The Annual Wexford Lions Club Exhibition celebrates local talent and offers a platform for artists who are at various stages of their careers as well as those with an interest in art who wish to see their work realised within a gallery context. For this reason, it is an important show within the Wexford Arts Centre’s visual art programme.

As a result of the tremendous success of last year’s show and the remarkably high-quality work received, the theme for the 2022 Lions Club exhibition has again been left entirely open. The open brief allows participants the freedom to create exciting and original artwork, and to tell their own stories. These stories or experiences can be related through a varied range of subjects such as urban and rural narratives, abstraction and even pure imagination.

Also, this year we will again feature the Young Lions gallery, dedicated exclusively to the work of young, budding artists. Young artists are encouraged to experiment with all types of mediums and objects – paints, glitter, buttons, transfers; Lego … the list is endless. As the Lions Club International celebrated its centenary in 2017, a Perpetual Children’s Trophy will be awarded again this year to a Young Lion for a work that explores the history and/or reflects on the aims and overall ethos of the organisation.

Wexford Lions Club has served the community of Wexford since 1979 and provides support to the local community. This support may be monetary, such as food vouchers at Christmas for families and individuals in need, or by giving their time to assist community projects such as The Trabolgan Holiday Project and The Message in a Bottle Project and the Carer’s Weekend Project is a project where carers are treated to a weekend in Ballyvaloo Centre and are provided with counsellors, reflexologists, and motivational speakers.

Interested persons are asked to visit Wexford Arts Centre where canvases and watercolour boards are available to purchase and will be available for collection. Please note that places are limited and you must purchase your canvas or watercolour board at Box Office at Wexford Arts Centre to secure your submission.

Applications are limited to one per person and as the number of artists participating in the exhibition is limited, applications will be processed on a first come, first served basis.  Exhibitors must complete a submission form which will be issued upon receipt of purchase. The deadline for submission of completed works is 15^th January 2022. Exhibition entry fee is €10.00 per applicant. All artworks must be submitted unframed on or before this date and on the board/canvas provided by the arts centre. Please note that we cannot accept any other canvas type.

We welcome all submissions and encourage you to consider gifting a canvas this Christmas!

Due to the limited exhibition spaces, we will not present sculptural works in the exhibition. We wish to thank all those who submitted sculptural works in the past.Lions Club Awards 2022

Children’s Categories

• Under 6
• 7-9
• 10-12
• 13-16
• 16+
• The Perpetual Trophy Award (winner will receive the Perpetual Trophy with name engraved)
• The Helen McLean Portraiture Award (Gift Voucher to attend a workshop or class series with Helen to the value of €95.00)

Each winner in the children’s category will receive a €30 voucher for spectrum and a free art class at Light and Shadow Wexford with Jonny Murphy (with the exception of the portraiture award) .

Adult Categories

• Biodiversity Award x 2 €150.00 voucher each
• Merit Award x 3 €100.00 voucher each
• The Helen McLean Portraiture Award (Gift Voucher to attend a workshop or class series with Helen to the value of €140.00)
• Overall Winer €120 voucher

All vouchers are for Spectrum, each award winner in the adult categories will receive their prize along with a free art class at Light and Shadow Wexford with Jonny Murphy (with the exception of the portraiture award).