IAN COLLINS Norfolk artists are being invited to submit pictures for an Open Art Show being organised in Norwich on the lines of the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition.

IAN COLLINS

Norfolk artists are being invited to submit pictures for an Open Art Show being organised in Norwich on the lines of the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition.

Scores of professional and amateur talents living or working in the county will feature in a spectacular spring display at the Castle Museum.

Exhibits will cover all wall-mountable imagery from paintings and drawings to prints and photography. Each piece of work must have been completed within the past two years.

The event is a highlight of celebrations for the 200th anniversary of the first show to be staged by the Norwich School of Artists grouped around masters John Crome and John Sell Cotman.

The original Norwich School maintained close links with the Royal Academy in London – and now the RA is providing a panel of judges to oversee the Open Art Show's selection process.

Royal Academicians Gus Cummins and Anthony Whishaw will be joined by Maurice Cockrill and Djordje Nedeljkovic from the Royal Academy Schools.

Estate agent Brown & Co is sponsoring the exhibition, with a special prize for an artist aged 30 or younger.

In addition there will be a number of corporate purchase awards. Archant, publisher of the EDP, has been first off the mark with a pledge of £3000.

All works will be for sale at prices to be set by the artists. A 35pc commission will aid the East Anglia Art Foundation, which has so far raised more than £800,000 to bring top-quality art to the region.

EAAF vice-president Dick Williams said: "Promoting local artists is one of our main objectives. We have been working on this idea with the Castle for over two years and if it is successful similar projects could be considered in the future."

"This is a great initiative," said Jonathan Holloway, director of the Norfolk and Norwich Festival, which presents Norfolk Open Studios.

"The Castle Museum and Art Gallery has a high reputation and it would be a great accolade to have an artwork accepted there."

Entry forms are available from www.museums.norfolk.gov.uk or by sending an A5 stamped addressed envelope to Val Beaumont, Norwich Castle Open Art Show, c/o EAAF, Shirehall, Market Avenue, Norwich NR1 3JQ. Before the closing date of February 7, each entrant can submit up to three images via slides or disc at a non-refundable cost of £6 per work. Please make cheques payable to East Anglia Art Foundation.

Artists will learn the outcome of their submissions by letter by the end of February.