Art Wars

Get Involved

Six artists. Three creative battles. One final challenge.

MOTE is inviting artists to take part in Art Wars, a new creative competition celebrating experimentation, resourcefulness and the possibilities of reclaimed, recycled and surplus materials.

Six artists will go head-to-head across three categories, each taking on a three-hour creative challenge using a selection of surprise materials. The aim is to see what happens when artists are pushed outside their comfort zones and encouraged to think differently about the materials around them.

Whether you work with pencil, paint, textiles or three-dimensional forms, we want to see how you respond to a creative challenge.

The Competition

Six artists will be selected to compete in three initial battles, with two artists in each category.

Drawing Battle
Two artists will compete to create an original drawing in response to the challenge and materials provided. We welcome a range of approaches, from traditional drawing techniques to experimental mark-making.

Painting Battle
Two artists will go head-to-head in a painting challenge, exploring how they can respond to the brief through colour, composition, texture and the materials available to them.

Textile & 3D Battle
Two artists working with textiles, sculpture, assemblage, found objects or other three-dimensional practices will take on the challenge, transforming the materials into something unexpected.

Each battle will last three hours, with both artists working from the same selection of reclaimed, recycled and surplus materials. One winner from each category will progress to the Grand Final.

The Grand Final

The three category winners will come together for a ticketed Grand Final at MOTE.

Although each finalist will have a different artistic practice, they will receive the same theme and selection of materials, giving them the freedom to interpret the challenge in their own way. Once again, they will have three hours to create an original piece.

A judging panel will select the overall MOTE Art Wars winner, while the audience will have the opportunity to vote for an Audience Choice Award.

The Grand Final will celebrate the different ways artists can approach the same challenge, demonstrating how creativity can transform materials that might otherwise be discarded.

The Exhibition

Following the competition, we intend to bring together work from the battles and Grand Final in an exhibition at MOTE, showcasing the ideas, experimentation and finished pieces produced throughout the project.

Exhibition arrangements will be confirmed with selected artists.

Who Can Apply?

We welcome applications from emerging and established artists, makers and creatives working in any of the three categories.

You do not need to have experience in live competitions, but you should be comfortable working to a time limit, responding to an unexpected brief and experimenting with unfamiliar materials.

If your practice crosses disciplines, please tell us about your approach and which category you feel best represents your work.

What Selected Artists Can Expect

  • An artist participation fee of £75, which includes:
  • A place in one of the three Art War Battles.
  • A three-hour creative challenge using reclaimed, recycled and surplus materials.
  • The opportunity to progress to the ticketed Grand Final.
  • The opportunity to exhibit work produced during the project, subject to the final exhibition arrangements.
  • The chance to connect with audiences and other artists while exploring creative reuse.

Further information about dates, materials, judging criteria and participation arrangements will be provided to selected artists before the event.

How to Apply

This is a rolling open call and will close once six suitable artists have been selected and their places confirmed. A reserve list may also be kept in case a selected artist is unable to take part.

To apply, please submit:

  • Your name and contact details.
  • A short biography introducing your practice.
  • The category you wish to enter: Drawing, Painting, or Textile & 3D.
  • Up to 5 examples of your work, with brief descriptions.
  • A short statement explaining why you would like to take part and how you approach creative challenges.

Application deadline: Rolling open call — closes when all six places are filled.

Apply here: https://forms.gle/EHJciVprHQMjQUfX9

For questions or further information, please contact hello@mote-uk.org or give us a call on 01473708266

We look forward to seeing what you create.

MOTE — Museum of the Environment
13 Museum Street, Ipswich, IP1 1HE