Artists are invited to propose existing works for exhibition as part of the 2025 Art Walk Porty Festival: ShowGround which centres on performance, variety entertainment and play in response to Porty’s showground era.
We invite calls for existing works that engage with:
- Portobello’s showground history of variety entertainment (theatre, circus, dance, fairground)
- Seaside resort culture
- Travelling entertainers or showpeople communities
- Public space as a playground for interaction and encounter
- Play and games
Exhibitions will be hosted in a range of different spaces and settings, from shop windows, to café walls. We commonly work with venues: Print Works, The Wild Flower Shop, Portobello Bookshop, Miros Prom, Eyden’s Café, Smith & Gertrude, Malvarosa, Porty Light Box, Unity Hair, Wooton Pharmacy, Twelve Triangles, Dook.
All art forms are welcome. Most café and shop locations are suitable for 2D wall-based small or medium sized work, however, there is some capacity for window spaces showing sculptural work. Work will also be for sale within each setting with venues taking a 5% commission on all sales. All artists selected will be included in our printed programme and website.
All works will need to be provided, ready for installing by 28th August with all exhibitions open to the public from 4th to 27th September 2025. Photographic submissions will need to be mounted or framed by the artist. Artists are expected to instal and uninstall works themselves, although assistance will be provided where necessary for applicants from further afield. In the region of 10 artists will be selected through this open call process to form our 2025 Art in Shops programme. Priority will be given to new applicants who have not previously exhibited as part of our programme.
To Apply Please email your completed application to rosy@artwalkporty.co.uk by 4th May attaching the following:
- A completed application form
- An up to date cv (no more than two pages)
- 6-8 images that illustrate the work you wish to exhibit (jpeg, png only – please no tiffs, or no images embedded within a pdf or word doc)
All artists will be informed about outcomes by 30th May 2025, with final details for selected artists about specific locations finalised by 30th June 2025.
For reference, details of our 2024 programme can be viewed here
The Art Walk Porty Festival is produced & delivered by Art Walk Projects CIC
Image: Tommy Morgan Entertainers