The Competition is open to all living British and international artists over the age of 15 years old on 11th April 2025.

There will be 2 categories in the Competition: over 18s and 15 to 18 year olds. 

A third party (e.g. gallery, agent or other representative) may submit work on behalf of the artist, but the third party must confirm the conditions stated in point 9 of the Terms & Conditions.

Any piece of art is eligible regardless of medium or style. No prints, copies, reproductions or photographs of the pieces are eligible (photographs will be excepted if that is the artwork). If the chosen media is photography, an indication that the image has been manipulated (Photoshop or any other computer software used) must accompany the piece.

There are no limitations on style or subject matter.

All art pieces on paper must be framed appropriately. All 2D pieces must have D rings attached so they can be hung.

The art piece must have been completed during the previous 3 years (2025, 2024 or 2023). 

The work must have been made by the applicant, or if an agent is making the application all permissions must be made prior to application.

All work must be for sale except in the under 18s category.

Applicants must be living and aged 15 years or over on 11th April 2025.  

A maxium of 5 pieces can be entered for  a non-refundable fee:

Adults entry fee:  £20 for first piece entered and £15 for each subsequent piece entered 

Under 18s entry fee:  £10.00 per piece entered 

The submitted entry (the “Work”) must be original but can be completed in any medium.

Maximum size limit is 3m squared, unframed . 

The Competition is open to both 2 dimensional and 3-dimensional works.

All entered work must have been completed within the last 3 years.

The work selected for exhibition must be available from 4th July 2025.

For a list of inadmissible works please refer to point 10 of the Terms & Conditions

In order to enter the competition, all entrants shall complete an online application form (the “Entry Form”) where the access link will be made available on our website on 11/4/2025, and follow all directions therein. All images uploaded for the purposes of completing the entry process shall not be manipulated or otherwise artificially or digitally enhanced by the Artist.

Step 1

Take a good quality digital photograph or scan of each painting. Paintings should be photographed unframed and evenly lit and cropped to the edge of the work.

Step 2

View the photograph on a computer to make sure you are happy with the picture quality and that it is the right way up – the judges will make their decision based on this photograph. 

Step 3

A link to access the online entry form will be made available on our website on 11/4/2025. Complete the online form between 11th April to 4th July 2025. Follow the online application steps to submit your entry. 

Step 4

When pricing your piece you should consider framing, transport costs and the Gallery’s commission of 40%.

Step 5

Pay the non-refundable entry fee using the secure online payment service. Acknowledgement of your entry and payment will be emailed to you.

Step 6

Successful entrants will be listed on our website.

The judges shall be appointed by the Company in such number and of such qualification as it sees fit at its sole discretion. The Judges’ decision shall be final and no correspondence will be entered into. All works will be judged anonymously and there will be no segregation by country, genre or style etc.

Competition open for applications- 11th April 2025

Deadline for applications – Midnight on the 4th July 2025

Shortlist- to be announced on our website - 1st August 2025 

Delivery of artworks- 30th August- 3rd September 2025 please have pieces delivered as per information given  

Awards Night - 13th September 2025

Exhibition open to public- 6th- 18th September 2025

Exhibition closes – 18th September 2025

People’s Choice winner announced - 25th September 2025 on our website and social media

Breakdown of Exhibition afternoon of 18th September, collection of artwork after this. Unsold pieces to be collected and pieces sold to be collected. Artists must bring their own packing materials collection needs to be arranged with gallery.

All selected artists will be contacted after the selection with full delivery details and dates. The delivery of the work to and from the exhibition is the responsibility of the artists.

Framing or mounting of works, if required for exhibition, is also the responsibility of the artist and must be carried out prior to delivery. Works not requiring framing or mounting must be suitably protected to avoid damage in transit and clear indication should be given as to how the work could be presented. 

A label, downloaded from the website MUST be fixed to each piece. Please ensure that works are delivered with D ring fixings if they are to be hung on the wall. 

Delivery window 30th August to 3rd September 2025. 

Location and times to be confirmed.

Any Competition monies awarded to winning artists is paid gross of all taxes and charges. The prizes are as follows:

Prizes for over 18s are as follows;

Best in Show, sponsored by Art Unlimited- £5000.00 and a two week solo exhibition on The Feature Wall at Art Unlimited Bridport Dorset

The Creeds Award for Best Digital Piece - £300.00

The Lyme Bay Dental & Implant Clinic Award for Best 3D Piece - £300.00

The Dorset Hideaways Award for Best Dorset Artist - £300.00

The Stannah Award for the Adapted Class - £300.00

The People’s Choice Award, sponsored by Unique Framecraft - £500.00

Prize for 15-18 years entry;

The Daler-Rowney Under 18s Award – Daler-Rowney artist materials up to the value of £300. 

Further information: 

*The “People’s Choice Award” shall be determined and awarded in a fashion determined by the Company alone. For the avoidance of doubt, the Company shall have full and final discretion on all questions pertaining to the award of this prize and the Company shall take into account the views expressed by members of the public in relation thereto. Visitors to the exhibition, either in person or online, will be asked to vote for their favourite piece. Only one vote per visitor will be permitted. Incomplete voting slips will not be counted. The piece receiving the greatest number of votes will be deemed the winner of “The People's Choice Award”

*To be eligible for Best Dorset Artist, the artist must reside and have their primary residence within the county boundary of Dorset. This will be verified by the artist supplying their address on registration to the Competition. Proof of address will only be required if you win. 

*The Adapted Class is open to artists who:

• paint with their mouth or feet and those that hold a pen, pencil, crayon or palette knife in this manner 
• those who use adapted tools in order to hold a brush, pen, pencil, crayon or palette knife

It is assumed that the artist in entering into the Adapted Class is confirming their eligibility to enter. There is an additional Enhanced Declaration for the Adapted Class to be completed by the artist, which is optional. If further verification was ever truly required to confirm eligibility to this class, this would be undertaken in a sensitive manner and on a case-by-case basis. 

Works selected for exhibition must be available for sale. 

The Company will levy 40%  commission on sales during the exhibition or afterwards as a direct result of the Art Unlimited Open Art Competition including website promotion. 

Artists must make sure that their sale price includes the commission.

The return of work after the exhibition is the responsibility of the artists, including any customs charges and duties.

 Artists are reminded to clearly mark their packaging with their name. 

The Company, or any of its affiliates or parents, reserves the right to dispose (in any way it sees fit) of any works after the exhibition that have not been collected by the artists or where the artists have made no attempt to collect their work within 3 months of the collection date.

 No financial recompense shall be paid to the artist in the event of disposal. Additional storage costs may be incurred.

Whilst the Company shall use reasonable skill in all circumstances in handling artists’ works, occasional damage to works may occur. The Company shall have no liability whatsoever for any loss, damage or destruction (including loss of profits or any other consequential loss, indirect or incidental losses) to, or relating to, a work of art submitted for exhibition unless such loss arises as a direct result of negligence by the Company. For further details please refer to point 31 of the Terms & Conditions.

It is highly recommended that the exhibiting artists insure with a reputable insurance company their works of art for their market value.

Each artist, by entering the Art Unlimited Open Art Competition confirms that they hold all intellectual property rights to the work and that they have obtained prior written approval for the use of any third party copyrighted material contained in the submitted work.

Artists will allow the work to be photographed and reproduced by the Art Unlimited Open Art Competition for the purposes of promoting the exhibition including; catalogue, press and publicity and websites in all territories. Copyright of all works remains the property of the artist. Any enquiries for copyright will be referred to the artist.

For full details please refer to points 34-38 of the Terms & Conditions.

In accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998 (and all other relevant Data Protection legislation), the Company will hold the personal data of artists supplied on the Entry Form securely. The data will only be used in the process of administering the Art Unlimited Open Art Competition and will not be transferred to any third party not directly involved in this Exhibition.

By entering the Art Unlimited Open Art Competition artists are agreeing to all of the within Conditions of entry. The Company’s decision on all matters pertaining to the above is final. The Company reserves the right, at any time, and from time to time to amend, modify, vary, or discontinue the terms of this competition.