Celebration. Oxfordshire Museums Open Art Competition 2026

About the competition

The Oxfordshire Museum is excited to announce the theme of this year's Open Art Exhibition. Inspired by the Oxfordshire Museum's 60th birthday this year, our theme for 2026 is ‘Celebration’. 

You may have created something already that you feel fits this theme perfectly, or you may wish to take your inspiration from many of the items in the Museum collection. 

We know that Oxfordshire is full of creativity, and we want to show it off! This competition offers you the chance to showcase your artistic talents. The competition is open to residents of Oxfordshire, and we welcome submissions from anyone aged 11 years or older.

 Your artwork does not need to have been created for this competition, or even created recently, but it must fulfil the theme of ‘Celebration’. Whether it is a party, wedding, Christening, anniversary or some more unusual celebration, we would love to see your work. The best pieces will be selected for a stunning and eclectic exhibition at the Museum. 

From those on display, four prize winners will be selected:

• 1st prize
• Best Amateur Award
• Youth award
• People’s choice award

To enter, complete the submission form below.

Guidelines for submissions

Young artists aged 11 and over are welcome to submit work for the exhibition. Pieces should be created after your 11th birthday, and must be your own original work.

What you can submit

We accept most types of artwork, including two‑dimensional work, mixed media and sculpture. However, we are unable to display anything that depends on electrical power, audio-visual components, or anything that requires staff to activate, prepare, or maintain during the exhibition. To protect the Museum's collections, works that include organic materials are also unlikely to be accepted.

Working in three dimensions

Sculpture is welcome, provided it's practical to display safely. Every piece must:

• Weigh no more than 5kg
• Measure no more than 1 metre in any direction
• Be easy for one person to lift and move

We have a limited supply of plinths and display blocks; sculptors are encouraged to supply their own. 

Clear Perspex mounts present sculptures well and help ensure the piece can be shown securely. If a sculpture is selected but is found to be unstable or unsafe on arrival, we may not be able to include it in the exhibition.

Guidelines for wall‑mounted work

Due to the size of the gallery spaces, wall‑mounted artworks larger than 1m × 1m are unlikely to be accepted. 

All pieces must be manageable for a single person to move. 

Works should arrive ready to install, with secure mirror plates already fixed. Follow our mirror plate installation guide (docx format 462KB) for more information.

Insurance and installation

The Museum is unable to provide insurance for exhibited items and cannot compensate artists in the event of loss or damage to these items. Installation will be carried out by experienced Museum staff, but artworks must arrive fully prepared for immediate display, including any mounts, plates or supports needed.

Your artwork label

Each piece will have its own label in the gallery. The information on the label is taken directly from your submission form, so it’s essential to complete every field clearly, including title, materials and any short description. Labels must adhere to a set word limit due to their size, allowing for descriptions to be edited for clarity and ensuring a proper fit.

How selections are made

Artwork is selected by a panel composed of Museum Service representatives and external professionals with relevant experience in the visual arts.

Where your work will be shown

Selected works will be displayed across the Oxfordshire Museum’s Garden Gallery and Brewhouse Gallery. These spaces are monitored by CCTV and periodically patrolled by front-of-house staff. Overnight, the Museum is locked and protected by security and fire alarm systems.

Creating new work

You don't need to produce a brand‑new piece to enter. Work of any age is welcome, as long as you created it and relates to the exhibition theme.

Entry fees

There is no charge to submit your artwork.

Selling your work

Although the Museum cannot process sales, we are happy to include contact details and price on your label if you wish to offer your work for sale. These details must be included at the time of digital submission; updates sent later may not be added. Sold artworks must remain in the exhibition until it closes on Sunday 11 October 2026.

How to enter

To enter, send a digital image of your work (maximum 1MB) and complete the submission form below. You'll be asked to provide the dimensions of your piece, height and width for 2D work, and height, width, depth and weight for sculpture.

Entries close at 9am on Monday, 10 August 2026. After this deadline, the selection panel will review all submitted works.

Artists chosen for display will be contacted during the week beginning 24 August, with instructions for delivery.

Artwork deliveries will take place during the Museum’s regular opening hours (Tuesday–Saturday, 10am–5pm; Sunday, 2pm–5pm). Drop‑off and collection dates will be confirmed in the email sent to shortlisted artists.