The Open 2026 – Leicester Museum & Art Gallery
Leicester Museums & Galleries · Leicester, United Kingdom
Leicester's annual open exhibition for anyone living, working or studying in the East Midlands, shown at Leicester Museum & Art Gallery over the winter. The 2026 call closed on 7 October 2026.
This one has closed. These are still open
Open Call for Artists and Writers: Labour, Repetition and Print (Haus-a-rest Issue 76)
Haus-a-rest · United Kingdom
- Deadline
- Closes tomorrow
- Open to
- Worldwide
- Entry
- Free
DREDGE: A Collective Exhibition Open Call
Samson Arts Gloucester · Gloucester
- Deadline
- Closes in 2 days
- Open to
- UK & Ireland, United Kingdom
- Entry
- £10
Red, Green and Gold
Fourth Wave · Brighton
- Deadline
- Closes in 2 days
- Open to
- Worldwide
- Entry
- £5
Your eligibility
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Who can enter
- Location
- United Kingdom (by country of residence)
- Age
- 19 and over
- Career stage
- Any
- Mediums
- Any medium
- Submission
- Online, then physical if shortlisted
- Also
- Living, working or studying in the East Midlands. Adults 19+; separate free category for ages 5 to 18.
About
The Open is Leicester Museum & Art Gallery's long-running open exhibition. Anyone living, working or studying in the East Midlands may enter: adults (19+) up to three works, and young people aged 5 to 18 one work free in a separate category.
For 2026, submissions opened 24 August and closed at 4pm on 7 October 2026; artists are notified by 9 November. Adult fees were £21.20 for one work, £32 for two and £42.50 for three (concessions £16, £21.20 and £26.40). Sponsored prizes come from local organisations including Phoenix, LCB Depot, Leicester Print Workshop and CVAN East Midlands.
The exhibition opens in late November at Leicester Museum & Art Gallery on New Walk and runs into January. Entries have closed for 2026; the call normally reopens in late summer.