Cowbridge Open Art Competition 2026
A call for creators of 2D Art, Prints and Applied Art (3D Work). Your chance to participate in the third Cowbridge Open Art Exhibition
3 Monday August 17 – Monday August 31 2026
4 Offering 14 prizes from a prize fund of over £2,500.
Cowbridge a historic town, in the beautiful Vale of Glamorgan, South Wales is the setting
for our third biennial Open Art Exhibition. Cowbridge is already renowned for its famous
Music Festival and Food and Drink Festival – now the Cowbridge community vision is
extending to the world of art and design. We welcome entries in two categories, with
selected entrants exhibited in Old Hall, Cowbridge, CF71 7AF.
Prizes
| 2D 2D ART, PRINT, DRAWING First Prize £500 | 3D / APPLIED3D APPLIED ARTART First Prize £200 | |
| Second Prize £350 | Second Prize £150 | |
| Third Prize £250 | Third Prize £100 | |
| Highly Commended 9 X £100 |
VISITORS’ VISITORS’ CHOICE £100
TOTAL PRIZE FUND £2,550
Entrant Information
Information for Entry
| ENTRIES OPEN – Tuesday April 7 CLOSE – Sunday July 12 | CLICK HERE to access entry page. As a reference, use name and number of entries. Eg. JSmith3/A.Evans1) To be sent to cowbridgeopenart@gmail.com or by post to – Cowbridge Open Art, 1 Castle Precinct, Llandough, Cowbridge CF71 7LX |
| Entry fees | 1 / 2 / 3 works £12 / £18/ £22 respectively |
| Methods of Payment | 1. by Bank Transfer to – Cowbridge Open Art, Sort code 30 – 99 – 50 Account no. 47177960 2. By post – to address listed above. |
| Conditions | All artists must be age 18 or over. All work must be for sale and are subject to a 25% commission. Entry fees are non returnable and do not guarantee acceptance of work into the exhibition. Acceptance is by the discretion of the judges. The exhibition will be stewarded at all times, there are two security cameras in the main gallery, but all work is submitted at the artists’ own risk. |
| Notifications of acceptance | From August 1st |
| Submission of accepted work | All successful work must be delivered to the Old Hall, High Street, Cowbridge Sunday Aug 9 – between 10 – 4pm Monday Aug 10 – between 10 – 4pm |
| Official Opening | Sunday August 18 – 1.30- 4pm |
| Exhibition Dates | Monday August 17 – Monday August 31 Opening Hours 9.30am to 5pm) |
| Location | The Old Hall, High Street, Cowbridge, CF71 7AH |
| Categories | 2D Art, 3D / Applied Art / Print |
| Prize Fund | £2250 |
Successful entrants will be notified asap after JULY 21 and the winners notified before the Opening event on Sunday, August 18 2024
Judges
Mr Roger Haigh
Roger Haigh is an artist and designer working in Cardiff. He graduated from Cardiff College of Art and following a teaching qualification from London University, taught in several schools in the Cardiff area before becoming Head of the Department of Art and Design at Cardiff High School. As well as teaching the basic discipline of painting, drawing and three dimensional studies, he also taught graphic design, photography, textiles and art history. For twelve years he has been a senior examiner/moderator for A level Art and Design and has been a member of the Board of Studies for Welsh Art Colleges foundation courses. Roger has been a regular visiting lecturer and competition judge at the South Wales Art Society and Cowbridge Art Society and undertakes speaking engagements for art organisations in the South Wales area.
| There are three distinguished judges – one for each field. Each is an experienced curator, lecturer or practioner in his/her field, and they will select the successful entrants and the winners. | |
| 2D Art Applied Art Small Prints | 2D ART CERI THOMAS Dr Thomas was the 1999 winner of the Gwyn Alf Williams memorial Award and is a well know name, particularly in Welsh artistic circles. He is a freelance artist, art historian and curator based in south Wales, who’s publications include – Ogwyn Davies: Bywyd a Gwaith / A Life Apart (Talybont: Y Lolfa 2022) and “Shaping Art in Wales; David Bell, Kathleen Armistead and the Modern Artist” (H’mm Foundation 2023) 3D/APPLIED ART – PAMELA JONES Pamela Jones is an award-winning figurative ceramic artist who lives and works in Wales. Previously an actress in London, notably, at the National Theatre and The Peter Hall Company, she moved to America with her family before returning to Wales where she studied ceramics at Cardiff Metropolitan University. Pamela, is a commissioned artist, and a member of The Society of Women Artists and The Royal Society of Miniature Painters, Sculptors and Gravers. PRINT – MARTIN TRUEFITT-BAKER Based in the Brecon Beacons, where hi is greatly influenced by the local landscape , wildlife and changing seasons, Martin Truefitt-Baker was originally a graphic artist and illustrator with some printmaking and book design. Having spent years involved in Art and Design and education, he has recently returned to concentrating on his own work and now mostly produces acrylic and watercolour paintings alongside carefully designed and handprinted linocut prints. |
A big thank you to our sponsors!
With thanks to the sponsors of Cowbridge Open Art 2024
Cowbridge Open Art Competition 