BLACK Swan Arts is now calling for entries to its hugely successful Young Open 2023 competition which will be on show at the Frome-based art centre in Spring.
Applications are open now and will close on Friday 3rd February. The exhibition will take place at Black Swan Arts from Saturday 4th March until Sunday 16th April.
The Young Open, now in its eighth year, provides an exceptional opportunity for young people between the ages of 5 and 19 to have their work curated, judged and exhibited in Black Swan Arts’ Long Gallery, cafe and Round Tower for hundreds of visitors to see. Black Swan Arts wants to make this bigger and better than ever. Unfortunately, the last exhibition was sadly closed because of national lockdown on the first day of the exhibition in March 2020.
Winners have the chance to take part in a small group workshop with a professional artist. The Workshop Prize is a unique element of the Young Open, with local working artists and craftspeople offering workshop prizes. Each of the sessions is carefully tailored to develop the skills and broaden the artistic abilities of the winners in each of the three categories. Winners will also receive vouchers kindly donated by local Frome business, Postscript.
This Young Open competition demonstrates the ongoing commitment of Black Swan Arts to the development of local artistic talent and to building strong links with the community. In the eight years since the competition was launched, it has proven to be enormously popular with young artists, their families, schools and the general public: over 1,500 works of art have been entered and more than 1,000 young artists have taken part; 150 schools, clubs and youth groups have been involved; and the five exhibitions to date have received over 9,000 visitors.
Submissions in all forms of art and craft are welcome, including painting, drawing, collage, ceramics, jewellery, textiles, photography, video/ animation, metalwork, carpentry and sculpture. The cost is £5 for one entry, £8 for two entries, £10 for three entries and £12 for four entries. The deadline for entries is Friday 3rd February. Entry is online at www. blackswanarts.org.uk. If you have any questions about the competition please visit www.blackswanarts .org.uk or contact Morag on 07986 847849 or email at exhibitions@blackswanarts.org.uk
