Countdown to opening of new exhibition at Scarborough's Old Parcels Office

Artist, exhibition judge and trustee of the Old Parcels Office Rob Moore

The Old Parcels Office open art exhibition – which attracted 400 of entries from across the country – opens at the gallery on Saturday February 10.

Now in its third year, artists of all abilities wanted to be included in the show at the Old Parcels Office at Scarborough Railway Station.

Works by 80 artists have been selected by a panel of artists and curators for the exhibition. The panel was chaired by Rob Moore, artist and trustee of the Old Parcels Office and included two independent members; Karen Sherwood, who runs the Cupola Gallery in Sheffield, and Nathan Wackett, artist co-founder and co-curator of Mandy Apple artspace in Scarborough.

In keeping with the aims of the Old Parcels Office, the 80 works showcase a range of innovative art across diverse media including paintings, prints, photography, sculptures, ceramics and textile works.

The artists started arriving at the end of January to hand in their work and since then the curator Rob Moore and the volunteers have been installing the art works ready for the opening of the show.

Rob Moore chair of selectors said: “Choosing 80 works from an entry of more than 400 pieces proved a real challenge for the three selectors, simply because of the high quality of the applications.

"Many fine artworks had to be rejected simply because of the space available and we were all sorry to have to turn down some superb work.

“My thanks go my fellow selectors, Karen Sherwood and Nathan Wackett for the hard work and soul-searching that went into their tricky task.

“Selectors for the open exhibition change every year and so my advice to those not selected this time around is to keep trying; in another year with a differnet panel of selectors they may well find themselves successful.”

The winners of the Yorkshire Coast BID Prize and other prize winners will be announced at the opening of the exhibition between 2pm and 4pm. A ‘visitors’ choice’ prize which will be awarded to the most popular work at the end of the exhibition.

It runs from February 10 until March 10. The gallery is open from Thursdays to Sundays from 11am to 4pm. Entry is free.