Apply to the 2025 Shape Open exhibition

About the Open Call

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. We are also interested in work that reflects on how protest itself is changing: becoming more digital, more restricted, and increasingly under threat, for example by surveillance. This exhibition is supported by our National Disability Movement Archive and Collection (NDMAC). The exhibition will be at The Engine Shed in High Wycombe. It’s a big space, so we’re looking for work that can stand out and make an impact. Think bold colour schemes, big messages, or eye-catching formats. We’re keen to find work that can be hung across the space or projected. We’d be interested in light-weight sculptures and installations that can be easily dismantled and rebuilt in the venue. This show is a kind of protest in itself. We’re especially keen on artwork that clearly tackles the themes, maybe with large text, clear slogans, or strong visual messages. The Brunel Engine Shed is part of Buckinghamshire New University, where the Shape Arts office is based. It is a Grade II Listed building, designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel and built in 1854. The venue is directly opposite High Wycombe train station and on the side of a main road through town. It has large windows all the way around. The exhibition space is large. There are lots of ways to hang work in the space, both down and across the room. We are not allowed to drill into the brick walls of the building, so we will use hanging systems and standing frames to display work.

What is Offered

Selected artists will each receive £250 for exhibiting their work. Shape will cover costs related to transport of artwork.

Requirements

We can’t accept very large or heavy artworks that are hard to move or take apart. Performances might be included, but we’ll mainly choose work that can stay on display for the whole exhibition. Flat / 2D works such as photography, painting, drawing or text on a page cannot be displayed on walls. So your submission should come with a suggestion as to how the work could be shown in a different way, or at a different scale. You are welcome to do a sketch or explain in a brief written note how this might look or work. We are interested in creative or unusual ideas. The venue is big, so we’re looking for work that can fill the space. You must be able to post your work with a regular delivery service like Royal Mail, Evri, or DHL. If that’s not possible, think about how we might show it another way – for example, as a digital image or projection. We do not expect people to make new work for this exhibition. You can submit work that you have already made, works in progress, R&Ds, or, should you wish to, new work. Where works are in production, or you have ideas about how you want to change elements for this exhibition, we ask that you upload sketches or examples as images as part of your application. Work will be selected by the Shape Arts team, including a member of our NDMAC heritage project. If you’ve been part of the Shape Open before, you are welcome to submit work again. However, we won’t exhibit the same artwork you previously exhibited. You must be over 18 years of age and live in the UK. The largest entrance to the venue is 127cm wide. Think about whether your work will fit through the door.

How to Apply

Applications can be submitted via a Google Form, Word Document, or by sending a recording. Applicants can upload video or audio responses within the Google Form or send them directly to exhibitions@shapearts.org.uk, potentially using file transfer systems like PCloudTransfer or WeTransfer for large files. Word Document applications should be downloaded, completed, and returned to exhibitions@shapearts.org.uk, with images embedded or attached, or links to a Google Folder. Applications can also be submitted on behalf of someone else with their full permission. Assistance with applications or process questions can be sought by contacting exhibitions@shapearts.org.uk or phoning 0207 424 7330, ideally allowing plenty of time before the deadline.