Quay Arts has extended its deadline for this year’s OPEN exhibition, inviting emerging and established artists to submit works exploring the theme ‘SOFT’.
They say the theme can be interpreted in many ways, offering diverse possibilities for contemporary artistic expression within our spacious West Gallery setting.
Applicants may approach the theme practically, through materials, considering the tactile nature of the non-rigid and pliable. Beyond the physical; subtler, more nuanced qualities of Soft might be considered, from the emotional — tenderness, vulnerability, or empathy — to the social or cultural — Soft Power and influence.
It can also be interpreted through the lens of soft skills, quiet strength, gentleness and so on.
Key dates for the exhibition process are as follows:
- Deadline to apply – Monday 19th May 11:59pm
- Selection notification – Friday 30th May
- Delivery of Work – Monday 4th and 5th August
- Exhibition Duration – Saturday 9th August to Saturday 4th October
- Opening Event + Award Announcements – Saturday 9th August 6 – 8pm
- Collection of Work – Monday 6th October between 10am – pm
Prizes
One artist will be selected (by the SOFT judging panel) from the 2025 OPEN for a solo exhibition at Quay Arts in the West Gallery in late 2026 / early 2027.
A second artist will be selected for a solo exhibition at Quay Arts Clayden Gallery in 2026.
The SOFT selection panel includes Steve Baxter, artist & Open 2023 Winner; Ricardo Blanco, Aspex Gallery curator / Programme Manager, Ian Whitmore, Alicia French and Hannah George – Quay Arts, Arts Team.
Winners will be announced during the exhibition Opening Event on Saturday 9th August 6pm – 8pm.
Previous Open Exhibition winners include
Steve Baxter (2023 – OPEN ‘The Art of Sculpture’);Paul Woods (2021 – OPEN ‘Freedom’); Rachel Johnston (2019 – OPEN ‘A Life in Nature’); Caroline Underwood (2017 – OPEN ‘I must down to the seas again’); Joanna Kori (2015 – OPEN); Holly Cade & Liz Sterry (2013 – OPEN ‘Duet’); Katayoun Dowlatshahi (2010/11 – OPEN); and Julian Rowe (2008 – OPEN ‘Location’).
On winning the 2023 Biennial, later displaying his solo West Gallery exhibition LIVING | ROOM in 2024/2025), Steve Baxter said,
“I’m really excited about the opportunity of a solo show at Quay Arts. It frees me to think, play and create a body of work that enlivens a larger space.
“It gives me the chance to extend the range of the scale of my work, widen its scope and enables it to talk to each other with different voices.”
News shared by Alicia on behalf of Quay Arts. Ed
