Applications are now being accepted for the Towner’s popular open submission exhibition, East Sussex Open 2015.
Now in its sixth year, the Open aims to showcase the best visual artists and makers from across the county and is open to anyone over the age of 18.
Joining the Towner’s head of contemporary programmes, Sanna Moore, on the 2015 judging panel includes guest selectors Jonathan Watkins, director of Ikon Gallery, Birmingham and award-winning London-based video artist Saskia Olde Wolbers.
The exhibition will run at the gallery next to the Congress Theatre July 11 – September 20 2015.
East Sussex Open 2015 is open to artists and makers over the age of 18 working in any media who live or work in the East Sussex county council area. Artists can apply with work from any visual arts background such as sculpture, painting, video, digital and drawing.
Work entered must have been produced in the last three years.
The non-refundable entry fee is £20 and the deadline for entry is Sunday March 1 4pm.
Approximately 30 to 35 artists are selected each year in a competitive open application process – last year, 300 artists applied to be included in the exhibition. Applicants range from self-taught painters to established artists with 30 year careers.
Last year the East Sussex Open saw 30,000 visitors across 10 weeks.
The Open was established in 2009, when the Towner’s new building opened, to offer talented regional artists a chance to show their work on a national platform, as well as sell their work and develop their professional portfolio.
Sanna Moore said, “We were thrilled to have had 30,000 visitors to East Sussex Open last year, which confirmed the success of moving the exhibition to the new summer slot.
“We are delighted to have Jonathan Watkins and Saskia Olde Wolbers on board this year as guest selectors.
“Jonathan has had an esteemed career as an international curator, most recently the Curator of the Iraq Pavilion at the Venice Biennale 2013, and Saskia has exhibited widely internationally and recently completed a commission for Artangel.
“Their exposure to contemporary art globally will bring new perspectives to this year’s selection process. I’m sure we will continue to get a wide range of submissions – quality is always high, and it’s always a hard job to come to a final selection.”