Rugby Open 2024 

An exhibition of contemporary art 

30 November 2024 - 20 February 2025

Rugby Open brings together a diverse range of high-quality contemporary art from emerging and established artists from the local area and includes dozens of pieces from across the arts, from paintings and prints to textiles and ceramics.

Artists from Warwickshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Coventry are invited to submit up to 3 pieces for the exhibition.  An independent panel of judges selects works for the exhibition.
There is an adult category and youth category (ages 14-19 years).

Top prize of £1000 with exhibition space.  Prizes for both adult and youth categories. 

We are making efforts to improve the accessibility of all our exhibitions and therefore if selected, artists will be invited to contribute small tactile items to accompany their work i.e. samples of material used in the work, miniature object representing the image eg. a pebble for a stony beach scene.

Important dates for applicants 

The deadline for submission date of application forms has passed.
YOUTH category - Delivery of artwork for judging panel: Tuesday 19 November 12pm-6.30pm
ADULT (and youth) category - Delivery of artwork for judging panel: Friday 22 November 12pm-5pm &  Saturday 23 November 10.30am-3.30pm
Selection Panel meets: Monday 25 November.  The selection panel changes each year.  Rugby Art Gallery & Museum staff are not involved in the decision process. 
Notification of selection panel decision: Tuesday 26 November
Unselected works collection: Wednesday 27 November 12 noon – 7pm
Preview Event: Friday 29 November 6pm – 8pm.  Includes the Floor One Gallery exhibition by Julie Krajicek winner of the 2023 Open Exhibition.
Collection of unsold works: Friday 21and Saturday 22 February 2025, 10.30am – 4pm
 

The 2024 judges

Eileen Cooper RA OBE
Eileen Cooper is an artist known for her strong and passionate commitment to figuration.  Originally from the Peak District, Cooper has exhibited widely in the UK and internationally. Her work is held in many public and private collections including the Tate Gallery; the Arts Council Collection; the British Museum; Manchester Art Gallery; Mima, Middlesborough; New Hall Art Collection, University of Cambridge; the Royal Collection; Victoria & Albert Museum; Dallas Museum of Art, Texas; Kunsthalle, Nuremberg; Walpole Library, Yale University.

Ooona Grimes
Oona Grimes is a London based artist working with drawing, clay making & film. These disciplines combining to create an alternative and highly personal world.  Her non-linear narratives testify to an obsession with language - the beginnings & ends of it, learning & losing it, slippage & misinterpretation. 

During Grimes’ 2018 Bridget Riley Fellowship at The British School at Rome she segued from thieving Lorenzetti tartans and cartoon detail from Etruscan paintings, to the appropriation of Neorealist cinema. By means of mis-remembered re-enactments, she physically draws herself into the film frame. She graduated from Norwich School of Art with a BA in 1986 & The Slade School of Fine Art 1988. She was a Bridget Riley Fellow at the British School at Rome 2018 & was awarded the Bryan Robertson Award in 2022. Grimes has taught widely at key colleges and universities. She was recently an Associate Lecturer at the Royal College of Art, Ruskin School of Art Oxford University & University of the Arts.o be confirmed

Local Artist Representative
Anna Lorimer

Cllr Maggie O'Rourke Adult Section
 Arts and Leisure portfolio holder, Rugby Borough Council.

Cllr Simon Ward Youth Section
Rugby Borough Council Mayor

The 2024 prizes

Rugby Borough Council: £1000 for the overall winner and a Floor One Exhibition
£200 Peoples Choice

Anna Lorimer, Bespoke Framing and Art Gallery, Rugby £100 framing voucher 
2D and 3D Prize winners to display at Art in the Alex
Afternoon Tea for Two at Coombe Abbey 
4 tickets to see the Nutcracker at the Macready Theatre
Rugby and District Art Society prizes; 
•                First Prize £50 and free membership for a year
•                Second Prize - free membership for a year
The Arts Society, Rugby - prize of £50.00 and free access to all the 2025 lectures plus the Arts Society Trophy
The Benn Hall, 2 x Tickets for a show of choice between Feb – March next year
The Brendan O’Rourke Memorial Prize - £250 
Warwickshire Open Studios - EMERGE Prize, free entry into WOS 
 
YOUTH PRIZES
Rugby Borough Council £250.00
Mayor Award for Youth Category - £100
Youth Prize - £20 Hobbycraft Voucher
Rugby and District Art Society prize

A look back at the 2023 Rugby Open

Rugby Open 2023 Winner

Julie Krajicek – ‘Found Family’ Series (2 pictures in the Show Found Family: The Pink Slippers and Found Family: The Welcome)
Mayor’s Award:                
Joanna Bryan – Balance 1
The Arts Society Trophy:
Jacqueline Terrett – I am Leviathan
Anna Lorimer Framing Award:    
Mark Curtis Hughes – 12% pantomime
Mcready Theatre:           
Judy Haslam-Jones – The ‘Journey’ Series
Coombe Abbey:                
Bridget Aldridge – Ceramics ‘Sunburst’, ‘Turmoil’ and ‘Moody Duet’
New Leaf Catering: Draycote Water:        
Amy Bonsor - Murmuration
Art at the Alex 2D award:              
Val Hunt – Coronation Invitation Necklace 
Art at the Alex 3D award:              
Leah Stuart – St Marks Basilica, Venice
Warwickshire Open Studios EMERGE award:
Jacob Walden – Myself and Crow #5

Rugby Open 2023 Youth Winner                     

Hope Bland – My Friend The Enemy
Highly Commended:      
Jacob Walden – Myself and Crow #5
Highly Commended:      
Heather Farquharson – The Greener Grass
Highly Commended:      
Emilie Farndon – Growing Old Disgracefully
 Julie Krajicek Rugby Open 2023 

People's Choice Vote

The People's Choice Award 2024  
Sparrows by VeSA


Visitors said "This is captivating - beautifully drawn, such movement in the pencil work - I could look at it for hours // very sensitive drawing// it's beautiful // beautiful // I love the dynamic, the charge and togetherness of the flock //  You can hear it! Used to live in a place with a very old massive tree. Every morning the sparrows were chatting inside the tree branches. It reminds me of that. // Beautiful composition, detail of birds and wonderful pencilwork// Displays the essence of their little but sparkling lives// This artwork truly makes me feel like I'm home// How do you choose?!// Wonderful drawing//"