Swansea’s artists and makers — professional and amateur alike — are about to take over Room 3 of the Glynn Vivian, as the gallery’s annual Swansea Open returns.
The exhibition of selected works opens on Saturday 18 July, with an opening event from 1pm to 4pm, and runs until Sunday 20 September.
The Open is an annual art competition for anyone who lives or works in the City and County of Swansea — SA1 to SA9 — celebrating art and craft from every corner of the city.
A different panel of invited selectors chooses the works each year, and this year’s judges are artist Sue Williams, professor and course director of fine art at Swansea’s UWTSD, and Ceri Jones, head of art at Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales.
Williams is an internationally recognised artist whose work has been exhibited on five continents and sits in leading private and public collections worldwide.
Jones recently took up her role at the national museum, and is a familiar figure in Swansea’s art scene — she was previously creative director of the city’s Mission Gallery.
Three prize-winners will be chosen from the exhibited entries, taking home £250, £150 and £100 — with the winners announced on opening day.
The Friends of Glynn Vivian Art Gallery will award a further £200 prize for a selected artwork, and visitors get a say too, with a vote for their favourite work in the People’s Choice Award.
Glynn Vivian curator Karen MacKinnon said: “It’s always really lovely when our annual exhibition Swansea Open arrives. It’s a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the wealth of creativity and talent our city has to offer.”
“Even if you are not entering your work this year, please spread the word and bring your friends and family to see this wonderful celebration of diverse and exciting artworks,” she added.
Many of the works on show will be for sale as part of the exhibition.
Entry to the gallery, on Alexandra Road, is free, with doors open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 4.30pm and last entry at 4pm.
The Open arrives ahead of a landmark year for the gallery — British Art Show 10 comes to the Glynn Vivian next February, the only Welsh stop on the national tour.
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