Nottingham Castle Annual Open prize winners announced!

The selection panel of the Nottingham Annual Open, a celebration of the best artistic talent in the East and West Midlands, has announced the winning artists of this year’s competition.

The Annual Open which is now running at Nottingham Castle Museum & Art Gallery until 6 November, received almost 1000 art works submitted by just over 300 artists and makers across the region. 

The selection panel, which consisted of three prestigious judges Sheila McGregor (Chief Executive, Axis), Lina Peterson (Jeweller) and Dan Perfect (Artist), picked out 129 works by 65 artists (38 from Nottingham).  At the end of the selection the panel chose five 'finalists' who were then short listed for the top cash prize. 

Nottingham City Council is pleased to announce the prize winners for this year’s Annual Open are:

• Nick Hedderly who won the Tarpey Gallery Prize (a solo exhibition at the Tarpey Gallery in Castle Donnington)  
• George Hardy who won the George Thornton Prize for Recent Graduates (George Thornton selected an artist who has graduated in the last 3 years, for an exclusive 6 months representation by his gallery)
• Paul Crook who won The Ian Robinson Prize - a £200 cash prize - awarded by this company who specialise in lettering and graphics for exhibition and display
• Serena Smith who won The John E Wright Prize - £200 worth of John E Wright goods (fine art and graphic materials or services, printing) 
• John Marsden who won The People's Panel Prize* - £200 cash award and invitation to meet the panel to talk about their work
• Sarah Turner who won the Design Factory Prize - a year's free membership of Design Factory
• Satta Hasham who won the New Art Exchange Prize of a solo exhibition at New Art Exchange

Cllr Dave Trimble, Portfolio Holder for Leisure, Culture and Tourism, awarded the remaining prizes as follows:

• The Castle Prize, of a solo exhibition at Nottingham Castle - awarded to Alex Pain

All of the exhibiting artists were invited to vote for one of the five short listed finalists in order to determine who would be awarded the main cash prizes.

The 4 runner-up prizes of £250 went to:

• Jackie Berridge
• Mirela Bistran
• Trish Evans
• Paul Newman

And the grand cash prize of £1,500 went to: Frank Kent

All prizes for the Annual Open were generously provided by the exhibition’s sponsors and proved to be a great draw for artists, along with the unique experience of showing in the historic setting of Nottingham Castle.

For the fourth year running the Annual Open has been supported by the New Art Exchange, who contribute to the prize fund and offer a winning artist a solo exhibition in their galleries.

Councillor Dave Trimble, Portfolio Holder for Leisure, Culture and Tourism said:  “The Annual Open is always an exciting exhibition in the Castle’s programme with a huge variety of media submitted and selected including video, performance, collage, drawing, ceramics, painting, jewellery, installation, sculpture and printmaking.  I would urge everyone to come and enjoy the exhibition and support the region’s own talented artists.”

The Castle is open Tuesday – Sunday, 10am – 4pm (last admission is 3.30pm).

Further details about the Nottingham Annual Open exhibition are available online at www.mynottingham.gov.uk/open2011.  For details of admission prices to Nottingham Castle visit www.mynottingham.gov.uk/nottinghamcastle Alternatively call Nottingham Castle Museum & Art Gallery on 0115 915 3700.