Grosvenor Museum 16th Open Art Exhibition 2027: North West England and Wales Artists
Chester's Grosvenor Museum, operated by Cheshire West and Chester Council, is inviting applications for its 16th Open Art Exhibition. Artists aged over 16 who live or work in North West England or specified neighbouring counties in England and North Wales may enter. The exhibition is planned for 6 February to 4 July 2027, with applications closing at midnight on Sunday 15 November 2026.
Geographical eligibility and online deadline
The council lists Cumbria; Lancashire, including Merseyside and Greater Manchester; Yorkshire; Derbyshire; Staffordshire; Shropshire; and the North Wales counties of Denbighshire, Wrexham and Flintshire alongside the North West. Artists must live and/or work in the specified region. The entry process is therefore restricted to part of the United Kingdom rather than open globally. Applicants must be over 16 and can enter up to three original works.
Fees, selection and exhibition
The entry fee is £10 for each submitted work, non-refundable and payable with the online form. An initial judging round determines which artists are invited to deliver their original artworks for a second selection on 22 or 23 January 2027. The prizes are £1,000 for first, £500 for second, £250 for third and £150 for Visitors' Choice. The exhibition opens on 6 February 2027 and closes on 4 July 2027.
Visual and digital-art considerations
The Open Art Exhibition is described by the organiser as contemporary visual art in a range of media. Artists working with photography, digitally prepared prints, collage and mixed media must check the museum's current submission and exhibition conditions concerning acceptable formats and physical delivery. This announcement does not confirm that a video link or purely virtual exhibit is acceptable without a display-ready work.
The museum and its previous activity
The Grosvenor Museum is a long-established public museum in Chester, maintained by the local authority. The council describes this as its 16th Open Art Exhibition, held every two years, and names judges from West Cheshire Museums, Storyhouse, Ruthin Craft Centre and professional arts practice. This identifiable institutional exhibition programme is distinct from third-party online fee-collection pages.
Official entry and contact
The council's formal news release directs entrants to the museum's own online submission portal and explains the first and second judging stages. The £10 charge is the stated competition fee. Artists should use the council's published link for payment and read the entire 2027 exhibition conditions for insurance, sales and delivery requirements.
This article provides a summary. To avoid misunderstandings, please be sure to check the official page for full details.
Information checked: 19 October 2026.
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