The annual Open Exhibition is back at the Ferens Art Gallery!

2025 Open Exhibition

Friday 10 October 2025 – Sunday 11 January 2026

The annual Open exhibition at the Ferens Art Gallery has celebrated the creativity of local amateur and professional artists since 1967. Each year the Open exhibition provides an exciting opportunity for artists to display and sell artwork.

Visitors can expect to see a fascinating array of artwork including impressive paintings, photographs and textiles, as well as a number of striking sculptures and ceramics, most of which are for sale. 

Sponsored by the Friends of the Friends and BSB Architecture

Submit an Artwork

A link to the 2025 Open submissions form will appear here at 9am on Wednesday 23 April 2025 when submissions go live.

Please read the terms and conditions of the 2025 Open Exhibition in full before submitting your artwork. Once you submit your online form successfully you will receive a confirmation email.

To place a submission, it costs £7.50 per artwork, with a £6 concessionary rate for age 16-25 year olds and disabled artists of any age. Artists can submit up to three artworks. If you are entering in the 16–25-year-olds category, please note that if your work is selected you will be asked to show proof of age when delivering your artwork to the Gallery.

Key Dates

Online submissions open

9am, Wednesday 23 April 2025 

Online submissions close

Midnight, Thursday 8 May 2025

Notification by email

Wednesday 25 June 2025

Delivery period

Wednesday 17 to Wednesday 24 September 2025

Preview

Thursday 9 October 2025, 6-9pm

Exhibition display

Friday 10 October 2025 to Sunday 11 January 2026

Collection of artwork

Saturday 17 January to Sunday 25 January 2026 

Need help with photographing your artwork or submitting your online application? Then you can book onto one of our free 30-minute workshops.

Free 2025 Open Workshops: Online Submission and Photography

 Ferens Art Gallery, Studio

These simple sessions are designed for artists not familiar with using a computer, the internet or email. Staff will guide artist through the process of submitting an artwork online for the 2025 Open. The sessions will also support artists with photographing their artwork.

Friday 25 April 2025               30 minute slots between 10.30am and 3pm

Saturday 26 April 2025           30 minute slots between 10.30am and 3pm

Saturday 3 May 2025             30 minute slots between 10.30am and 3pm

Sunday 4 May 2025                30 Minute slots between 11.30am and 2.30pm

Wednesday 7 May 2025         30 Minute slots between 10.30am and 3pm

There is also a dedicated workshop to support disabled artists with their applications on 2 May.

During these relaxed sessions two artists will assist with the photography and online submission of artworks. There are only 3 available spaces per timing, support workers or caregivers are welcome to accompany artists.

Friday 2 May 2025   

• 10.30 am
• 11.00 am
• 11.30 am
• 12.00noon
• 12.30 pm
   

All our submission workshop sessions will last up to 30 minutes, and they can cover all or some of the following areas:

• Getting online.
• Setting up an email account (if you do not currently have an email account, please set one up in advance of the workshop if you’re able to do so).
• Fill in and submit the Open Exhibition online application (if you have already taken images of your artwork then please bring these with you on a disc, USB stick or your camera or phone with connecting cables).
• Taking good quality digital photographs of your artwork (please bring any small and easily transportable artworks with you and these can be photographed during your timeslot. Ideally these should be unglazed for the purposes of taking good quality photographs).
• Uploading digital images from your camera or phone and saving them onto your computer.
• Uploading images from your computer onto the Open Exhibition online application form.

To reserve a place on one of these workshops please call 01482 614 290 between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday or email ferensopen@hcandl.co.uk. Places are strictly limited and are reserved on a first come, first served basis.

2025 Open Exhibition Prizes

Friends of the Ferens Award

The following cash prizes will be given to winning entries, selected by the Friends of the Ferens board:

First Prize: £350

Second Prize: £250

Third Prize: £200

Prize money kindly donated by the Friends of the Ferens

Hallett & Future Ferens Young Artist Award

All young artists age 16 to 25 are eligible for this prize.

£200 will go to an artist selected by BSB Architecture and the Future Ferens young people’s collective.

Prize money kindly donated by BSB Architecture

Chair’s Award – Hull Culture & Leisure

£100 will go to an artist selected by the Hull Culture and Leisure Chair

People’s Vote Award

£100 will be awarded to an artist with the most votes from visitors to the 2025 Open exhibition.

Contact Us

01482 614290 (Mon to Fri, 9am – 5pm) / ferensopen@hcandl.co.uk

Read the terms and conditions: 2025 Open Exhibition Terms and Conditions (PDF)

2025 Open Exhibition Audio Description

An easy read document will also be available soon. 

Keep up with all the latest from the Ferens Open 2025 on social media

Twitter @HullFerens
Instagram @ferensartgallery
Facebook www.facebook.com/ferensartgallery
Hashtag #FerensOpen