The winners of the Leicester Open exhibition have been announced, with Simon Farrow winning the prestigious Attenborough Award for his drawing "Clock Tower: Heaven or Hell," which depicts Leicester's Clock Tower with a street preacher and passers-by. Farrow, an amateur artist from Leicester, was selected from over 1,000 entries across paintings, sculptures, prints, and photographs. Other winners include Peter J Lester, Lisa Davies, Alexis Hutson, and several young artists in categories for ages 5-18. All winning works are on display at Leicester Museum & Art Gallery until January 30, 2026, with adult artworks available for purchase starting at £50.
This matters because the Leicester Open is a major community-focused exhibition that highlights regional artistic talent from the East Midlands, providing a platform for amateur and emerging artists alongside established practitioners. The inclusion of a young people's category and affordable pricing for artworks underscores the exhibition's role in making art accessible and fostering local creative engagement, reinforcing the importance of regional art events in supporting grassroots cultural participation.