ENTRIES are now open for the 2024 Jersey Summer Exhibition at CCA Galleries International, an opportunity for Jersey artists which is modelled on the high-profile annual show at London’s Royal Academy.
Following the RA’s approach, anyone is entitled to enter, regardless of experience, but works included in the exhibition are selected from an open call by a panel of professionals who also allocate the prestigious summer prize.
It combines the opportunity to hold a future solo exhibition in the Hill Street Gallery with the £1,000 Royal Bank of Canada Emerging Artist prize.
This year, judges from the gallery will be joined by London-based painter and printmaker Tom Hammick and Royal College of Art-trained Ben Johnson, born in Llandudno but active in London since his student days.
“Now in its eighth year, the Jersey Summer Exhibition continues to be the highlight of the cultural calendar in Jersey and drives the standard of artwork being made.
“Having work exhibited at CCA Galleries International has helped launch the careers of promising Jersey artists, as well as re-enforcing those of artists already established,” the gallery says in its launch document.
Last year, the Summer Exhibition attracted 127 artists, an increase of 18 on the previous year, with almost 300 individual works submitted.
Ultimately it was Idina Moncreiffe – a London-based painter, who grew up in Scotland and Jersey – who took last year’s top prize, having just graduated in fine art from City and Guilds of London Art School.
Artists living and working in Jersey, or working elsewhere but with connections to the Island are eligible to enter work in all media, including original prints, paintings, drawings, sculptures, films and photography.
In addition to the summer prize, the exhibition also offers two prizes specifically for landscapes and seascapes: the Rural Country Life Prize recognises artwork in any form, provided it draws inspiration from aspects of Jersey’s life such as landscapes, lanes, farming, food, animals, plants, or the natural environment; while the Inspired by the Sea award focuses solely on celebrating the beauty of seascapes.
The rural award is judged by David Benest of BCR Law, the National Trust for Jersey’s Donna Le Marrec, Alasdair Crosby of Rural Magazine and a member of CCA Galleries International team.
Two awards given by Gallery Magazine celebrate creative works in the realm of graphic design and illustration, offering £250 prizes and the opportunity to be featured in a future issue of Gallery Magazine.
Entries for this year’s summer exhibition, the deadline for which is 7 April, must be made online at: ccai-jse.co.uk.
The exhibition will run at CCA Galleries International in Hill Street from 21 June to 26 July.
