Artist Opportunities

For makers based in the UK. The exhibition takes place at MAKE Southwest in Bovey Tracey, South Devon, UK. We are looking for UK-based makers who create beautiful handmade, batch-produced or one-of-a-kind craft for a curated Christmas craft fair exhibition. Under the Tree is an annual Christmas exhibition, offering a welcoming and festive shopping experience for our Christmas gift buying market. The show offers a fantastic variety of craft disciplines in small scale batch production alongside one-off unique pieces. It is a great opportunity for people to buy quality handmade gifts by talented craftspeople and an inspiring alternative to the high street and online shopping.

Eligibility: We welcome applications from UK-based designer-makers, and are looking for: Beautifully crafted work in a range of prices and sizes to suit different buyers; Work which is ready to display in our purpose-built professionally curated exhibitions space; Batch-produced or one of a kind work; A variety of different mediums; Makers with a strong social media presence; Makers who will reciprocate promotion of the exhibition.

What you get: FREE application process and participation. Showcase your work to a new audience at MAKE Southwest (in 2024, an average exhibition saw over 16,000 visitors to its galleries, as well as 21K social media followers).

Deadline 14 July 2025

CHEEKY LONDON 25: LAUNCHPAD is a large-scale group exhibition taking over the entire Tradestars shared studio building, featuring over 90 units. Organised by Cheeky Studio and Tradestars, this initiative supports emerging artists and curators across all disciplines. Join a vibrant creative network during the London Design Festival 2025.

Eligibility: We welcome emerging artists and curators of any age, nationality or background. Applicants can work in any medium—fine art, design, installation, performance, textile, digital art, and more.

What you get: Low-cost chance to exhibit during London Design Festival 2025 with marketing support, creative community networking, and high public visibility.

Deadline 15 July 2025

Neon Dance seeks an emerging practitioner from any artform/discipline (EG: Performing Arts, Literature, Media, Music, Costume, Film, History etc) to engage their local community and network with a performance of Last and First Men by Neon Dance taking place at Dance City on Thursday 18 September 2025. The artist will also be supported to deliver their own creative response to Last and First Men.

Eligibility: Emerging practitioner from any artform/discipline, based in or around Newcastle upon Tyne.

What you get: £650.00 inclusive and budget for creative response materials & access costs: £100.00. Mentoring: As part of your relationship with Neon Dance you will have a 1-2-1 meeting with Neon Dance’s Artistic Director and/or Executive Producer to discuss and support your professional development.

Deadline 15 July 2025

This is a mentoring opportunity that connects emerging creatives with industry leaders across art, design, media, sustainability, and corporate sectors. Participants get tailored one-on-one sessions designed to offer career guidance, feedback, and professional insight. It's ideal for those seeking meaningful mentorship, networking, or a potential foot in the door through an internship, especially with high-profile organisations like Stella McCartney, Versace, and ArtRabbit.

Eligibility: Anyone. Available only to subscribers only.

What you get: 1-1 mentoring from creative professionals and internship.

Deadline 15 July 2025

We are offering a £3,000 visual art commission for the creation of an installation / sculpture marking 20 years of artsdepot.

Eligibility: We are seeking an established, professional, visual artist, with experience working in a community context.

What you get: £3000, networking opportunities, support from CEO, Volunteer Manager, Operations Manager, co-creation volunteers.

Deadline 17 July 2025

Entries for the Blunden Prize 2025 are now open. This year, we’re calling for artists from all disciplines to put forward their ideas for a public art installation at our Station Island scheme in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire.

Eligibility: Artists of any discipline over the age of 18 and residing in the UK

What you get: £20,000 cash prize, £30,000 commission and two additional commissions (value TBC)

Deadline 18 July 2025

The Tracey Emin Foundation is offering a fully-funded residency at Victoria House, a Georgian artist home in Margate. Open to UK-based artists graduating in 2025 (BA or MA), the residency includes free accommodation, a private studio, and access to TKE’s wider programme of talks, life drawing, and critique sessions. This is a self-directed opportunity to develop your practice in a supportive, artist-led environment.

Eligibility: This residency is open to UK-based emerging artists graduating in 2025 from a BA, MA, or equivalent postgraduate programme in any visual arts discipline. Applicants must be legally able to live and work in the UK and able to commit to the full 12-week residency period. We welcome applications from artists of all backgrounds and strongly encourage submissions from underrepresented groups in the arts.

What you get: Free accommodation in Victoria House. Private studio space for the full 12-week residency. Access to TKE Studios events. Potential to exhibit work at the end or after the residency Public profile via the Tracey Emin Foundation and TKE Studios networks. Please note: This is a non-funded residency. Artists are responsible for their own living expenses, travel, and materials.

Deadline 19 July 2025

Hypha Curates is a new platform for buying art from some of the freshest and most exciting artists across the UK. What is Hypha Curates? Artists receive 70% of sales profit, the remaining 30% reinvested into our charity, supporting artists to free exhibition and studio space, we help creatives make and show their work across the UK. To date, Hypha Studios has not sold artwork, but as the network of talented creatives grows, and our audience has increased, we believe now is the time to work together to support each other: -Artists get access to collectors & potential exhibition opportunities. -Buyers get direct access to artists that have been found through Hypha Studios unique reach and buyers can also “Collect with Purpose” - buying artwork from HC supports the cultural infrastrcuture at a time of funding cuts, gallery closures and cost of living crisis. Why Sell with Hypha Curates? Through our charity Hypha Studios, we already have a wide network of artists using a range of media, but we are opening up the platform for new artists to join us. Due to the nature of exhibiting in our spaces at Hypha Studios, we work with group exhibitions to make the spaces easy to manage and encourage collaboration.

Eligibility: Anyone

What you get: With Hypha Curates, you can submit and sell individual works that might also then be included in a physical exhibition. Submit work before the 20th July and your work will be eligible to selected for Hypha Studios exhibition during Frieze week 2025. Artwork submissions are via Hypha Studio’s website.

Deadline 20 July 2025

Sheffield Children’s Hospital Charity is inviting artists, illustrators and designers to submit designs for Pride of Yorkshire — a major public art trail marking the hospital’s 150th anniversary in 2026.

150 large lion sculptures will be transformed into bold, original works and displayed across South Yorkshire. This is a paid commission (£2,000) with national exposure and the chance to support pioneering children’s healthcare.

Artists can submit up to three concepts. Materials, support and promotion are provided.

Eligibility: This opportunity is open to professional and emerging artists, illustrators, designers, and makers aged 18 and over. Applicants must be based in the UK and able to complete the work within the project timeline. We welcome submissions from individuals or collectives working in 2D or 3D disciplines, particularly those with experience in public art, large-scale painting, or community-focused design. Artists must be able to physically attend the installation site if required and must have the capacity to deliver a finished sculpture by the agreed deadline.

What you get: Selected artists will receive: A £2,000 artist fee (inclusive of VAT and expenses) per commissioned sculpture A full-size, primed GRP lion sculpture for decoration Promotion across local and national press, social media, trail materials, and the Pride of Yorkshire website Exposure to thousands of trail visitors and widespread public visibility Inclusion in the trail map and digital platforms Support with materials guidance, logistics, and installation The opportunity to have work featured in a high-profile public art event and to help raise funds for Sheffield Children’s Hospital Charity.

Deadline 25 July 2025

Our annual call out is now open. This year, to address the cuts to payments and funding that threaten disabled people’s lives, we are seeking work which responds imaginatively to themes of rights, protest, power, and the state of the British welfare system.

Eligibility: Anyone over 18 who is based in the UK. Open to disabled and non-disabled artists.

What you get: £250 participation grant, exhibition opportunities, networking opportunities.

Deadline 27 July 2025

Andro and Eve are looking to work with one or two trans or non-binary community artists or writers who are based in the North of England, and who have well rounded experiences facilitating workshops with communities.

The Community Artist/s will collaborate on We Contain Multitudes, an exciting programme of creative workshops making space for trans and non-binary people to be creative together and finding out what is important to them. The Community Artist/s will design and facilitate a series of creative workshops to be delivered in Sheffield and Doncaster between October - December 2025.

Eligibility: Trans or non-binary community artists or writers who are based in the North of England.

What you get: £275 per workshop + R&D time at £30/hr + travel expenses Delivery: 9 workshops + up to 32 hours R&D time **. We have also budgeted for specialist counselling support, if needed, for participants or any delivery team member.

Deadline 28 July 2025

The Safe Spaces project invites visual artists to submit original works for an upcoming gallery exhibition focused on the powerful themes of security, safety, and belonging — especially as they relate to the lives of children and young people in street situations. These ideas also touch on broader issues of mental health, identity, community, and resilience, making them universally human and emotionally resonant.

Eligibility: UK-based Artists

What you get: Participation in an exhibition at Espacio Gallery in London. We will charge a commission rate of 35% on all sales and will handle sales directly with the buyer on your behalf. We will not charge a submission fee.

Deadline 30 July 2025

Art at the Alison Richard Building invites exhibition proposals from artists and curators. We are looking to support innovative curatorial ideas that engage the University and wider public. Exhibitions should include at least two artists and typically run for 8 weeks.

Eligibility: UK-based artists, curators, researchers or facilitators of any age. Must be able to cover travel/transport to Cambridge.

What you get:

• Free exhibition space at the University of Cambridge

• No commission on sales

• Engagement with academic and public audiences

Deadline 31 July 2025

UK-wide, for an exhibition based in Devon We are looking for artists, makers, and designers from across the UK to exhibit in KINETIC, an exhibition showing the possibilities of movement and making at MAKE Southwest in South Devon, UK. The exhibition will run from 24 January – 18 April 2026. KINETIC will feature work in a range of scales, powered by hand, engine, wind, or clockwork, and using diverse media. The show will be a playful introduction to the world of artists, makers, and designers, who incorporate engineering into their craft, or craft into their engineering, with opportunities for audience interaction and engagement.

Eligibility: We are looking for artists, makers, and designers who: Work in a field of craft, manufacturing, or making – we are keen to hear from people using any materials and skills, whether traditional or contemporary, self-taught or not, professional (making a living), or not; Are using or incorporating moving parts into their work in a traditional, skilled, or innovative way. The moving parts can be the central feature, or not; Produce innovative, imaginative work, coupled with a sensitive use of appropriate materials; Are using craft/manufacturing techniques to produce their work; as a charity championing making, we are unable to accept painting or drawing without an element of making incorporated. Any other craft or medium is accepted, including photography, printmaking, wood, sculpture in any material, textiles, ceramics, glass, metalwork, as long as (in this particular case) they incorporate some moving element; Show the highest standards of workmanship and design; Are aware of their environmental impact and can demonstrate a response to this.

What you get: The opportunity to showcase your work to a new audience at MAKE Southwest (in 2024, an average exhibition saw over 16,000 visitors to its galleries, as well as 21K social media followers); We will help with costs of getting work to and from the gallery; Extensive marketing to local and national press and digital publications; Opportunities to run paid-for workshops and events; Opportunities to get involved with MAKE Southwest’s lively making community

Deadline 31 July 2025

A new crit group for serious, risk-taking contemporary artists and practitioners, run by sculptor Jo Hepburn. A progression of The Crit Collective, 87a CRITS is an artist built platform for deep work, bold thinking and critical generosity. it is about building a challenging space to test work, share thinking, and push practice. We’re not looking for hobbyists, we’re looking for people making brave, urgent, unresolved work. Monthly in-person crits held in Cheltenham, starting September 2025.

Eligibility: Artists, writers, and contemporary practitioners based in the UK. No formal qualifications needed. 87a CRITS runs from a space in Cheltenham, UK. If selected, artists must be able to attend and contribute in person.

What you get: Monthly in‑person crits, rooted in critical discussion, a supportive, high‑rigour cohort, a no-cost platform to test ideas, fail boldly, incubate new practices. Sculptor/critic Jo Hepburn will assist in helping to build and shape discussion around your work. There is potential for a group exhibition to conclude the project.

Deadline 01 August 2025

An exhibition exploring how contemporary art is evolving in the collision of traditional methods and AI-generated works. Curated by Boomer Gallery in central London’s Tower Bridge district, this show features a keynote by art critic Tabish Khan, opening 8 August 2025

Eligibility:

• Open to artists working in any medium: painting, sculpture, photography, installation, prints, textiles, illustration, digital art, AI-assisted art, poetry, etc.

What you get:

• Exhibition, 8–13 August 2025, in a high‑foot‑traffic space near Tower Bridge
• Inclusion in a permanent, professionally designed e‑catalogue displayed online
• No commission on sales—artists deal directly with buyers (optional 20% VAT added if sales brokered)
• Printing/framing support available for remote artists at no extra cost
• Invitation to Boomer Gallery’s Advisory Program—connecting artists with collectors

Fee:
Application is free, but if selected: £189 (inc. VAT)

Deadline 02 August 2025

Open call for any and all work FANDOM. A show all about celebrity obsession, celebrating the wide open world of fanart and fandom.

Eligibility: We welcome work from anyone, we aim for maximum accessibility.

What you get: The chance to exhibit their artwork in a London gallery

Deadline 03 August 2025

Swanfall Art returns to Mall Galleries this August with Fables, its annual exhibition exploring the role of narrative in contemporary art. We invite artists to submit work that explores emotional depth, rhythm, and resonance – across any medium – to help shape a compelling visual dialogue around storytelling and perception.

Eligibility:

Open to artists working in all media, both in the UK and internationally. Artists may submit a single artwork or a full portfolio. Wall-based works must not exceed 1.5m on the longest side; sculptures and installations must be under 2m in height.

What You Get:

(1) Selected artists will exhibit at Fables, taking place from 26 to 31 August 2025 at Mall Galleries, London. The show offers professional curation, exposure to collectors and curators, sales opportunities, and promotion across Swanfall Art’s channels.

(2) This call offers a series of awards and prizes:

Artists selected for the Curators' Choice Award will receive a fully funded London residency, solo exhibition, gallery representation, international fair participation, media exposure, and collaboration opportunities. The Audience Choice Award includes a sponsored group show, artist listing, media features, and career support. All exhibiting artists gain a certificate, virtual tour, promotional support, and priority for future projects. All submitting artists are invited to career talks and receive a professional guidebook.

Fee:

• Image Submission: £15 per work (up to three)
• Full Portfolio Review (Unlimited): £55 (Early Bird) / £65 (Standard)
  Sales Commission: 35%

Deadline 10 August 2025

Open Doors Gallery invites submissions for the fifth OD Photo Prize, supporting emerging photographers worldwide through exhibitions, fairs, and mentorship, continuing a decade-long mission to discover, nurture, and elevate early-career talent in contemporary photography.

Eligibility: Submissions must be in project form. Artists must be working within the first ten years of their practise [Emerging / Early career artists]

What you get: Winner gets £2,000 prize. An exclusive interview with 1000 Words Magazine. Representation for at least one year with Open Doors Gallery. All Shortlisted artists are invited to exhibit with Open Doors Gallery in London, November. There are also a variety of other awards available to applicants

Fee: £17 entry fee [Approx. €20.50 / $23USD]

Deadline 12 August 2025

Image Credit: Stephen Message, Pomarine Skua Migration

The Society of Wildlife Artists (SWLA) invites artists worldwide, aged 18 and over, to submit artwork for the SWLA Annual Exhibition 2025 at Mall Galleries.

Selected artists will have their work exhibited at Mall Galleries, London, with potential for sales and commissions.

Eligibility:

Artists worldwide may submit up to six artworks each. All works must have been completed within the past three years and must not have been previously exhibited at Mall Galleries. Each piece should measure no more than 2.4 metres along its longest side.

Work may be in any medium except photography, including drawing, painting, sculpture, and original prints. Computer-generated images are also accepted if submitted as original prints. All artworks should depict the world’s wildlife, focusing on non-domestic animals such as birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish, crustaceans, and insects.

What you get:

The total prize fund is over £5,000, including £500 for the best work in the show that celebrates birds, from the British Trust for Ornithology Award.

Deadline 22 August 2025

The London Group is now accepting entries for its 86th Open exhibition which will take place at Copeland Gallery, London SE15 from Saturday 8 November to Sunday 23 November 2025. The exhibition will include up to 200 works by current London Group members alongside works selected from open submission. At least half of the exhibitors will be non-members. The London Group was founded in 1913 and has gone on to successfully nurture the careers of many of Britain’s best-known artists.

Eligibility:

Open to UK-based artists over the age of 18 working in any medium including painting, sculpture, drawing, print, photography, mixed media, installation, video, sound, digital and performance.

What you get:

The London Group Open will award these prizes to non-member exhibiting artists: The London Group Prize 1,000, The London Group Prize 500, The Vic Kuell Memorial Prize for Innovation 1,000, The Schauerman Prize for Digital Art 500, The Chelsea Arts Club Trust Stan Smith Award for an Artist Under 35 1,000, The JPES Partnership Prize 1,000, The Armour Studio Award 500, Linden Hall Studio Prize – opportunity to show three artworks alongside the Linden Hall Collection.

Fee:

£20 for one submission, £35 for two submissions, or £45 for three submissions.

Deadline 26 August 2025

The Poorly Project is an editorial and curatorial project dedicated to creatives contributing to the worlds of sickness, health and well-being.

Manifested through written interviews, in-person studio tours and visual documentation - cumulatively known as ‘tales’ - The Poorly Project aims to bring greater public awareness to the expressions and obstacles associated with these imperative matters.

We hope creative share their stories and conversation-worthy work. Through this process, we wish to bring greater public consciousness and change to medical/therapeutic systems.

Eligibility: Age: 18+ / UK-based / Examples of mediums include but are not limited to: Sculpture, Painting, Jewellery, Performance, Craft, Digital Art, Photography, Print, Installation, Stop Motion, Multi-Disciplinary.

What you get: Artists' tales and practices will be featured on The Poorly Project website and our growing Instagram community. It will also be featured on our newsletter. We hope to work towards exhibitions and workshops, reinviting our creative participants in the future to support/lead these processes.

Deadline 30 August 2025

Bring Dalston to Life – In a Logo Kingsland Shopping Centre is getting a fresh new look – and we want you to design it.

We’re calling on Hackney’s residents, workers, and students to help reimagine the centre’s visual identity in a way that reflects the heart, heritage, and creativity of Dalston today. Whether you’re a seasoned designer, an aspiring artist, or someone who simply loves this neighbourhood, this is your chance to shape a piece of East London’s future.

Eligibility: Anyone who lives, works, or studies in Hackney

What you get: The winning designer will receive £2,000 and have their work featured prominently in one of East London’s most iconic destinations, while each of the four finalists will also receive £500.

Deadline 05 September 2025

Artists & Illustrators is delighted to be back with The British Art Prize 2025. Enter for the chance to win some fabulous prizes, have your work exhibited at TWO major London galleries and featured in Artists & Illustrators magazine.

Deadline 19 September 2025

The BADA is proud to announce that the BADA Art Prize is returning for a fifth year, promoting “the antiques of tomorrow” by awarding a £1,000 grant to an emerging contemporary artist whose work exemplifies the enduring ingenuity and quality illustrated by our members’ objects.

Eligibility: Applicants must be currently enrolled in or have completed a post-secondary education at a UK institution. Submissions must be original works produced within the last 2 years. Beyond this, there are no criteria - all medium and styles are welcome.

What you get: Finalists will be selected by a panel of industry experts, including internationally recognised artists, art critics, and curators. The finalists' works will be on public view at the BADA Art Prize reception on 13th November 2025 at David Messum Fine Art in London and the winner announced at the event. The winner will be awarded a £1,000 grant.

Deadline 01 October 2025

The Abbey Harris Mural Fund makes grants to artists to create semi-permanent or permanent public murals or site specific works on walls, in any medium, in the United Kingdom.

Eligibility: Mural painters

What you get: Funding of up to £7000 is available for an artist or organisation producing a public mural in the UK.

Deadline 10 October 2025

The Royal Institute of Oil Painters (ROI) invites artists worldwide, aged 18 and over, to submit artwork for the ROI Annual Exhibition 2025 at Mall Galleries.

Submission deadline: Friday 10 October 2025 at 12 noon.

This year’s special theme is ‘HOME’ – with the ROI Themed Painting Prize awarded for the best interpretation. However, the theme is optional and represents just one aspect of a broader exhibition, which welcomes oil paintings on all subjects.

Eligibility:

• Artists worldwide may enter a maximum of six artworks each.

• The combined total of the longest dimensions of accepted paintings must not exceed 8 feet per artist.

• Works must have been completed within the last three years and not previously exhibited at Mall Galleries.

• Works must be created in oils. The ROI promotes and exhibits work of the highest standard in oil paint.
  Water-soluble oil paint is acceptable if framed as an oil painting, to maintain the overall appearance of the exhibition.

What you get:
Take part in the ROI Annual Exhibition 2025 at Mall Galleries (27 Nov – 13 Dec 2025) With a total prize fund exceeding £10,000.

Deadline 10 October 2025