Now in its second year, the Landscape Open at Salisbury Museum is calling for entries – celebrating the breadth of landscape in contemporary art.
Artists working in any medium are invited to submit work that responds to the theme of landscape – exploring, depicting or interpreting it in all its forms. There are no restrictions on what a landscape is. Entries might include traditional rural scenes, cityscapes, and many other perspectives.
Open to artists in the UK and internationally, the exhibition will feature around 75 works, selected by an eminent panel of judges.
Deadline: Thursday 20 August 2026, 5pm.
Why Salisbury Museum?
Salisbury Museum is based in the King’s House – an impressive Grade I listed medieval building opposite Salisbury Cathedral. The museum’s mission is to welcome, inspire and entertain diverse audiences by telling the story of Salisbury and the surrounding area – a unique landscape that has been the cradle of unparalleled human achievement for over half a million years.
Given how powerfully the surrounding countryside has inspired artists, Salisbury Museum is the perfect setting for an open competition celebrating landscape in all its forms.
The museum is located in Wiltshire, southern England – surrounded by landscapes and monuments that have inspired generations of artists, including Stonehenge, Cranborne Chase and the New Forest. Among those drawn to this landscape are some of England’s most celebrated painters: John Constable, JMW Turner, Paul Nash, John Piper and Eric Ravilious.
While rooted in a place with a powerful creative legacy, the exhibition is not limited to depictions of the local area. It celebrates landscape as a source of inspiration in art across all media – embracing interpretations of landscape from anywhere in the world.
Who Can Enter?
| Criterion | Detail |
|---|---|
| Location | UK and international artists |
| Age | 18 and over |
| Career stage | Amateur and professional |
| Mediums | Any 2D or 3D medium (see full list below) |
| AI-generated work | Not admissible |
| Maximum entries | Up to 3 works (plus up to 2 supporting images per work for details/multiple viewpoints) |
| Theme | All works must be an interpretation of Landscape |
Student Entry:
Students may apply but must be completing an arts degree. Student entrants will be required to share which course and institution, and provide a valid student ID.
Work Requirements
| Criterion | Detail |
|---|---|
| 2D max dimensions (framed) | 2.4m in any dimension |
| 3D max dimensions | 50cm on the longest side |
| Maximum weight | 18kg |
| Film/moving image | Max 10 minutes; artist must arrange own display method |
| Installation / diptychs / triptychs | Considered as a single artwork |
| Image file type | JPEG (max 5MB per image) |
Entry Fees (Non-refundable)
| Number of works | Standard fee | Student fee |
|---|---|---|
| 1 artwork | £17 | £15 |
| 2 artworks | £32 | £28 |
| 3 artworks | £45 | £39 |
The Selectors
| Selector | Background |
|---|---|
| Adrian Green | Director of Salisbury Museum; studied Archaeology at UCL; MA in Museum Studies from Leicester University; transformed the museum’s permanent galleries |
| Nina Murdoch | Trained at Slade and Royal Academy Schools; winner of inaugural Threadneedle Prize and ING Discerning Eye Prize; sell-out exhibitions at Marlborough Fine Art and The Fine Art Society |
| Emma Stibbon RA | Widely recognised for masterful engagement with landscape genre; creates powerful large-scale drawings and prints exploring environments shaped by natural forces and human impact |
| Dr Anjana Khatwa | Award-winning earth scientist, presenter and writer; worked for universities, Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site and National Trust; recipient of Geographical Award for public engagement |
| Dr David Boyd Haycock | Freelance art historian and curator; Visiting Research Fellow at Oxford Brookes University; specialist in early 20th-century British art; author of A Crisis of Brilliance |
The selection panel’s shortlist decision will be announced by email to all entrants and subsequently by press release. Decisions are final and binding; no correspondence can be entered into.
The Prizes
| Prize | Award |
|---|---|
| Winning Artist | £1,000 + Solo Exhibition at Salisbury Museum |
| Student Mentoring Prize | Mentoring with Parker Harris |
| People’s Choice Award | £500 (announced online at the end of the exhibition) |
Key Dates
| Online submission deadline | Thursday 20 August 2026, 5pm |
|---|---|
| Results notification | 17 September 2026 |
| Delivery of selected work | 8–10 October 2026, 10am–5pm daily |
| Private View | 16 October 2026 |
| Exhibition open to public | 17 October 2026 – 31 January 2027 |
| Collection of work | 4–6 February 2027, 10am–5pm |
How to Apply
Submission is by online application portal only.
Steps:
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Complete the online application form.
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Pay the entry fee online within the form.
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Upload images of your work(s) (JPEG, max 5MB).
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Provide dimensions (height, width, depth) and weight for each submission.
You may enter up to 3 artworks, plus up to 2 supporting images per work to show details or a range of viewpoints.
All entries must be submitted by the deadline.
Why Enter the Landscape Open?
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Solo exhibition at Salisbury Museum – a career-defining opportunity for the winner
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£1,000 cash prize – meaningful financial recognition
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Prestigious venue – Grade I listed medieval building opposite Salisbury Cathedral
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Rich artistic heritage – join the legacy of Constable, Turner, Nash, Piper and Ravilious
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International reach – open to artists worldwide
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Broad interpretation of landscape – from rural scenes to cityscapes, traditional to experimental
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Student category – reduced fees and dedicated mentoring prize
Final Checklist
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Are you aged 18 or over?
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Does your work engage with the theme of Landscape?
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Is your work original (no AI)?
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Does it fit within the size limits (2D: 2.4m / 3D: 50cm)?
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Is it under 18kg?
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For moving image: is it under 10 minutes and can you provide display equipment?
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Have you paid the correct entry fee (standard or student)?
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Have you uploaded JPEG images (max 5MB each)?
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Can you deliver selected work to Salisbury between 8–10 October 2026?
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Can you collect unsold work between 4–6 February 2027?
The Landscape Open 2026 – Second Edition
£1,000 + Solo Exhibition at Salisbury Museum | People’s Choice Award £500 | Student Mentoring Prize
Exhibition: 17 October 2026 – 31 January 2027
Open to UK and international artists | All mediums welcome | Theme: Landscape
Deadline: Thursday 20 August 2026, 5pm
Enter Now via the ArtOpps Online Portal HERE
Salisbury Museum – telling the story of a unique landscape that has been the cradle of unparalleled human achievement for over half a million years.
