Ilminster Arts Centre Open Exhibition 2025

Description

The Ilminster Arts Centre is inviting all artists in the South West 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.