Young Artist Open Exhibition 2025

Young Artist Open Exhibition

If you know someone aged 15 and under who is a budding artist, why not encourage them to enter our Young Artist Open Exhibition?
The competition is free to enter, and selected works will be shown in an exhibition in the Ferens Art Gallery from 10 October 2025 – 11 January 2026.

The exhibition, previously known as the Junior Open, has been held annually at the Ferens Art Gallery since 2003 and celebrates the creative talent of young people in Hull and the surrounding area. 

Each year there is a huge vairety of work on display, from paintings and drawings, to pastels, collage, and prints. Subject matters also vary, including portraits, local landscapes, and still life.

• individuals
• schools
• youth groups

Prizes and age categories

All submissions are in the running to win prizes in each of the age categories. Prizes have kindly been donated by Friends of the Ferens and The Hull and East Riding branch of The Arts Society and are awarded to the best entries in the following three categories -

• six and under
• seven to 11
• 12 to 15

Winners will be contacted in advance of the exhibition opening to inform them of their success and will be invited to a prize giving event.

Submissions are open 30 June until 13 July 2025

Entry forms are available online here and in the Gallery.

To enter the Young Artist Open Exhibition as an individual, school or youth group you must meet the following entry requirements -

• only one artwork can be submitted per child
• be aged 15 and under on the final date of submission – Sunday 13 July 2025
• artwork submitted should be on paper or card, in a variety of media such as – paint, pastel, ink and collage
• artworks must not be framed or on a canvas
• artwork must be no smaller than A4 size (210 x 297mm) and no larger than A2 size (420 x 594mm)
• only submit original artwork as photographs or photocopies are not accepted
• Individuals may only submit one two-dimensional piece of artwork.

School Submissions

If you are a school or youth group, you may submit a maximum of 30 pieces of artwork. Schools are welcome to submit artwork that has been created by more than one pupil such as a class entry.

All accepted artwork is attached to the wall using Velcro.

You must attach a completed entry form available from Ferens Art Gallery to the back of your artwork. Please write neatly otherwise we will not be able to contact you. You will need to provide your:

• name
• age
• title of the work
• email address & telephone number
• School name (only if submitting from a school)

Guidelines

Full guidelines will be available to download soon. 

We cannot accept responsibility for misunderstandings due to document instructions not being followed correctly.

We aim to show as many entries as possible, however, if we have too many, we will have to make a final selection. Submissions from schools will be ensured a minimum of one entry.

Entries sent by post can be returned to you by post providing you include a self-address stamped envelop with your submission.

Please contact youngartistopen@hcandl.co.uk for any enquiries.

Keep up with all the latest from the Ferens Open 2024 on social media

Twitter/X @HullFerens
Instagram @ferensartgallery
Facebook www.facebook.com/ferensartgallery
Hashtag #FerensOpen