The Open – Leicester Museums

Submissions will be live between 12 noon Monday 11 August 2025 and 4pm Tuesday 30 September 2025.

Submit your artwork via the Zealous application platform:

What is the Open?

The Open is your chance to be part of Leicester’s biggest annual celebration of creativity. If you live or study in the East Midlands and love making art — no matter your background or experience — you can submit your work for a chance to exhibit at Leicester Museum & Art Gallery. Running for over 35 years, the Open is all about showcasing the amazing talent from across our region. It’s a celebration of local art and the people who create it.

How does it work?

Each year, we accept submissions during late summer, and the exhibition launches in November / December. A panel of judges — made up of artists, curators, and community members — carefully select pieces from all the entries we receive. Painting, sculpture, textiles, prints, photography, and more — every kind of art is welcome. Selected works are displayed at Leicester’s New Walk Museum & Art Gallery, with Sponsored prizes awarded to some works.

Who can take part?

Anyone aged 5 and up who lives, works, or studies in the East Midlands can submit their artwork! This includes people from Leicester, Leicestershire, Rutland, Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, and Northamptonshire.

Is there an age category?

Yes! To give everyone a fair chance, we have two groups:

The Open (for people aged 19 and over)
The Open: Young People’s Exhibition (for ages 5–18)

This means you’ll see a wonderful mix of creativity from every generation when you visit!

How do you submit your work?

Click on the link above to launch the submission form. For additional guidance see the links below.

Is there a fee to enter?

There is a fee to enter work into the adult category of Open 31.

Adult entrants may submit up to three individual artworks, and the fee is based on the number of artworks submitted:

Standard adult fees:

1 artwork – £20.50
2 artworks – £30.50
3 artworks – £41.00

Concession fees (available to students and those aged 60+):

1 artwork – £15.50
2 artworks – £20.50
3 artworks – £25.50

Young People’s category (ages 5–18):

Entry is free, and each young artist may submit one artwork only.

Guidance for Applications:

Please see the links below for guidance on: 1. How to price your artwork 2. How to photograph your artwork 3. How to add mirror plates to your artwork 4. How to deliver your artwork

Prize Sponsors

In addition to the annual Attenborough prizes which are selected by a panel of independent judges, the following organisations and businesses have offered a selection of generous prizes. The sponsors’ prizes cover all the age categories and range from family theatre tickets and art materials to solo exhibition opportunities and mentoring sessions designed to develop new talent. We are delighted to have each of these organisations on board to bring this exciting aspect to the show.

This year’s sponsors include: