OPEN26 Terms & Conditions

OPEN26 - Sustainability

How It Works

We have listened to your feedback from recent years and changed the way your work will be
selected. This year, there will be two rounds of selection, one online and one in the museum.
This is to help reduce the number of people who need to arrange delivery and collection for the selection process physically. Here is a brief outline of what will happen:

  • You enter your information about the artwork you will be submitting, and upload images of each artwork.
  • You do not need to deliver your work for the FIRST ROUND ONLINE selection. The FIRST ROUND ONLINE selection will be done online after submissions have closed. (See dates below)
  • You will be notified if your artwork is shortlisted for the FINAL GALLERY selection. A list will also be available online.
  • If your work is shortlisted for FINAL GALLERY selection, you will need to arrange for it/them to be delivered to Worthing Museum for this process on the specified date (see dates below).
  • FINAL GALLERY selection takes place at the museum, and you will then be notified whether your work is SELECTED for display, or UNSELECTED and to be collected. The results will also be available online.
  • If your artwork is SELECTED, it will be displayed in the OPEN26 exhibition. If your artwork is UNSELECTED, you will need to arrange for it to be collected on the specified date (see dates below).
  • Everyone who submits to the OPEN26 will receive an invitation to the big opening event, regardless of whether your work is selected for either process. (see dates below)

Conditions of Entry

  1. Who Can Enter?

    The exhibition is open to anyone, of any age, who lives or works in Sussex. Both professional and amateur artists are welcome to enter but please do not enter work that has previously been submitted.

  2. How Many Artworks?

    Up to 3 pieces of work can be entered per person.  We accept both 2D and 3D work but 3D work must be sturdy and free standing, or wall mounted.  There is limited availability to provide a power supply for exhibits and any entries requiring this must be PAT tested.

  3. Deadlines

    Details should be submitted between Monday 1 Dec 2025 and Monday 23 Feb 2026 at 5pm. The website will not accept entries after this, and hardcopy forms must be delivered to the museum before this.

  4. Payment & Fees

    Due to support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund entry is FREE, but we thank you in advance for considering a donation of £5, or any amount to support the future development of the museum 

  5. Labelling For Identification

    Your work must be clearly labelled on the back only for anonymous selection (or in a suitable place for anonymity) with your name and the title of the work.  THE NAME AND TITLES ON YOUR work MUST BE THE SAME AS THE NAME AND TITLE GIVEN ON THIS FORM. We cannot accept any work that does not have your name and title on it.  

  6. Framing Requirements

    All wall mounted work must be framed or suitably backed so that a mirror-plate screw fixing can be attached.  We cannot accept work mounted in clip frames or aluminium frames.  All other fixings must be removed.

  7. Size Limits

    Any work exceeding 1 metre square is unlikely to be accepted due to space restrictions.  Work must also be easily movable by no more than two people.

  8. Packing

    All work must be unpacked on delivery.  There are no facilities to store packaging.

  9. Insurance

    All work must be given a value whether it is for sale or not. Work selected for the exhibition will be insured using the sale value. (if you do not wish to sell you work you can select NFS when filling out the relevant section of this form)

    We cannot insure work that is not selected for the exhibition, so it will not be insured prior to selection.

  10. Commission

    This year we will not take commission on work sold during the exhibition thanks to the support received from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

  11. Delivery & Collection

    All work must be delivered/collected on the correct collection days if your artwork is selected for FINAL GALLERY selection.  There will be a storage charge of £5 per item per week if anything is not collected. Work will be disposed of if not collected after 6 weeks.

  12. Selection Results

    No liability will be accepted for works not selected for the exhibition.  Artists should visit www.wtm.uk to find out whether work has been selected or whether they need to collect their work if unselected.

  13. Alterations

    Details cannot be altered once submitted, so please ensure the correct information is given on this form.

  14. Launch Event

    All artists who submit work will be invited to the launch event on Thursday 26 March 2026 6-8pm.  You should receive an email invitation automatically once you have completed your submission.

Please note that by submitting your work to the WTM OPEN26 you agree to those works being photographed and possibly used in future publicity and promotional material relating to WTM.

Key Dates for Your Diary

Monday 23 February 2026 at 5 pm - submission of details to OPEN26 closes.  (you can submit up until this time)

Tuesday 24 - Thursday 26 February 2026- FIRST ROUND ONLINE selection takes place

Tuesday 3 March 2026 - Results of FIRST ROUND ONLINE selection available online and via email

Tuesday 10 March 2026 - If selected for FINAL GALLERY selection your artwork should be delivered to the museum between 10 am and 4 pm (ensure all work is clearly labelled on the back with the same name/title details submitted on this form)

Wednesday 11 March 2026 - FINAL GALLERY selection day

Friday 13 March 2026 - Results of selection available online and via email

Tuesday 17 March 2026  - Collection of unselected work between 10 am and 4 pm

Thursday 26 March 2026 - Launch event 6-8 pm, all submitting artists invited plus one guest

Saturday 28 March 2026 -  Exhibition open to the public

Thursday 10 Sept 2026 - Collection of exhibited/sold work between 10 am-4 pm