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CuratorSpace | Project management tools for curators and artists

OPO Open 2025

Deadline: 01/01/2025

City: Scarborough  |  Region: North Yorkshire  |  Country: United Kingdom  |  Old Parcels Office

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CALL OUT for entries for the OPO OPEN 2025. Closing date 1st Jan 2025.

The OPO Open 2025  will take place  at the  Old Parcels Office Artspace  in Scarborough from 15th February to 9th March 2025.

Now in its 4th year the OPO ‘Open Call’ attracts over  entries from artists across the UK. Last year over 1000 people visited the exhibition.

Around 80 works will be selected for the exhibition by a panel of independent selectors. This years selectors are Paul Bonomini, Member of the Royal Society of Sculptors and President of the London Group artists collective; Lindsey Tyson winner of the 2023 Women in Art, HSOA Emerging Absract Painting prize and Jacqui Barrowcliffe, emerging artist and OPO Trustee. 

The exhibition will be held at The Old Parcels Office Artspace (OPO),  Station Carpark, Westborough, Scarborough, North Yorkshire, YO11 1TU. Since it opened in 2021 the OPO has established itself as the Yorkshire Coasts leading centre for contemporary art. 

Entry is open to any artist living in the UK. (We are unable to accept entries from artists outside the UK).

The following forms of visual art will be accepted: painting, original & digital printmaking, drawing, mixed media, sculpture, ceramics, textiles, crafts (2D & 3D), photography. There is no restriction on size. (Unfortunately we are unable to accept video work this year).

Artists can submit up to 3 works. Submission fees are £25 for 3 works, or £10 for a single work, irrespective of size or medium. When making your submission please select either the 3 Works Entry Form or the Single Entry Form. Failure to pay the appropriate fee for the number of works submitted will mean that works will be automatically rejected. 

You can submit one image for each work. To do justice to your work and help the selectors please ensure the images are sharp and cropped appropriately, and are true to the actual artwork (no filters etc.) Image files submitted should be in JPG/JPEG format. Images should not be larger than 4MB.

The closing date for entries is midnight on 1st January 2025.  You will be notified on or before 17th January 2025 whether your artwork has been selected for exhibition or not.

The exhibition dates are 15th February - 9th March and the PV/opening will be on Saturday 15th February 2- 4pm.

Full details of delivery and collection dates are in the FAQs

The OPO is a huge old railway building and not a  ‘white cube’ gallery space, please bear this in mind when deciding on your entry choices. 

 

Submission fees

The following submission fees apply to this opportunity.

  • Single Entry Submission (1 entry submission of 1 work) - 10.00 GBP
  • 3 Works Entry Submission Fee (1 entry submission of 3 works) - 25.00 GBP

The appropriate fee will be payable using a debit or credit card after the first submission has been completed. If the submission fee allows you to submit more than once, you will be able to make further submissions after the first. Contact the curator if you have any questions about the opportunity or the submission fee, or email help@curatorspace.com if you have any questions about the payment process.

Make a submission Contact the curator
Who is eligible for this opportunity?
This opportunity is open to all visual artists and makers whether professional, amateur, student or graduate who are resident in the UK.
Work should have been created within the last 2 years, must be your own work, and owned by you.
Copies of artworks will not be accepted, but those ‘derived’ from another piece may be considered.
When is the deadline?
The deadline for submissions is midnight on 1st January 2025
How many works can I submit?
Up to 3 artworks may be submitted per artist. Please ensure the media and dimensions are accurately listed in your entry form.
The following forms of visual art will be accepted: painting, original & digital printmaking, drawing, sculpture, textiles, crafts (2D & 3D), photography. (Unfortunately we are unable to accept video work this year). If your work has special installation requirements then please let us know with clear instructions in the ‘Specials Instructions’ box on the application form.
What are the delivery dates for selected work?
The dates for delivery of selected work are:
Thursday 30th January 2pm - 4pm (artist drop off)
Friday 31st January 11am - 7pm (artist drop off and courrier day)
Saturday 1st February 11am - 2pm (artist drop off)

Bring your work to: Old Parcels Office, Westborough, Scarborough, North Yorkshire, YO11 1TN. You will find us at the far end of the station carpark. Please use the car parking spaces and leave the loading area free, unless your work is exceptionally heavy or large, in which case please give us prior warning to assist in the handling of it.
We are able to accept work from couriers on Friday 31st January provided that they arrive during the hours stated above, the OPO is closed outside of these hours.
What are the dates for collection of work after the end of the exhibition?
The dates for collection of unsold work are:
Sunday 9th March 2025 4pm – 7pm (artist collection)
Monday 10th March 2023 10am – 7pm (artist and courier collection)
Courier collection of work should be organised by the artist. Courier pick-up times will be during those outlined above, as the OPO is closed outside of those stated hours. The work will be returned in its original packaging, be aware there may be a charge for our time taken in repackaging the work for transit.
As we have limited storage facilities, we will dispose of any uncollected work after 1st May 2025.
How much does it cost to submit work
Submission fees are £25 for 3 works and £10 for a single work, irrespective of size or medium.
Please select either the 3 Work Entry Form or the Single Entry Form.
Fees must be paid at the time of application and will be paid online. Failure to make the correct fee for the number of works submitted will lead to works being automatically rejected.
This fee is non-returnable, even if your work is not selected for exhibition.
Are there any prizes?
The prizes for the OPO Open 2025 are:
Visitors’ Choice: £200 prize awarded at the end of the exhibition to the most popular work as voted for by visitors to the exhibition.
Jim Orme Painting Prize £250.00
OPO Trustees Prize: £250.00 awarded to the artwork selected by the Trustees of the Old Parcels Office.
Hawthorn Print Prize: £100.00 materials voucher for the selected printmaker. Sponsored by Hawthorn Printmaking Supplies
Is there a private view / opening?
Private View/Opening date is Saturday 15th February 2 - 4pm
What are the exhibition opening hours?
The exhibition will be open to the public: Saturday 15th February to Sunday 9th March 2025
Gallery opening hours are Thursday to Sunday, 11am – 4pm
How are works selected for the exhibition?
Work will be selected by a panel of 2 independent judges and one member of the Board of Trustees of the OPO. Art work will be considered entirely on its own merits, therefore your name and biographical information will not be revealed to the panel during this process.
If my work is selected how should I prepare my work?
You will need to clearly label each piece with your name, title and price of the work, to match the information on your application form.
As the OPO is a heritage building and the hanging system is rail-based, with wires and sliders, rather than the work being attached to the wall itself. Therefore all 2D work for hanging should be fitted on the back with D-Rings, placed vertically approximately 5cm from the top of the frame. Please ensure the D-Rings used are suitable for the weight of the artwork. No picture cord or wire is required.
Mirror plates will not be accepted. If they are required, for any reason, then we reserve the right to fit them to your frame/stretcher at the OPO.
We also reserve the right to adjust your fittings, if needs be, to ensure a successful curation of your work.
When will I know if my work has been selected?
You will be notified on or before 17th January 2025 whether your artwork has been selected for exhibition or not.
The decision of the selectors on all matters is final and no correspondence will be entered into regarding the selections made.
How much commission will be taken if my work is sold?
If your work is sold Scarborough Studios CIO will take a 33% commission on the sale price. Please remember to include commission when you are pricing your works. Please also note that artists liable to VAT are responsible for paying their own tax.
When your work sells and once the buyer has paid in full, a red dot will be placed beside the piece, and another on the list of works in the space.
Any sales of the work during the exhibition should be processed via the Old Parcels Office. If you, the artist, sell the artwork via another platform, then the commission to the OPO will still be owing. Please inform us of all sales immediately to avoid replication.
Payment to artists will take place after the exhibition closes. A member of the Old Parcels Office will be in touch to take your bank account name, number and sort code and the funds will be transferred to you via BACS. We will not ask you for any further account information, and this information will only be used to make this payment.
How will the exhibition be promoted?
The exhibition will be marketed through the OPO social media sites and through the regional and local press.
What happens if the exhibition has to be canceled for any reason?
The OPO reserves the right to restrict, change, postpone or cancel the exhibition if deemed necessary or unavoidable. In this case we will be in touch with all artists to update them on the situation.
Do I need to insure my work?
Whilst every care will be take in the handling of your artworks. The Old Parcels Office and Scarborough Studios CIO can accept no liability for loss or damage to work submitted to and exhibited during the Open Exhibition; therefore, you may wish to arrange your own insurance for any artworks delivered to us.
Does the gallery have disabled access?
Yes the OPO has disabled access.

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