The town’s creative talent will be on display in Bolton Museum’s Open Art exhibition, which opens to the public on Saturday 14 February 2026.
This year’s Open Art competition was open to anyone aged 16 and over who currently lives, works, or studies within Bolton.
A special feature of this year’s competition is the Young Artist Award, open to young people aged 16 to 23.
Submitted artworks were considered by a panel of independent judges: Amy Brunn, Exhibitions Manager at Salford Museum & Art Gallery; artist David Gledhill, co‑director of Rogue Artists’ Studios, Manchester; and Shonagh Short, director of Falcon Mill Artist Studios, Bolton. They were joined by a Young People’s Panel made up of students from Pinc College.
This year, the museum received over 240 submissions, giving the judges the hugely difficult task of selecting the final pieces for the exhibition.
The judges also awarded two prizes.
The Winner’s Prize of £1,000 was awarded to Richard Wood for his artwork Ghost Chimneys.
The Young Artist Award, worth £250 and sponsored by Bolton at Home, was awarded to Olivia Edge for her painting Rewilding.
Visitors to the exhibition can vote for their favourite artwork to win the Visitors' Choice Award, sponsored by Bromleys Art Supplies.
The exhibition will run at Bolton Museum from Saturday 14 February to Sunday 17 May 2026.
Bolton Council’s Executive Cabinet Member for Culture, Cllr Nadeem Ayub, said:
“The response to this year’s Open Art exhibition has been outstanding, as shown by the fact that over 150 people entered this year; demonstrating once again how vibrant and diverse Bolton’s artistic community is.
“It’s wonderful to see so many people seizing the chance to showcase their skills in such a respected setting.
“I’m sure visitors will be captivated by the imagination, originality, and sheer talent on show in our fantastic town that has great connections to the creative arts scene.”
About Bolton Library and Museum Services
A cultural hotspot of Bolton, the Bolton Central Library and Museum hosts eclectic events, galleries, and collections, one of which is its Egyptology collection – the largest of its kind in a local authority museum in the UK. You will also find Greater Manchester’s only public aquarium sits inside this architecturally impressive, Grade II listed building. With venues across the whole town, including the historic Smithills Hall, the Bolton Library and Museum teams organise special events, exhibitions, workshops, and social groups across the town’s libraries and halls; helping to engage, educate, and support communities.
To find out more about Bolton’s libraries and museums and what’s on, visit www.boltonlams.co.uk