The Rutland Open Art Exhibition returns to the Rutland County Museum again in early Summer 2024, and it is time for you to get creative ahead of the submission date.

With the Rutland Youth Art Exhibition currently taking place at the museum, the Arts for Rutland team are now getting ready for the adult exhibition, set to begin in May.

The exhibition, organised by a sub-group of Arts for Rutland will take place between Saturday 11 May 2024 and Saturday 8 June 2024 at Rutland County Museum.

Artists can submit their work on Saturday 4 May at the museum, between 12pm and 4pm, along with a completed application form.

A private viewing will then be held on Friday 10 May 2024 from 6pm-8pm.

Artists and makers can submit work in multiple mediums, including painting, sculpture, printmaking, drawing, photography (including digital), ceramic, glass, textiles and jewellery, and they must be from Rutland, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire and Cambridgeshire.

Each artist may enter up to three works, but priority will be given to work made in the last year. Works must be original and for sale. Selected work must remain in the museum until the close of the exhibition, unless sold, and purchaser is unable to collect after the show for an acceptable reason.

A fee of £5 for one entry, £10 for two entries or £15 for three entries is charged and must be paid at the time of submission by cash or cheques made payable to ‘Arts for Rutland’. The entry fee is non-refundable and card payment is not accepted.

Rutland County Museum will host the exhibition. Image credit: Nub News.

Only original work will be accepted, and the maximum acceptable size for two-dimensional work is limited to 70cm x 90cm including frame, portrait or landscape. All work must have mirror plates attached for security reasons.

For three-dimensional work, dimensions should be no larger than 50cm width square and unlimited in height, and artists can bring their own plinth if desired.

Work larger than these dimensions will be turned away. Please note there is no minimum size for inclusion.

Each abstract work must be marked ‘Top’ on the back of the work, to show which way up it goes. Attach one tie on label that will hang over the front of the work, and one sticky label on the back. The labels must state the artist’s name, title, medium and selling price.

Selection will be made on Friday 10 May 2024 by a panel of Judges, and the selection panel’s decision is final, as is the placing of work. The prize announcements will be made during the preview on Friday 10th May 2024 at approximately 6.45pm

All applicants will be notified by email or telephone. Unselected work should be collected as soon as possible on Friday 10th May 2024 between 12.30pm and 3.30pm from the museum. Due to limited storage space, the Museum reserves the right to dispose of work not collected unless prior arrangement is agreed.

Works submitted for selection and exhibition are at the owner’s risk and Arts for Rutland cannot accept responsibility for any loss or damage to work, therefore it is the responsibility of the owner to arrange insurance during these periods.

Artists are invited to submit entires in May 2024. Image credit: Arts for Rutland.

Find more information, including entry forms and terms and conditions, is available on Arts for Rutland's website.

The team concluded: "We look forward to seeing as many entries as possible, and to putting on the exhibition to celebrate the fantastic local talent that exists in Rutland and its surroundings."

The museum is open on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 10am until 4pm, excluding bank holidays.