About Guildford House Open

In its inaugural edition, the Guildford House open received 1,000 entries by 475 UK-based artists, submitting both 2D and 3D artworks spanning a diverse range of mediums.   

After much deliberation, the judging panel of esteemed industry professionals – Hayam El Sayed, award-winning oil painter, Tabish Khan, London Art Critic, Will Nash, sculptor, and Lynn Szygenda, Exhibitions and Audience Development Manager at Guildford Borough Council – selected 94 artworks by 79 artists.  The Guildford House Open 2023 stands as a celebration of outstanding artistic talent from UK-based artists. 

The selected artworks will be available to see in the Guildford House Open, held within the historic Guildford House Gallery, Guildford, GU1 3AJ, from Saturday 25 November 2023 to Saturday 6 January 2024, The gallery’s opening times are Tuesday - Sunday, 10am - 4:30pm.

The Guildford House Open brings together a captivating selection of artists working at the forefront of current contemporary practice, across all mediums and creative disciplines. Installed within the gallery’s 17th century Grade 1 Listed townhouse, the exhibition presents artworks across painting, sculpture, drawing, photography, moving image, textile, print, and mixed media. Viewers will discover works across a range of subjects and styles, including sweeping landscapes, contemplative portraits, cityscapes and street scenes, tender interiors, and abstract forms.

The winning artist announced on 1 December 2023 will receive a prestigious prize of £1,000 and a solo exhibition at Guildford House Gallery, an exceptional opportunity aimed at supporting artists through recognition and exposure towards their practice.