Glyndebourne launches competition to find art’s newest talents

 The Glyndebourne art competition returns this year as the great opera house invites hopeful young artists to design their front cover of their 2015 Tour Programme. The winner will not only have their artwork displayed on 10,000 copies of the Glyndebourne Tour Programme but will also have their work exhibited at Glyndebourne’s opera house and in participating galleries during this autumn.

Inspired by two of the productions in Glyndebourne’s 2015 Tour, this year’s entries must be based on the theme of vanity and how it can bring about a loss of power or grace. Saul and Don Pasquale, two of the three operas touring, focus on this theme using it as a character flaw to build on their central stories. Don Pasquale, the old bachelor, is fooled through his vanity as he seeks a younger wife. Saul, follows a similar story to Shakespeare’s King Lear, where arrogance and vanity lead to a downward spiral of madness, fuelled further by denial. 

The tour starts in October, where the company will be performing Die Entführung aus dem Serail among the other two fantastic pieces. The Glyndebourne tour began in 1968, with the ambition of broadening the reach of the prestigious musical art, and has since seen creative minds like Anish Kapoor, Julian Opie and Grayson Perry design their collectable contemporary front covers. The Glyndebourne Tour Art competition is now in its third year and since starting, it has given budding artists the chance to raise their profile on a national level, have their work exhibited and sold as part of a collection. The emerging winner will also receive four tickets to a performance of the the tour this year.

Gus Christie, Executive Chairman of Glyndebourne, said: “Visual arts has always been an integral part of Glyndebourne on and off the stage and this competition continues our aspirations to engage with young visual artists.”

So, if you think you’re up for the challenge or want your work seen by thousands across the country then all you need to do is submit an artwork that meets the brief. This can be a painting, drawing, original print, mixed media, photography or a digital piece for the competition (no video or sculpture). But remember, pieces must work on two levels – as printed artwork on the programme front cover and as an exhibition piece.

The closing date for all entries is Tuesday 30 June 2015. The winning artist will be announced shortly afterwards following the decision of a specially convened panel of judges.

For full details of how to enter and terms and conditions please visit glyndebourne.com/tourart