Dorset Visual Arts and Dorset Museum & Art Gallery have successfully launched the inaugural Dorset Open, a major new art competition and exhibition that opened to the public on Saturday 18 October 2025. This landmark collaboration between the two leading cultural institutions, with support from Dorchester Arts, Arts in Hospital, and Evolver Magazine, runs until 30 November 2025.
The professionally curated exhibition, hosted at Dorset Museum & Art Gallery in Dorchester, showcases diverse works by artists from across the region and beyond, celebrating the richness and creativity of Dorset’s artistic community.
The competition invited submissions across all artistic media—painting, drawing, sculpture, printmaking, photography, mixed media, and digital art. Artists were encouraged to explore their connection to Dorset’s landscapes, people, history, and culture, or reflect on broader themes of place and identity.
Reflecting both organisations’ climate emergency declarations, a special Climate and Ecological Emergency Award was introduced to highlight environmentally-focused artworks or those employing sustainable creation methods.
“We wanted to create a new platform that celebrates the very best of Dorset’s creative community,” said Paul Newman, Creative Director of Dorset Visual Arts. “The Dorset Open is inclusive, representative, and designed to bring together artists at every stage of their journey—from emerging talent to established practitioners.”
A distinguished five-member panel reviewed entries, including Freeny Yianni (Curator and Gallerist, Close Ltd), Simon Barber (Editor, Evolver Magazine), Suzy Rushbrook (Curator, Arts in Hospital), Ian Middleton RWA (Sculptor), and Jack Dickson (Artist and BBC’s Extraordinary Portraits participant).
The inaugural winners represent the breadth of artistic talent:
- First Prize (General Category): Aliceson Green, In England’s Green and Pleasant Land
- Second Prize: Jane Atkinson, Oxygen 1–4
- Climate Emergency Award: Maggie Granlund, Temperature Quilt, Dorchester, Dorset
- Emerging Artist Prize: Skye Tholstrup, Forbidden Fruit
Additional category winners included Danny Byrne (Dorchester Arts Prize), Tim Edgar (Dorset County Hospital 2D Prize), Mark Hilde (Dorset County Hospital 3D Prize), Bonnie Brown (Evolver Magazine Prize), Gary Cook (Dorset Museum & Art Gallery Prize), Ina Packard (Dorset Visual Arts Prize), and Olive Watkins (Mount Collective Prize).
This collaboration marks an exciting new chapter for Dorset’s cultural landscape, reflecting a shared commitment to nurturing creativity, promoting inclusivity, and strengthening community connections through visual arts.
“This partnership highlights the strength and vibrancy of Dorset’s creative community,” said Newman. “By working together, we can ensure the arts continue to thrive—not only in our galleries and museums, but in the lives of people throughout the region.”
Claire Dixon, Director of Dorset Museum & Art Gallery, added: “The Dorset Open has brought together an incredible mix of creativity, energy, and talent from across our community. It celebrates everything that makes Dorset so special—a place where art, nature, and people are deeply connected.”
The Dorset Open is set to become a key fixture in the county’s cultural calendar, providing an accessible platform for artists to share their work and celebrate Dorset’s creative spirit.
Exhibition runs 18 October – 30 November 2025 at Dorset Museum & Art Gallery, Dorchester.