Returning for it’s third year, ArcOpen has become a much anticipated event for the Australian miniature painting community, celebrating creativity, artistry, and technical excellence as well as a chance to paint miniatures of many different genres.
We’re excited to announce that the challenge of ArcOpen will be back at ArcFest on the weekend of Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 May 2025 with even more defined categories and greater opportunities to showcase talent.
ArcOpen caters to all skill levels. Whether you’re a first-time entrant or a seasoned competitor, we’re dedicated to providing a platform for painters, modellers, and sculptors to share their artistry and passion.
Categories
ArcOpen 2025 will feature five categories tailored to celebrate the diversity of miniature painting and modelling. We go into this year’s event with some things being the same and others will have refinements and changes or complete updates.
So, here’s all you need to know about the ArcOpen categories for this year:
Single Miniature
This category draws significant entries due to its accessibility. Painting a single 25mm to 40mm scale figure, while challenging, is achievable even for first-time entrants. It’s how a large number of people start their miniature painting journey - painting models for the table top.
The Single miniatures we see entered are a large step beyond simple tabletop Minatures. They are miniature works of art - telling compelling stories with their dynamic poses and creative application of paints. This category has produced some amazing miniatures from various manufacturers, and we hope it continues to be hotly contested in 2025.
Unit/Squad
This category is included because it too has strong links to the tabletop games that are played across the ArcFest weekend. The Unit/Squad category celebrates those rank-and-file troops, teams, gangs or elite special forces that play such a vital role in bringing tabletop battles to life.
It acknowledges the role these miniatures play in developing new and interesting forces for the tabletop, making it a vital part of ArcOpen.
We hope more people are inspired to create integrated vignettes and dynamic displays of squads, units, and teams from across the fantasy tabletop miniature genre. The games we play are all rich in lore and imagery. A group of heroes in a hostile or dangerous environment represents those imaginary battle zones bringing the combatants to life as a group painted to be displayed together.
So, to let you all know we had some issues moving and handling some larger than necessary numbers of models that were entered into this category in 2024.
We had concerns surrounding the care and handling of these large groups as we moved them from registration, to photography, setting them up to be displayed and then wrangling them as part of the category as a whole when we went to judge them. This has resulted in some Updates for those seeking to enter the Unit/Squad category in 2025.
New Rules for Entry:
Units will now be limited to a maximum of 10 models to encourage higher-quality submissions - the group of models should have some overarching connection that the painter needs to unlock. But there is no requirement for game or rule fitting to achieve an entry in this category.
Display/Mobility Requirement:
All entries in this category must be fixed to either a matte black or scenic display base. It should be designed to facilitate safe handling of the entry - this will help in the judging and photography processes for this category.
Large Miniature (New for 2025)
This redefined category focuses on large tabletop gaming models, including tanks, vehicles, monstrous creatures, and mounted figures from cavalry models through to riders atop large beasts.
It’s the perfect platform for display painters to demonstrate their skills on substantial 25-40mm scale canvases, combining complexity and grandeur with intricate detailing and dynamic composition.
So we’ll see large miniatures in the same scale as single miniature and unit/squad. But obviously larger models provide a different opportunities to display your skills as well as display sizes to showcase some premier modeling skills
Large Figurine or Bust (New for 2025)
Another new category, Large Figurine or Bust has been added to better celebrate larger-scale figures (typically 75mm and above) and Busts.
With a growing range of larger scale models and Busts being available to more painters from a diverse and varied manufacturers, sculptures and artists we expect this category tol be hotly contested.
By shifting these models to their own category it helps differentiate between large gaming miniatures and those created as primarily display pieces.
The large Figurine or Bust category will be a space for showcasing lifelike details, expressions, and textures on larger surfaces, emphasizing technical skill and emotional storytelling.
Open - Duel/Diorama
This category returns because it became an immediate favorite. Due to its open nature, with no size, scale, or number limitations, it provides the ultimate canvas for showcasing modelling skill and artistic interpretation.
Last year the entries embraced storytelling and technical creativity, and we’re excited to see even more innovation and artistry in this 2025. The sky’s the limit and the shackles are off as far as presenting your creative vision of model painting awesomeness.
ArcOpen evolves but stays the same!
While some categories have seen updates, the principles of ArcOpen remain unchanged.
These refinements aim to ensure a higher-quality of submissions, more like models showcased together within better defined categories, improve logistics, streamlined judging and it should encourage more creativity across all categories.
Recognition for Every Skill Level
ArcOpen 2025 will continue its inclusive open judging system, where entries are judged independently and can earn Gold, Silver, or Bronze medals based on their quality and achievement. There’s no limit to the number of medals awarded, ensuring that all outstanding work is properly recognized.
Commended Entry certificates will also return. These certificates celebrate entries that demonstrate exceptional creativity, technique, or originality, even if they don’t reach medal status. It’s all about recognizing the incredible diversity of talent within the miniature painting community.
Special Awards and Opportunities
In addition to the core categories, ArcOpen 2025 will present awards for genre-specific excellence including but not exclusive to:
Best Arc40k Miniature
Best Age of Sigmar Miniature
Best Marvel Crisis Protocol Miniature
Best Star Wars Shatterpoint Miniature
Best Infinity Miniature
The Best Young Painter award will once again celebrate exceptional work by hobbyists aged 17 and under. Simply let us know if you qualify when you register your entry.
Finally, attendees will have their say with the People’s Choice Award. Through online and QR code voting, the community can celebrate the entries that truly wow them - so aim to make your work unforgettable!
The Ultimate Honors: Best in Show
The Best in Show remains the pinnacle of ArcOpen achievement, awarded to the entries that embody the very best in creativity, technical skill, and impact. The winner will be selected from the pool of Gold medal entries across all categories.
The standard to win Best in Show is ultra high. In 2024 this award was taken out by Andrew Buckley for his Large Model Category Gold Medal entry titled Descent Part One. Our 2023 Best in Show was secured by Dave Colwell with his Chaos Dwarf, also from the Large Model Category.
Rest assured the competition for for Best in Show at ArcOpen 2025 will once again see the best of Australia’s Miniature Display Painters vying for this presetegious title.
Join Us for ArcOpen 2025!
Whether you’re a first-time painter, a seasoned competitor, or someone who simply loves the world of miniatures, ArcOpen 2025 is your chance to showcase your talents and be part of an incredible community.
With ArcFest 2025 set to take place on May 3rd and 4th at Sandown Racecourse in Melbourne, the excitement for ArcOpen 2025 is already building. Now is the time to start planning, preparing, and painting for what promises to be another spectacular year of hobby celebration.
Stay tuned for more updates, but with dates for ticket sales set for Thursday 30 January @ 7.00pm AEDST and ArcFest coming 3 & 4 May you should be set to start preparing your entries - we can’t wait to see what you’ll bring!
Tickets for ArcOpen will be $50 and includes general admission and access to all areas at ArcFest, as well as your first entry into each of the 5 categories of ArcOpen. If you wish to enter more… then each subsequent entry will cost $5 paid on the day.
Here are some General Guidelines about ArcOpen designed to help with the preparation of your entry for our 2025 event:
There is no limitations on the manufacturer or method of production of the miniature. However, models that would breach any company’s Intellectual Property Rights may be excluded or disqualified. If you’re unsure get in touch with us: enquires@arc40k.com
There is no limit on the number of entries you can submit. The first entry in each category is included in your admission ticket. Additional entries can be added and paid for at the event.
No mail-in entries are allowed or will be accepted. If you would like to participate in the painting competition you must be present your own work and pick it up at ArcOpen in order to compete.
ArcOpen will be held as part of the ArcFest weekend Saturday 3 & Sunday 4 May 2025 all entries must be submitted by 9.00 am and picked up by 5.00pm Sunday 4 May.
HobbyCrusaider who runs ArcOpen, contributes to this site and active in the ArcFest Hobby community is an employee of GamesWorkshop - any views expressed are entirely their own.
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