Every summer since 2008, established and emerging artists from the UK and around the world have featured in the annual Cork Street Open Exhibitions held in Mayfair to raise the profile of contemporary artists and benefit a selected children’s charity.
The Cork Street Open Exhibition was inspired by the Big Issue’s tributes to Anita Roddick in late 2007, and by an article written by founder and then editor John Bird, in which he discussed his enthusiasm and appreciation for contemporary art, and his love of the galleries in Cork Street.
The Annual Exhibition, in which thousands of artists compete for substantial prizes, fills two galleries in London’s art-dealing centre. After a two-stage, juried selection process the final selection of approximately 200 works is comprised of paintings, original prints, photographs, sculpture, prints and graphic art and is hung in salon style over an eight day period.