Call for Entries now live!
The Three Counties Open Art Exhibition is back for 2026 and celebrating a 30‑year anniversary of showcasing creativity from across Staffordshire, Cheshire and Shropshire.
This year, the exhibition returns to the beautifully restored Ballroom at Fenton Town Hall, Stoke‑on‑Trent, courtesy of our partners Restoke. With its original features, special ambience, and an onsite café serving in‑house refreshments and light bites, it’s a stunning setting to exhibit and experience contemporary visual art.

About the exhibition
The Three Counties Open Art Exhibition is an open‑call visual arts exhibition featuring artists who are based in or connected to Staffordshire, Cheshire or Shropshire.
Artists working in all visual media are warmly invited to submit, including:
•     Painting
•     Printmaking
•     Drawing
•     Photography
•     Sculpture
•     Textiles
•     Moving image
•     Installation‑based work

Entry is free.
The 2026 exhibition will run from:
•     Saturday 8 August – Saturday 29 August 2026
•     Open to the public: Tuesday–Saturday, 11am–3pm
Artist workshops and an artist residency will once again accompany the exhibition — expressions of interest are welcome.

Key dates
•     Call for entry: Monday 13 April – Monday 25 May
Window for submitting artwork for consideration.
•     Launch Day: Saturday 8 August, 11am–3pm
Celebratory launch event to mark the opening of this year’s exhibition.
•     Exhibition open to the public: 8–29 August
Open Tuesday–Saturday, 11am–3pm.

Venue
The Ballroom, Fenton Town Hall
Albion Square, Fenton
Stoke‑on‑Trent, Staffordshire
ST4 3AF

How to enter

The online entry portal is now live and will remain open from Monday 13 April to Monday 25 May.
•     Entry is via an online application form, followed by emailed photographs of your artwork.
•     Full guidelines to support the entry process are available to download, including:
•     Three Counties Open Art Submission Guide 2026 (PDF)
•     3C Submission Guidelines 2026 (MS Word)

👉 For full submission guidelines, important dates, prize details, and the live entry form, please follow the link to the main Three Counties webpage.
This page contains everything you need to prepare and submit your work:

Three Counties Open Art 2026 - Keele University

Queries
For any questions about entering the Three Counties Open Art Exhibition 2026, please contact:
📧 open.art@keele.ac.uk

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