The Ilminster Arts Centre is inviting all artists to submit work for our annual judged Open Exhibition 2025.
Work in the following media will be considered for exhibiting: paintings, original prints, drawings, sculpture, ceramics and textiles, digital collage but not photography.
An experienced panel of judges will carefully select works for inclusion in the exhibition. The panel includes:
Carol Carey – Creative Director of Somerset Arts Works
Sally Wetherall – Artist. Sally is a regular exhibitor with the RWA and in 2024 was the Artist Lead for Somerset Online Art Group. Her work uses ceramic, print, and photographic practice to record, gather, and decipher the processes that form landscape.
Robin Mackenzie – Printmaker and Illustrator. Robin is an illustrator and printmaker specialising in the crafts of linocut and wood engraving. He graduated from Arts University Bournemouth in 2013 and has since gone on to create prints for The National Trust, The BBC, Ardbeg Whiskey, SAGA Cruises, and many others. He regularly exhibits his work around the UK and is an elected member of The Society of Wood Engravers.
Mike Lanigan – Sculptor and Arts Centre Volunteer. Mike is a self-taught sculptor with a passion for carving stone - marble being his favourite medium.
Bryony Tidball – Ilminster Arts Centre Manager
A total of £750 in prize money will be awarded and awards will include one overall winner, two runners up, an emerging artist prize (Students and recent Bachelor Degree graduates) and a Visitors' Choice Award, voted for by our visitors during the month-long exhibition.
The Ilminster Open Exhibition 2025 is supported by Somerset Art Works, a countywide agency dedicated to developing the visual arts, and sponsored by local firm Branston.
In addition, each winner will be invited to participate in our Prize Winners' Exhibition, to be held during January 2026.
How to enter
We have three submission options:
£35 Fee: Two pieces, not hung here previously, may be submitted for judging plus two mounted items for our browsers.
£25 Fee: One pieces, not hung here previously, may be submitted for judging plus one mounted item for our browsers.
£15 Fee: You must be a student or a recent graduate of a Bachelor Degree (within the last 3 years), Two pieces, not hung here previously, plus one mounted item for our browsers. You will also need to submit a document that verifies that you qualify for the criteria, e.g. student card showing your name and any relevant dates.
Click the button above to enter and submit your photographs. You must complete the entry form, submit your photographs and payment by 6pm on Saturday 3rd May. Late entries cannot be considered.
PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION CAREFULLY:
Take good quality photographs in daylight and preferably not under glass. Please do not include the frames or mounts. Each image must not exceed 1MB and should have a resolution of 300 DPI. JPG or PDF images are preferred.
Please submit one photograph per piece to be judged. Each image file must be saved as your name, image title and dimensions in cm, e.g. j-smith-sunset-on-the-river-30x50cm
Please do not send us photographs of your items for the browsers.
Work submitted must not have been hung at the Arts Centre previously.
All work submitted must be for sale and commission will be charged at 30%. Selling prices should be inclusive of the 30% commission fee.
If your work is not selected for exhibiting, your fee is non-refundable. The Arts Centre is a self -funded charity and funds raised will be used to support the Arts Centre.
Our terms and presentation of work documents should be downloaded and read carefully.
Payment
Please pay your submission fee by bank transfer by 6pm on Saturday 3rd May:
Bank: Triodos Bank
Account Name: The Meeting House Arts Centre Ltd
Account number: 03276200
Sort-code: 16-58-10
If paying by BACS please include in the payment reference your full name and add OPEN, e.g. Jane Smith OPEN
Alternatively, you may pay by credit card over the phone or in person. Ring 01460 54973 and pay by credit card.
Judging
Round One: The first round of judging will be digital only, based on the photographic images you supply. If you are successful in round one you will be informed via email by Friday 30th May.
Round Two: In the second round, work will be judged in person. Please deliver physical work to the Ilminster Arts Centre on Saturday 14th June, between 10am and 12pm.
Entrants will be informed by email if their work has not been selected to be exhibited on Monday 16th June. Artwork which has not been selected can be collected by arrangement.
Exhibition & Winners
The Exhibition will run from 17th June - 18th July (Tuesday - Saturday, 9.30am - 3pm). The exhibition will close at 2pm on the final day.
Winners will be announced at a Prize Giving Event on Wednesday 18th June, 5pm - 6:30pm. Everyone welcome!
The exhibition closes on 18th July at 2pm – unsold work must therefore be collected between 2pm - 4pm on Friday 18th July, or 10am - 12pm on Saturday 19th July.
Terms, Conditions and Presentation
Click the buttons below to download our terms and further information regarding presenatation of your work.
Contact
Please email info@ilminsterarts.org.uk with any questions, or ring 01460 54973 on Tuesdays - Friday 9.30am -3.00pm.