OPEN 2025 - Call for Entries
The Old Lock Up Gallery is excited to announce it’s ‘call for entries’ to our annual OPEN - installed within the gallery - Salon style. Please join us and submit your work to our annual Open call out - by stepping forward and submitting your work you are letting us know that you’d love to work with us in 2026/2027. Plus you’re also supporting our rather unique and fabulous independent art gallery here in the Derbyshire Peak District!
The exhibition is open to all artists, from all disciplines, aged 18 and over resident within the UK only. We are accepting postal deliveries from selected artists this year.
THIS PAGE WILL GO LIVE WITH APPLICATIONS FORMS ETC ON THE EVE OF 16TH NOV 2025.
Criteria for Submission:
Aged 18 or over - UK resident
Work submitted must have been created during or after the year 2024.
Artists can submit work in any medium including, for example, painting, sculpture, ceramics, photography, textiles, multi media, drawing.
Completed submission form: in following format only: word, JPEG (print: handwrite/complete and take photo) or PDF: sent as attachments only - no zip files, downloads or use of dropbox etc.
Submission fee paid.
Good quality photographs/Jpegs of submissions - emailed with completed submission form (please DO NOT send separately) - approx 150 - 300 dpi - cropped to size/no blurring/background or frames included in the photograph etc. Sent as attachments only - no zip files, embedded docs or downloads via links or apps. Emailed along with your submission form.
If notified of selection - Artists must be able to deliver/post/collect their work on the allotted dates before and after the exhibition: see timeline below. However please do contact the gallery if this is difficult - we will be as flexible as possible. See note at foot of this web page re; postal deliveries.
Submission Dates:
Online via email 2025: 8am 16th November - 12pm January 11th - please download a submission form below.
Submission Fee:
The submission fee is £20 for up to 3 pieces of work (maximum pieces of work: 3 per artist), It is not possible to apply without paying this fee, which is non-refundable. Fee is payable via our ‘Whats On’ page - the link is at the bottom of this page.
50% commission charged on any sales if selected for the Open 2026.
Maximum size of 2D work: no larger than 85cm - length/width.
Maximum size of 3D work: no larger than 85x85cm
Checklist:
Completed submission form
JPEG’s of art work sent as attachments - using the titles of the art work as the file names.
Maximum pieces of work – 3 per artist
Entry fee: £20 paid online via our websites ‘What’s On’ page: Link/button is below.
Calculated price of work including 50% gallery commission.
Email: completed submission form, good quality jpegs: all sent as attachments in one email by 11th January. theoldlockupgallery@gmail.com
Ensure that you can commit to the delivery/postal dates.
You can scan or photograph your completed submission form if needed.
Prizes:
Winner - cash prize of at least £250 & invited to exhibit in a maximum of 2 shows in 2025 or 2026
Selected Artist - invited to exhibit work in a maximum of 2 shows in 2026 or 2027
Selected Ceramicists x 3 - invited to exhibit work for at least 12 months within the gallery and/or bothy.
Timeline:
Please ensure that you are able to commit to the following dates:
Open for submissions online/email: 2025 November 17th - 11th January 12pm 2026
Notified of selection for OPEN 2024 - by 17th January 2026 - via email
Delivery of work to the gallery if selected: 31st Jan 11-12 noon or 1st Feb 11-12 noon
Postal deliveries: on 30th January - if selected you will be given further details.
Exhibition Opens: 8th February 2-5pm
Exhibition Closes: 21st March
Collection of unsold work: March 21st 4.15pm - 5pm or March 22nd 11-12 noon - from the gallery.
If sent via post unsold work will be returned to you via Special Delivery or Parcel Force 24/48 hrs - you will need to cover this cost.