Rugby Open 2026 - Rugby Art Gallery & Museum
Rugby Open 2026
An exhibition of contemporary art
9 December 2026 - 20 February 2027
The Rugby Open art exhibition brings together a diverse range of high-quality contemporary art from emerging and established artists from the local area and includes dozens of pieces from across the arts, from paintings and prints to textiles and ceramics.
Artists from Warwickshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and the City of Coventry are invited to submit up to 3 pieces for the exhibition. There is an adult and youth (14-19 years) category. An independent panel of judges selects works for the exhibition. The panel changes each year.
The judging panel for 2026 is:
Hettie Inniss, Artist (recipient of The Artsy Vanguard highlighting the most promising artists working today).
Timothy Davies, Director Grimm Gallery
Cllr Maggie O’Rourke Portfolio holder for Partnerships and Well-being (Adult category only)
Cllr Nooria Sayani- Rugby Borough Council Mayor (Youth category only)
Additional third professional artist judge yet to be announced.
Application Process - a summary
- Artists must live, work or study in Warwickshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire or the City of Coventry
- Artists submit the application form either online or on paper. However the physical work must be delivered for judging by the selection panel.
- Adult category artists can to submit up to 3 pieces for selection into the exhibition. At least one submitted work should be for sale
- Youth category artists can submit up to 2 pieces for selection into the exhibition
- Artists pay the relevant fee on submission of application form (Adult £8.70 per work Youth £5.00 per work - bulk discount available for adult and youth)
- Artists deliver their physical artworks to the gallery for judging by the selection panel
- Judges select works for exhibition.
- Artists collect any unselected works
- Selected artworks are put on exhibition
RUGBY OPEN 2026 IMPORTANT DATES SUMMARY:
- Application forms submission deadline: Monday 23 November
- YOUTH category delivery of physical artwork: Tuesday 24 November 12pm-6.45pm
- ADULT category delivery of physical artwork: Friday 27 November 10.30am-5pm & Saturday 28 November 10.30am-3.30pm
- Selection Panel meets: Monday 30 November
- Notification of selection panel decision: Tuesday 1 December
- Unselected works collection: Wednesday 2 December 12 noon – 7pm
- Preview Event: Tuesday 8 December 5.30pm – 8pm.
- Exhibition Dates: 9 December 2026 – 20 February 2027
- Collection of unsold works: Tuesday 23 February 2027, 10.30am – 7pm
Please see TERMS & CONDITIONS for full details
Applications welcomed from 2 September 2026
Prizes
Overall winner wins grand prize of £1000 plus £500 towards a Floor One Gallery exhibition scheduled for the 2027 Rugby Open
Other prizes:
Youth overall winner £250
Rugby Borough Council Mayor's Award
Brendan O'Rourke Award
The Roodhouse Award
Art at the Alex 2D award
Art at the Alex 3D award
Arts Society Trophy
Rugby and District Arts Society Award
Rugby and District Arts Society Award (YOUTH)
Peoples' Choice Award
Warwickshire Open Studios Award
Northants and Rutland Open Studios Award
Paul Goalby in the Floor One Galleries
Paul Goalby winner of the 2025 Rugby Open will be exhibiting in the Floor One Gallery 29 November - 13 December.
Winner of the Rugby Open 2025: The Placeholder by Paul Anthony Goalby
First Prize Anya Kalsi Echoes of Entanglement
The Arts Society Trophy Annie Zaneboni After Matisse 2
The Anna Lorimer prize Amanda Drage Trying to find the right words
Warwickshire Open Studios Alina Bondarchuk Anxiety
Rugby and District Arts Society Prize Amy Bosner Changing
Benn Hall prize Ruth Huges Remembering You
The McCready Theatre Prize Hagarak (aka Raquel Garcia Haro) for the Wave
The Coombe Abbey Prize – ANDI – What did you just call be and Don’t F…. with me, fellas
Art at the Alex 2D prize Charlotte Ashman Towing Hyades Art at the Alex 3D prize Melissa Keskinkilinc Finding Calm paragraph is a self-contained unit of a discourse in writing dealing with a particular point or idea. Paragraphs are usually an expected part of formal writing, used to organize longer prose.
First Prize - Lily Spencer – A bond that can’t be broken
Rugby and District Arts Society Lilly Henfrey My Dad and the Dog
The Mayors Award – Rosa Kenney 5341 days of Otis
Visitors are invited to vote for their favourite artwork.
The 2025 Winners
First Prize: Paul Goalby - The Placeholder
The Arts Society Trophy: James Tallon - Red Run Retribution
The Anna Lorimer prize: Dazzler18 courtesy of Destruction Arts
The Brendan O'Rourke Memorial Prize: Victoria Wyton-Mills with After School
Warwickshire Open Studios: The Jennings Brother, Alina Bondarchuk and Joanna Bryan
Rugby and District Arts Society Prize:
The McCready Theatre Prize: Katherine Taylor with Sirens II
Art at the Alex 3D prize Jane Tilley with DNA Man
Youth Winners
First Prize: Dexter Rudkin with Boo!
Rugby and District Arts Society: Hannah Venkatasamy with Highland Cow
The Mayors Award: Ella Black with The Leather Jacket
Art at the Alex 2D Award: Carmen Tilley with Henry
Joseph Ryan - Rugby School, Rugby Close
Rugby Open 2024 Winners
First Prize:Anya Kalsi - Echoes of Entanglement
The Arts Society Trophy:
Annie Zaneboni - After Matisse 2
Anna Lorimer Framing Award:
Amanda Drage – Trying to find the right words
Mcready Theatre:
Judy Haslam-Jones – The ‘Journey’ Series
Coombe Abbey:
Bridget Aldridge – Ceramics ‘Sunburst’, ‘Turmoil’ and ‘Moody Duet’
New Leaf Catering: Draycote Water:
Amy Bonsor - Murmuration
Art at the Alex 2D award:
Val Hunt – Coronation Invitation Necklace
Art at the Alex 3D award:
Leah Stuart – St Marks Basilica, Venice
Warwickshire Open Studios EMERGE award:
Jacob Walden – Myself and Crow #5
Rugby Open 2024 Youth Winners
First Prize:Lily Spencer - A bond that can't be broken
The Mayor's Award: Rosa Kenney – 5341 days of Otis
Rugby and District Arts Society Prize:
Lilly Henfrey – My Dad and the Dog
People's Choice Vote
Voting is open until the end of for visitors to choose their favourite work.