Wells Art Contemporary 2020 Virtual Exhibition

Established in 2012 by artists for artists, Wells Art Contemporary (WAC) is an open competition for visual art based in Wells, Somerset. The yearly exhibition has already established a strong presence in the British art world and is drawing artists from around the globe. This year again, WAC presents a very diverse shortlist, with artists from the UK and across Europe, as well as Canada, Israel, Malaysia, Russia and more.

For its 2020 edition, Wells Art Contemporary received a record-breaking number of entries from 50 different countries around the world. Out of nearly 3,600 submissions sent by 1,742 creatives, 128 pieces by 122 artists were shortlisted by selectors Lisa Wright, Neville Gabie and Phillip Allen – making Wells Art Contemporary 2020 an exhibition of the very best in contemporary art today, across all disciplines, media and subjects.

All shortlisted works will be available to view and to purchase in a digital exhibition opening online on 1 October 2020 with the support of Arts Council England. The shortlisted artworks will also be displayed on a screen in the south transept of Wells Cathedral, allowing cutting-edge contemporary art to resonate with the 850-year-old architecture. 

With pieces from emerging and established artists priced from £200 to £25,000 and spanning across painting, drawing, sculpture, video and photography, there will be an artwork for every collector and budget. From provocative self-photography to political paintings, hyper realistic portraits to abstract sculptures, and humorous videos to surrealistic images, the WAC shortlist is vibrant, honest, surprising and enticing… in a word, wacky.