Call fot Artist of All Medium: London Craft Week 2026

Industry:

City:

Organisation:

Eligibility:

We are excited to announce an open call for artists, architects, designers, performers, and interdisciplinary makers to participate in WHISPERer, our upcoming exhibition at London Craft Week (15–17 May 2026)
https://londoncraftweek.com/events/whisperer/

Open Call Timeline

Please note: We will publish media features on SPIRA9’s official social media channels before the exhibition. If you wish to be included in these early features, please submit your work by the corresponding deadlines below.

  • Press Release Date: 17 April 2026

  • Submission Deadline for Inclusion: 13 April 2026, 23:59 (BST)

  • Final Submission Deadline: 21 April 2026, 23:59 (BST)

    Please note: Artist will receive a response within 10 working days of submitting your application. All submissions will be carefully reviewed by our curatorial team, and only selected works will be included in the exhibition. We encourage early submissions, as space is limited and proposals are reviewed on a rolling basis. 

SUBMISSION FORM: https://forms.gle/AGvmvxoT9dCKseAt9

About London Craft Week:

London Craft Week is a city-wide celebration of exceptional craftsmanship and contemporary design, bringing together makers, artists, galleries, collectors, and enthusiasts from around the world. Over three days, participants gain access to carefully curated exhibitions, studio visits, interactive experiences, and networking opportunities within London’s vibrant creative districts.

ABOUT WHISPERer:

Craft is a quiet conversation, speaking without words through touch, gesture, and material. WHISPERER explores this invisible dialogue, revealing the subtle rhythms, patterns, and structures embedded in making. Inspired by the Fibonacci sequence, the Golden Ratio, and systems of natural growth, the exhibition considers craft as a living, recursive process: gestures emerge from the last, repetition builds structure, and materials carry memory, labour, and time.

WHISPERER is not about illustrating spirals or numbers, but making visible the quiet logic, devotion, and intelligence beneath every creation. The exhibition invites works that transform materials into contemplative experiences, investigate repetition and structure, and embrace interdisciplinary approaches across analogue, digital, and hybrid media.

Through WHISPERER, we celebrate the poetic intelligence inherent in craft, offering artists a platform to engage an international audience while presenting their work with full curatorial care and recognition.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR:

We welcome submissions across disciplines, including but not limited to:

  • Textiles, weaving, and fibre systems

  • Ceramics and sculptural forms

  • Metalwork and jewellery

  • Paper, wood, and stone

  • Installation and spatial practices

  • Digital craft, generative, and algorithmic systems

  • Hybrid and cross-disciplinary approaches

  • Sound, light, and immersive new media art

  • Works that explore memory, emotion, or narrative embedded in materials

  • Experimental materials, prototyping, and research-driven practices

We encourage interdisciplinary, experimental, and boundary-pushing proposals that reinterpret craft, art, and making in innovative ways. Craft is understood expansively, as disciplined engagement between hand, tool, system, and idea

Prizes Details: 

WHISPERer Prize:

We also want to take this special moment to share that the WHISPERer Prize, organised by SPIRA9, Indra Gallery and London Craft Week 2026, will be presented to recognise outstanding artistic and material-based practices within the exhibition. The WHISPERer Prize celebrates works that demonstrate exceptional sensitivity to material, conceptual depth, and innovation in contemporary craft and interdisciplinary making. 

Know more about the WHISPERer Prize here:https://spira9.art/whisperer-prize

Award recipients will be announced ahead of the exhibition opening.

SELECTED ARTISTS WILL ALSO RECEIVE:

Artists selected for WHISPERer will gain a comprehensive package of exhibition, professional, and career support, including:

  • Official London Craft Week Listing
    Artists will be officially listed as part of London Craft Week 2026, gaining exposure to an international audience of collectors, curators, and design professionals.

  • Curated Exhibition Placement
    Your work will be carefully positioned within the exhibition by SPIRA9 curators to ensure optimal spatial and conceptual presentation.

  • Professional Documentation
    All works will be photographed and video-documented for portfolios, press, and permanent archival purposes.

  • Dedicated Artist Feature, Promotion & Press Outreach
    Each artist will receive: A dedicated feature post on SPIRA9 social channels,  Inclusion on the official exhibition website with a permanent profile page. Inclusion in the official press release circulated to design and cultural media networks, alongside festival communications.

  • Private View Event & Networking Opportunities
    Invitation to an exclusive preview event, offering direct engagement with collectors, curators, and industry professionals.

  • 0% Commission on Sales
    Artists retain 100% of any sales during the exhibition.

  • Official Invitations and Letters of Recommendation
    Suitable for visa applications, residencies, or professional development. Letters of recommendation available upon request.

  • Artist Awards
    Selected works may be acknowledged through SPIRA9 awards: Curator's Choice, Critics' Choice, and Audience Choice Awards to recognize outstanding works.

  • Curatorial and Technical Exhibition Support
    Customized support to ensure the best possible presentation, including spatial, technical, and installation guidance.

  • Artwork Sales, Collector Network Access & Market Guidance
    Curated sales catalogue, introductions to collectors and advisors, and guidance to maximize visibility and potential sales.

  • Permanent Online Presence & Media Promotion
    Works will be archived on SPIRA9’s official website and promoted across social media, publications, and annual catalogues.

  • Ongoing Career Development Support

Event date: 
May 15, 2026 to May 17, 2026
Location: 
5 Church Street, Marylebone, United Kingdom, NW8 8EE
Deadline: 
13/April/2026

Entry Fee:

Fee Detail: 
Participation Fee: To ensure the highest level of curation and support for the selected projects, a participation fee is required for each artist.
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