South Downs Open at Petersfield Museum and Art Gallery
Call for Artists
The Petersfield Museum and Art Gallery are excited to launch the second South Downs Open for 2026, following the highly praised success of the inaugural exhibition in 2024.
Submissions for the South Downs Open 2026 will open on Friday 6 February 2026 and will remain open until Friday 28 August 2026.
Open to All
The South Downs Open is open to all, from mini makers to established artists. Anyone, aged 5 and above are encouraged to submit up to 2 artworks in any medium, including painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, textiles and digital art.
- Adult submissions (18+): £10 per artwork (non-refundable if work not selected).
- Young artist submissions: FREE but booking still required.
Awards
- South Downs Open 2026 Winner (18+)
A solo exhibition at Petersfield Museum and Art Gallery
Sara Lee was the winner of South Downs Open 2024. Her exhibition Chalk Lines: Drawings from the South Downs is currently on display at Petersfield Museum and Art Gallery until 18 April 2026.
- Young Artist Awards (5 - 17)
Two winners, one from under 18 category and one from under 11 category will each receive a voucher from Jackson's Art Supplies.
- People's Choice Award
Return of the popular People's Choice Award, with visitors choosing their favourite artwork. The winning artist will receive a £250 cash prize.
A Celebration of Regional Creativity
The South Downs, a range of chalk hills spanning across the counties of Hampshire, West Sussex, and East Sussex, is not just a landscape but a living testament to art, literature, history and culture.
Through the South Downs Open, Petersfield Museum and Art Gallery celebrates the enduring artistic legacy of the region and provides a platform for emerging and established artists alike to share their interpretation of this extraordinary landscape.
The South Downs Open is an opportunity to celebrate the rich creativity that thrives across the region. We invite artists to share their connection to the South Downs—whether through the landscape itself, its history, daily life in the region, or memories of time spent here.
Louise Weller, Head of Collections and Exhibitions, Petersfield Museum and Art Gallery
Due to the nature of our ticketing system, when completing the process for the entry fee our system will prompt you to select a date.
This date corresponds to the deadline for submissions to the South Downs Open 2026. This does nothing but allow you to pay your entry fee.
This does not mean you have booked admission to the museum, only that you are acknowledging the deadline.
No. You do not need to live or work in the region, but we do ask that the work you
submit connects in some way to the South Downs, whether that is its landscape, its history, the
experience of living or working in the region, memories of visits, or how it inspires you.
To apply for the South Downs Open 2026 click on the "click here to submit" image on the page above, or use this link here: Apply for the South Downs Open 2026
No. Upon paying your £10 entry fee, you will receive an email from Petersfield Museum and Art Gallery containing the links to our application form and Terms and Conditions.
You must fully complete the application form to be considered for the South Downs Open.
No. Entries are accepted until Friday 28th August 2026, 5pm (BST).
All submitted works will be considered by the panel on Tuesday 1st September 2026.
Please see the Key Dates document for a full timeline of the South Downs Open 2026.
If you have any further questions please contact southdownsopen@petersfieldmuseum.co.uk.