Prizes for the annual exhibition - first held in 2008 - include a £500 cheque, solo exhibition and magazine feature in the regional arts magazine Evolver.
Dorchester Arts chair Alastair Nisbet said they were hoping for a bumper entry from artists not just from Dorset but across the west country. “As the Open is attracting more interest from the art community, our visual arts group decided it was time to extend eligibility to the wider region. We hope that combined with Dorset Art Weeks, this will contribute to a stunning show in 2010.”
The deadline for entries is 13 April 2010 and entry forms and full details can be downloaded here.