New event to celebrate Rugby's heritage ahead of World Cup

A new competition has been announced to help Rugby celebrate the upcoming Rugby World Cup.

Rugby's status as the birthplace of the game has inspired the theme of this year's Rugby Open exhibition.

To mark this year's Rugby World Cup, Rugby Art Gallery and Museum has invited artists to contribute works which celebrate the game and its links to the birthplace.

Art works can be paintings, photographs, prints, drawings, sculptures, ceramics or textiles, and can take inspiration from all facets of the game of rugby.

Ideas include direct studies of individual players or grounds, works exploring the themes of team work or team colours, or views of Rugby which have historic links to the sport.

Jessica Litherland, Rugby Art Gallery and Museum's senior exhibitions officer, said: "With the Rugby World Cup coming to England in 2015 we wanted to celebrate the town's heritage as the birthplace of the game at this year's Rugby Open exhibition.

"We have given artists a broad brief to encourage interesting and innovative interpretations of the game, its rules and teams, and what it means to the town of Rugby.

"We're looking forward to exhibiting a varied and vibrant collection of works created by local artists."

The Rugby Open runs at Rugby Art Gallery and Museum from 12 September 2015 to 9 January 2016.

Artists aged 16 or over with links to the borough can submit works for inclusion in the exhibition.

Submissions must include brief explanations of how the work was inspired by the game of rugby.

Submissions must be received by Monday 4 May, with a panel of judges deciding which works enter the exhibition.

For more information, full eligibility criteria and an application form, visit www.ragm.co.uk/rugbyopen