The Northumberland Open Exhibition 2026

Exhibition runs Saturday 14th February - Sunday 10th May 2026

Housed in Woodhorn Museum’s stunning Workshop Galleries, the annual Northumberland Open is the largest exhibition of its type in Northumberland.

The exhibition attracts submissions from artists from across Northumberland and beyond. Works are selected for exhibition by a professional panel of artists and curators who also select an Overall Winner and Highly Commended artworks to be awarded prizes. During the exhibition run, thousands of visitors vote for the ‘People’s Choice Award’ which is announced at the end of the exhibition.

If you are interested in submitting artworks to the Northumberland Open 2026 please contact us at programmeNld@northeastmuseums.org.uk by no later than 5pm on Thursday 4th December 2025. 

"Behind scores of ordinary front doors are extra ordinary people making amazing art to impact all our lives in so many ways. Tell them all thank you very much indeed". Northumberland Open Exhibition Visitor Feedback.

About Northumberland Open Exhibition 2026

The Northumberland Open 2026 is a non-themed exhibition.

Artists may submit up to three artworks for consideration at a fee of £10 per work (non-refundable).  

Submission is in-person only and takes place over 3 days in January 2026 (Thursday 15th, Friday 16th and Saturday 17th January). Due to the volume of submissions alternative dates or times cannot be offered.  

Submitted artworks should have been completed within the last two years. 

Insurance of artworks will be covered by Woodhorn Museum whilst the artwork is inside Woodhorn Museum’s premises.

The decision of the Selection Panel is final, and no correspondence will be entered into. Our Selection Panel cannot offer feedback to individual artists.

Wall-based artwork should be framed to a professional standard, be securely fixed within the frame and include pre-attached wall fixings. Acceptable fixings include mirror plates and flush mounts. We will not select or hang works fitted with domestic picture wire/string fixings. Woodhorn Museum reserves the right to adapt the wall fixings if they are not appropriate for display.

The maximum size of any artwork including the frame must not exceed 100cm x 150cm.

We are not accepting submissions of digital/film-based artwork due to the space and display limitations of the exhibition gallery. 

Sculptural artwork will be considered but the presentation of sculpture may be limited by gallery space and available display equipment including plinths, display cases and barriers. 

All work must be clearly labelled at the back with the Title, Artist Name, Date, Medium, Insurance Valuation & Selling Price (including 30% commission to Woodhorn Museum) or marked as Not for Sale. The artwork must be labelled in the orientation that it is intended to be hung. 

Woodhorn Museum is unable to make changes to the exhibition gallery guide, including the price and title of artworks unless there has been an administrative error made by us. 

Woodhorn Museum is proud to present all exhibitions to a high professional standard and the exhibition will be selected, curated and installed in line with this standard.

Artists must be able to collect unselected artwork from Woodhorn Museum on Saturday 7th February 2026. 

After the exhibition closes, artists must be able to collect work that are not for sale or unsold on Thursday 14th, Friday 15th or Saturday 16th May 2026. Woodhorn will contact all the submitting artists in April to remind them of the collection dates.  

Sale of Works Information

Artworks may either be for sale or not for sale.   

If the artwork is for sale, Woodhorn Museum’s commission will be 30% of the selling price. Please take this commission into account when deciding your selling price. 

No artworks will be allowed to be removed from the exhibition prior to its closing date by either artists or buyers. If potential purchasers contact you directly, please re-direct the enquiry to Woodhorn Museum.  

Image credit: Tyne and Time Wait for No Man by Lyndon Rutherford - winner of the Northumberland Open Exhibition 2025.