr.

A Visitors’ Choice award will be decided by the visitors to the exhibition.

Entries were invited from artists over the age of 16 living and/or working in the North-West, North Wales, and Cheshire’s bordering counties.

There were two rounds of judging: the first to select entries; the second to select prize winners.