Artists encouraged to pick up the paintbrush as Lancashire Artist of the Year 2024 begins

The search to find and champion some of the best artists in the county has now begun, as Lancashire Artist of the Year 2024 launched this week.

Lancashire County Council have tasked artists of all abilities to produce a piece of artwork depicting their favourite Lancashire view in spring, summer, autumn or winter.

All entries must be painted as portrait paintings will not be accepted and the deadline for entries is Wednesday June 12.

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The winning entries will feature in the council’s Lancashire Artist of the Year 2025 calendar, with the proceeds going towards activities for care leavers in Lancashire.

Last year £2,725 was raised from the sale of the 2024 calendars.

Lancashire Artist of the Year was launched in 2023, and Martin Williamson was named the overall winner after impressing judges and the public with his depiction of Lytham Hall.

Martin, who lives in Freckleton, said winning the competition was a ‘real honour’.

He said: "I nearly didn’t enter the Lancashire Artist of the Year competition. My wife and I had only recently moved house into the county to be closer to our daughter and she sent me the link.

"I eventually entered a springtime painting of the gateway to Lytham Hall and thought nothing more about it, so to get selected as a finalist was a real surprise.

"To then be awarded the title was quite astonishing and a real honour.”

Preston artist Norman Long, Sarah Haworth from Lancashire Adult Learning and Alex O’Toole from Arts Lancashire return to the judging panel this year.

Along with the other judges, they will be tasked with whittling down the entries to produce a shortlist, which will then be put to a public vote.

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County Councillor Peter Buckley, cabinet member for community and cultural services at Lancashire County Council, said: "From the panoramic views from atop of Pendle Hill to the rich and diverse landscapes found in The Forest of Bowland, Lancashire is filled with areas of natural beauty.

"Lancashire Artist of the Year is an opportunity for us to celebrate the landscape of Lancashire, and the many artists we have in our midst.

"This is an inclusive competition, and we want to encourage artists of all abilities and ages to enter.

"The winning artists will feature in our new Lancashire Artist of the Year calendar 2025, with the proceeds going towards supporting our young care leavers.”