Message from the
Chairman
NOA
3
In 2012 we charted new territory when showing the exhibition for
the first time in London as well as in Chichester. Grayson Perry
very kindly launched The National Open at The Prince’s
Foundation Gallery in Hoxton. We also showed in Chichester at
The Minerva and at Pallant House Gallery and in total reached
over 25,000 visitors. One interview featuring Kelvin Okafor, who
won The Catherine Petitgas Visitors’ Choice Prize in London,
was beamed by three international TV companies to over 500
million people worldwide from our stand at the Works on Paper
Fair at The Science Museum. This together with a presence on
so many social media platforms allows a global audience.
Towry, our headline sponsor, continue their active support,
hosting receptions this year at The Royal College of Art and
Pallant House Gallery, the first of which will be opened by
Ronnie Wood and at Pallant House by their new director,
Greg Perry. Prudential have joined our list of major supporters
with the prize for the Best Photographic entry; Piran Strange
supports our under 21 years entrants and this year our prize
total reaches £55,000, more than any competition of its type in
Great Britain. Thanks are due in abundance to the NOA team
who work tirelessly year round and also to the generosity of The
Foyle Foundation who have continued to support the costs of
transporting works from around the country for shortlisted
successful artists who might never be able to afford to enter if
this fund was not available.
Finally and most importantly a huge amount of appreciation is
due to our competing artists, so many of whom face rejection at
the first hurdle as the judges short list before making their final
selection of about 100 works. Thousands of hours go into the
submitted works and I want to ensure that our artists know how
much we appreciate their dedication and participation. We will
do all we can to assist them in their ongoing careers in the art
world and to this extent we will also be developing a new online
marketing platform in 2014.
Our mission continues to nurture creativity across the whole
spectrum of art and photography for artists resident in the UK.
May I encourage you all to join in and support our work.
Neil Lawson Baker – Chairman
Rebecca Jewell
Matthew J Johnson
Stephen Johnston
Irene Jones
Des Kilfeather
Kaya Gayoun Kim
Pixie Lale-Klasicki
Eleanor H Langwell
Barbara MacFarlane
Marion MacPhee
Donna McLean
Milos & Slavica
Peter Monaghan
Annie Morgan
Nicholas Pace
Sumi Perera
Julia Polonski
Premgit
Sarah Leanne Pustkowski
Joe Liam Reddy
Oliver Ridgley
Lindsay Robertson
Gill Rocca
Sabrina Rowan Hamilton
Farah Mariya Sadiq
Phil Shaw
Sarah Shaw
Chris Shaw Hughes
Katy Sleight
Gina Soden
Claire Sparkes
Nikolas Strangelove
Iva Troj
Rafal Uniszewski
Bjørn Venø
Michael Vogt
Sarah Warley-Cummings
Simon Watkins
Ella West
Richard Whadcock
Robert White
Graeme Wilcox
