Featured Opportunities

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St Helens Library Service invites artists and creatives to apply for three £3,000 commissions (£9,000 total fund) to create original, site-specific works for Moss Bank Library, Thatto Heath Library, and Eccleston Library. Each commission is worth £3,000 inclusive of material budget, with works remaining as semi-permanent fixtures for a minimum 12-month period.

Open to artists/creatives working in any visual, textual, sculptural, or other form who are living in or connected to St Helens Borough. St Helens particularly encourages applications from global majority, LGBTQIA+, disabled, and/or working-class people underrepresented in the Arts. Artists should be open to projects being shaped by engagement with library staff, building heritage, and service users.

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HOME Manchester invites artists to submit work for Manchester Open 2026, the biggest celebration of Greater Manchester’s creative talent, running 20th June-6th September 2026. This biennial exhibition fills HOME’s Main gallery with up to 450 artworks selected by a panel of art experts and community representatives. Open to all experience levels – established professionals, students, graduates, emerging talent, enthusiastic amateurs, and first-time artists aged 18+ (under 18s may enter via parent/guardian submission).

Submit work in categories including painting, drawing/print, photography, sculpture/installation, digital/moving image, textiles, and ceramics/glass. Awards include three artist development packages managed by Castlefield Gallery and HOME, one HOME Award for a solo exhibition in Granada Foundation Galleries focusing on new work development, and the People’s Prize voted by gallery visitors.

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a-n invites UK undergraduate visual arts students graduating in 2026 to submit work for their annual Degree Shows Guide, published each May to celebrate the most exciting art and ideas from graduating students across UK art colleges. This is a straightforward, free opportunity to gain national exposure for your work through a-n’s widely-read digital publication.

Submit three images of your work (in-progress or completed, not necessarily final degree show pieces—if selected, you’ll later submit updated images), a short statement about your work (50-75 words), degree show details (location, dates, weblinks), and personal information including name, pronouns, university/course, contact details, Instagram handle, and website. Images should be .jpeg or .png attachments (max 3mb each) with full captions including artist name, title, year, medium, dimensions, and photographer credit. A completed Equal Opportunities form is also required.

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Outset Gallery invites artists, groups, curators, and producers to submit proposals for their 2027 programme (February–October 2027). This open call features two strands: Visual Art/Exhibitions for solo, duo, or group shows, and Arts Programming for street art, performance, literature, spoken word, film, music, and events. Selected projects may be included in Arts Council funding applications, with priority given to work emphasizing public engagement, education, or outreach—though all proposals receive equal consideration.

As a newly Arts Council-funded, artist-run space, Outset offers production support, creative collaboration, and potential integration with external curators and producers. While core delivery costs are covered, projects requiring substantial additional budgets should be prepared to seek supplementary funding. Standard gallery commission applies unless fully funded. Applications require CVs, proposal summaries, and supporting documentation (images, videos, budgets). Successful applicants will be contacted 12–20 weeks after the deadline. Open to all ages, nationalities, and locations.

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Youth-focused award recognising bold, experimental ideas in art, architecture and design addressing the climate crisis. Open to ages 16-30 including students in art, design or architecture programs, recent graduates (within 3 years), and early-career professionals (within 5 years of practice).

Individuals or teams up to 3 members can submit both fully realised projects and early-stage concepts like sketches, prototypes, installations or digital renderings. Submissions require 12-16 slide PDF portfolio, 300-400 word written statement, and optional 1-2 minute video. Finalists notified 23rd February 2026 and invited as guests to the GCDA Award Event in Miami during Climate Week on 18th March 2026 where winners are announced live.

Recognition includes feature in DASH Online Gallery, press exposure through partner media and climate design outlets, certificate and digital badge.

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Liverpool Biennial and SEVENSTORE offer three £3,000 bursaries for emerging artists and creative practitioners in Liverpool and Merseyside (April-July 2026) whose practice is informed by experiences of children and young people. This includes artists reflecting on their own lived experiences as young people (past or present), exploring civic rights of children and young people, parents/carers/guardians, and those exploring wider global understandings of family and community.

Open to artists living or working in Liverpool, Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, or Halton who consider themselves emerging (self-defined—may include limited exhibition history, early-stage practice development, building public awareness, career gaps/barriers, or limited professional opportunities). Any visual art medium welcome including sculpture, painting, printmaking, audio, film, live art, illustration, or photography. No formal qualifications necessary. Not open to organisations, full-time students, artists outside UK, or previous Liverpool Biennial bursary recipients since 2021.

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An international art competition open to artists of all ages and abilities working in any two-dimensional technique including painting, drawing, and printmaking. Artists can submit 1-5 artworks (with the 5th entry free).

There are 31 awards to be won including: First Prize of £6,000 plus £2,000 in Jackson’s art materials, five Jackson’s Choice Awards, eight Material Awards and Runners Up, Student and Amateur Awards, People’s Choice Award, and six Judge’s Choice Awards (each £1,000 in art materials).

Prize winners and shortlisted artists are invited to exhibit at two London exhibitions: Affordable Art Fair (6-10 May 2026) and Bankside Gallery (22-28 June 2026). The First Prize winner also receives a filmed studio interview and invitation to join the 2027 Guest Judging Panel.