Fables | SWANFALL ART ANNUAL EXHIBITION 2025 OPEN CALL INVITATION

About the Open Call

SWANFALL ART returns to Mall Galleries, London in August 2025 with its annual exhibition. Titled Fables, the show explores how narrative functions as a method in contemporary art, reflecting a broader shift from expression to resonance. Art’s power lies not merely in representation, but in transformation - in awakening perception, forging connection, and revealing essence. In a world marked by ecological, political, and psychological unrest, the demand for art that engages emotionally and intellectually is increasingly urgent. Viewers, curators, and collectors alike are moving away from formalism and toward works that provoke reflection, empathy, and dialogue. This shift signals a deeper longing for shared memory, identity, and meaning. Narrative is being redefined - not simply as storytelling, but as a structural and perceptual framework. Contemporary works often avoid singular viewpoints or linear conclusions, instead inviting open-ended interpretation. Story remains a vital way we organise time, understand change, and locate ourselves in the world. Fables responds to this shift - from explanation to insight, from statement to shared experience. The theme is not a return to moralistic fables, but an invitation for artists to explore emotional depth and narrative complexity across mediums. We welcome work across all media - painting, installation, film, sound, performance, and text. Fables values not novelty for its own sake, but the capacity of a work to generate rhythm, provoke thought, and activate the space between feeling and idea. In structure or stillness, these works speak to what remains unsaid - yet deeply understood. Following the success of our 2023 annual exhibition Through the Looking Glass at Mall Galleries, SWANFALL ART returns in 2025 to present its latest edition. Located between Buckingham Palace and Trafalgar Square, adjacent to St. James’s Park, Mall Galleries sits at the heart of London’s cultural and artistic district. As one of the UK’s most prominent exhibition venues, it provides an exceptional setting and cultural context for this significant showcase. Mall Galleries is managed and operated by the Federation of British Artists (FBA), an organisation dedicated to advancing professional art practice and public cultural engagement. Over the past five decades, Mall Galleries has hosted major exhibitions for royal art societies and continues to present a dynamic programme of art fairs, auctions, solo and group exhibitions. With over 450 square metres of elegant exhibition space and state-of-the-art facilities, it offers an ideal platform for presenting contemporary artworks. Curated and organised by Swanfall Art with professional support from the Federation of British Artists, the 2025 exhibition is expected to feature approximately 300 works by contemporary artists. SWANFALL ART is the curatorial and artist development division of SWANFALL, a London-based contemporary art platform dedicated to curatorial production, artist representation, art advisory, and secondary market transactions. Our core mission is to foster an open, diverse, and transnational platform that supports intellectually rigorous and experimentally driven artistic practices. As the commercial exhibitions branch of SWANFALL, SWANFALL GALLERY represents a select roster of artists and presents their work through international art fairs and private sales. The synergy between curatorial vision and market structure enables us to enhance academic visibility while supporting the sustainable growth of our artists’ careers. By integrating curatorial strategy with a commercial framework, SWANFALL offers a comprehensive support system, committed to building bridges between cultural value and market potential - expanding the possibilities for contemporary art creation and public engagement.

What is Offered

Selected artists will have their work exhibited at the Mall Galleries in London, receive professional presentation and promotion, a digital Artist Career Guidebook, and an invitation to an online professional development seminar. Artists may also price their works for sale, with a 35% commission on sales.

Requirements

All media are welcome, including wall-mounted works (max side length 1.5m) and large sculptures or installations (max height 2m). Submissions are evaluated based on concept, execution, and presentation, with clarity of intention, effective use of medium and form, and strong visual/spatial impact being key. Artistic background is not a primary consideration. Collaborative submissions (duo and group) are allowed, requiring a lead contact and full details for all contributors.

How to Apply

Artists can apply via the submission link: https://swanfall.typeform.com/fables. Before applying, artists should prepare their Artist Biography and images of their work (JPG, JPEG, or PNG) with details (title, year, medium, dimensions, price), or a complete portfolio in PDF format (up to 10MB). Applicants can choose between two options: Option 1: Image Submission (up to 3 works) or Option 2: Full Portfolio Entry (unlimited works). A submission fee is required: £15 for single work submission or £65 for full portfolio (Regular, £55 Early Bird). Fees are payable online at the time of submission.