The Open Drawing Exhibition 2014-2020

The Open Drawing Exhibition Project [Jerwood/Trinity Buoy Wharf Drawing Prize Project] 2014-20 generates an annual review of current drawing practices each year disseminated through 7 touring exhibitions and publications, and associated curatorial projects.

Originated by Taylor, the project contributes to the research and scholarly infrastructure in the field of contemporary drawing practice in the UK and identifies leading exemplars of drawing through its process to form annual survey exhibitions, illustrated publications, and associated exhibitions: Drawn Together: Artist as Selector (2014); Vanishing Point, Barbara Walker (2018/19).

As founding Director, Taylor devises the structure, format, and expert panels, with responsibility for leadership, funding, curation, editorship, programming, public engagement. Drawings are submitted by practitioners across the UK, and in 2020 an international call was reintroduced with submissions from 42 countries. During the period, 16,621 drawings have been reviewed and 449 drawings by 409 practitioners selected for the open exhibition as exemplary drawings by expert panels: Delahunty, McKenzie, Wilding (2014); Dalwood, Hashmi, Stonard (2015); Brown, Buck, Hobson (2016); Dibosa, Legg, Simpson (2017); Hall, Joffe, Nairne (2018); Piper, Price, Stephens (2019); Hao, McKeever, Morris (2020).

Launched in London (Jerwood Space 2014-17, Trinity Buoy Wharf 2018-20) with an Awards Announcement, the exhibitions tour to several venues accompanied by fully illustrated publications with essays by Taylor, the selectors, artists’ statements and biographical data. Grants received from Jerwood Charitable Foundation (c£248K) and Trinity Buoy Wharf Trust (£195K) support the project and awards. An annual Working Drawing Award with discrete selectors was introduced (2018-20, £5K), and a biennial Evelyn Williams Drawing Award of £10K supports a mid-career artist (selected by Taylor, Evelyn Williams Trust, Jerwood Gallery/Hastings Contemporary) to develop a solo exhibition (Barbara Walker 2017; Penny McCarthy 2019). A £15K grant from Arts Council England was awarded for the exhibition and online engagement programme at Drawing Projects UK (2020).