Calderdale Open Art Exhibition 2026: Digital Art Accepted, AI Works Excluded — 15 November Deadline
Calderdale Museums is inviting artists to submit original two-dimensional art, including digital art and photography, to the 2026 Calderdale Open Art Exhibition. Selected work will be displayed at Smith Art Gallery in Brighouse, West Yorkshire, from 16 January to 10 July 2027. The deadline for the online entry form is 15 November 2026. The organisers welcome artists of any age or ability, and applicants do not have to live in Calderdale.
A genuine opportunity for original digital art, with a strict AI exclusion
The official terms specifically include digital art alongside printmaking, drawing, painting, photography, mixed media and textiles. Eligible pieces must be original two-dimensional works. However, artwork created or altered with artificial-intelligence programs or tools is expressly ineligible. For makers who regularly use generative AI, this is not a disclosure-based rule: the published conditions exclude AI-created and AI-altered entries.
The stated theme is 'Memories'. Entries do not have to address the theme, but judges will look particularly favourably on pieces that reflect it. An original digital collage, illustration or photographic artwork exploring personal, social or local memory could be an appropriate proposal if it complies with the technology, copyright and presentation rules.
Online entry: up to three pieces, JPEG and 300 dpi
Artists enter through the organiser's online portal; the initial submission is not a physical delivery. Upload images in JPEG format at no more than 10MB each and at a minimum of 300 dpi. Original pieces must be no longer than 1.5 metres on their longest side. The rules allow up to three works in each entry, and artists may make multiple entries.
Entry is not free. The first work in an entry costs £20, and the second or third work costs another £10 each. Payment is taken online at submission and the fee is not refundable when an artwork is rejected by the selectors. Applicants should calculate the total entry cost before paying, especially if submitting several works.
Prize amounts and exhibition conditions
The overall first prize is £250 from Calderdale Museums Service. The second prize is a £200 gift voucher and the third a £30 voucher. There is also a £100 People's Prize decided by exhibition visitors after the show closes. The first prize is cash; the two other judged prizes are vouchers, not equivalent cash awards.
Successful artists are due to be notified by 15 December 2026. Exhibited works will be shown from 16 January to 10 July 2027. Attending the preview event on 16 January is not funded: selected artists pay their own travel and associated expenses.
A digital submission may still require a physical artwork
Artists selected for the exhibition must physically deliver their finished pieces to Smith Art Gallery in Brighouse on either 11 January 2027 (3–6pm) or 12 January (1–4pm). The rules specify appropriate framing with wooden surrounds and mirror plates, or comparable fixtures for unframed canvases, and reject clip frames. This means that even digitally created artwork needs to be made into a physical, suitably mounted piece for exhibition.
The exhibition ends on 10 July. Unsold pieces must be collected on 16 or 17 July 2027, and the gallery indicates that storage charges of £10 per day may apply to pieces not collected on time. Artwork is held at the artist's risk and artists must make their own insurance arrangements. These logistics matter for anyone applying from outside the immediate area.
Rights and sales
Selected works may be offered for sale, and exhibition is not conditional on a willingness to sell. The gallery charges a commission equal to one-third of the sale price. The museum may also use photographs of the artwork for its website, social media and promotional purposes, but the rules allow artists to opt out when submitting.
For every submitted work, ensure that images and design materials are original and lawfully owned or licensed. For digital art, keep source files and a clear record of tools and creative process so that you can substantiate that no AI generation or AI alteration was involved.
Organizer's official terms and application
Information checked 15 October 2026. Confirm that portal terms have not changed before paying a non-refundable entry fee.