Coventry Open to return to the Herbert this spring
10 January 2025
The creative prowess of artists throughout the Midlands will be showcased to thousands of art gallery visitors when a major competition returns to Coventry this spring.
More than 100 artists from Coventry, Warwickshire, and the wider region will see their talents go on display when the Coventry Open returns to the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum on Friday, March 28 – with submissions to be featured now open.
The exhibition, which will run until Sunday, June 8, will shine a spotlight on a wide range of artists in the region, after the 2023 edition received over 1,000 submissions and attracted around 18,000 visitors to the city centre gallery.
Now in its 13th edition, the Coventry Open not only offers emerging artists the opportunity to exhibit in a professional gallery but also provides a platform to sell their works and connect with other artists while celebrating the creative diversity of the region.
An independent judging panel is preparing to review thousands of submissions this year, with a £1,000 prize awarded to the winning entry.
Artists have until midnight on Monday, February 17 to submit their work via the online submissions portal, with organisers encouraging entries from all mediums including print, sculpture, photography and ceramics, to video, textiles, mixed media and installation art.
Marguerite Nugent, Cultural Director at CV Life, said: “We are extremely excited to be hosting the 13th Coventry Open when it returns in March.
“The standard of entries to the previous edition was incredibly high, and we are expecting another excellent showing from the fantastic established and emerging artists working across the region.
“We can’t wait to share these works with the public as we continue to provide a platform for artists in our communities and showcase the brilliant creative minds in Coventry and the rest of the Midlands.”
This year will also see the return of the Young Artist’s category, open to artists aged 15-18, following its introduction in 2023, with a £250 prize up for grabs.
A People's Choice award worth £500 will be announced at the end of the exhibition.
To ensure as many artists as possible can submit work, the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum will host IT and photography support sessions this month for artists who may face digital barriers.
The sessions, which take place on Wednesday, January 15 from 10.30am to 4pm and Saturday, January 18, from 12.30 pm to 4pm, will provide drop-in question-and-answer opportunities, access to tablets and hands-on assistance, guidance for photographing artworks and support with uploading images and completing online applications.
Artists can submit work using the submissions portal which can be found on www.theherbert.org/whats-on/1842/coventry-open-2025