the open west is an annual open competition and exhibition inviting work from national and international artists practising contemporary and conceptual art. Work submitted can include painting, installation, film and sound, textile, photography, ceramics, drawing and print, performance, sculpture, glass, metal and plastics.

Newark Park | 6 July to 18 August

Cheltenham Art Gallery + Museum | 12 October to 6 November

In 2013 the open west will be exhibiting at two venues, starting in July at the National Trust's Newark Park. This intriguing historic house presents a fascinating setting for the open west to curate contemporary artworks throughout the existing collections - in bedrooms, drawing rooms and dining spaces, in 16th century kitchens and walled gardens, in cupboards, halls and ante-chambers. The intervention of an exhibition with such a challenging and exciting remit will create new contextual layers for the work and continue the story of Newark's rich history, in particular that of the previous tenants' commitment to collecting and commissioning new works.

Lyn Cluer Coleman and Sarah Goodwin will curate an exhibition that crosses a wide spectrum of art disciplines; from contemporary portraiture to japanese video, from feather installation to ceramic tableaux, from digital tapestry to complex drawing structures, from site specific architectural investigations to ephemeral sculptures... and much more.

In October the open west will then move to Cheltenham Art Gallery + Museum as part of the opening exhibition programme after a significant new build and re-development. This is a unique opportunity to show new work selected by the open west throughout varied permanent and temporary exhibition spaces. The themes of making and materiality will resonate strongly with Cheltenham's important Arts & Crafts collections. Work will be exhibited in public gallery spaces, projection areas, the roof terrace and within existing collections.

the open west panel has selected 46 artists from a large international submission of entries. They are:

2013 panel - curators Lyn Cluer Coleman and Sarah Goodwin with guest selectors Dr Justin Marshall and Emma Critchley