My experience as an Outside In Open Judge | George Parker Conway

“Hello my name is George Parker-Conway, I am an artist who goes to Venture Arts. My specialisms are illustration, graphic design, ceramics, painting and printmaking. I create portraits and drawings in traditional and digital media, inspired by history, television, mythology, politics, film and entertainment.

I was honoured to be asked to be a judge for the Outside In National Open Exhibition at the New Art Gallery Walsall in the West Midlands. This year the submissions of artwork are based on the theme Shelter.  For anyone who doesn’t know about Outside In, it’s a national charity that provides a platform for people who face barriers to the art world due to health. disability, social circumstance or isolation.

I found out about the offer of judging through Charlotte Hanlon via Katherine Long, a member of staff at Venture Arts. When Katherine told me Outside In had asked whether I would like to do the judging for the Outside In exhibition, I felt honoured and overcome with joy. I had never selected artwork for an exhibition before and it was a very incredible experience.

In total there were 5 selectors for the exhibition: myself, and Pamilia Schillderman (Outside In Artists, Exodus Crooks (Walsall based artist), Deborah Robinson and Zoe Lippett (members of staff from New Art Gallery Walsall). As a group, we looked through the selected 180 artwork submissions in total and together we had to reduce the number of artist submissions to 80. The way we went about this was to look through the submissions of each artwork one by one, via printed copies and on a digital screen, and checked whether it matched the criteria for submission.

The criteria questions for selection were:

Does the artwork speak to you? Is the artwork unique or original? Does this artwork relate to the theme?

We looked at each artwork and voted using the paddles provided. For an artwork to have had any chance of being featured in the exhibition space, the selectors had to cast 3 votes, if it was less than 3 votes, the artwork would get turned down. As selectors we were given 2 red buttons each to secure pieces of artwork that we felt very strongly about. In addition, each selector for the exhibition had a golden paddle which was used to select artwork that would go straight through to the exhibition meaning it didn’t need a majority vote to go through.

I had two favourite pieces in the exhibition. The first was Waiting for the No. 69 to Hell by Normalcry. This painting depicts people at a bus shelter. The reason why I like this artwork is that it is very comedic, with everyone picking their noses as it brings out a humorous way to it and depicts the everyday normality of human life.

I also love Care, because it is something that I think is very important to me. Without care how would society function, and that goes for everyone else in society, society would not function if we had no care. Seeing the patient in pain and distress and the person behind putting out there hands to help them I find it very humbling and touching.

I was also proud to see four Venture Arts artists selected to exhibit their artwork in the National Open, they are: 

• Chelsea Dalton, Dundas Clock Tower, textiles, 2024.
• Darren Gallager, The Wool Pack, screen-print, 2024.
• Leslie Thompson, Many of the TV Screens Everywhere – The A Team, illustration, 2023.
• Dominic Bennett, Legion of Villainy, sculpture, 2025. 

The Outside In ‘Shelter’ 2025 exhibition will run  at The New Walsall Art Gallery until 19 October 2025 and will then move on to Christie’s in London where the exhibition will run from 12 to 22 January 2026. 

Having the opportunity to judge the National Open Exhibition was a truly amazing experience, something which I have never done before and one in which I am truly grateful for.