Multistory Exhibition Open call

The New Art Gallery Walsall and Multistory are delighted to announce the open call for Assembly 2025. Assembly is an annual exhibition programme of newly commissioned work by emerging artists based in Sandwell and the Black Country. Initiated as part of Multistory’s artist development programme Blast Creative Network (BCN), the opportunity platforms emerging artists from across the region, and makes space for them to push their practice and experiment with making new work.

We will select three artists who will each receive development support and mentoring from both organisations as well as a commission fee of £1,500 to create new work as well as access to a production budget. The programme will culminate in a group exhibition, to be exhibited at The New Art Gallery Walsall in the Floor 4 Gallery between July and October 2025.

Who is this for? This opportunity is open to visual artists, who are currently living and making work in the Black Country (within the Sandwell, Walsall, Dudley and Wolverhampton boroughs.)

What do you mean by emerging? You may be either; fairly new to your practice or have been making work for a while and haven’t had the support or exposure you need to develop your practice. The term emerging encompasses artists of all ages.

How to apply

Applications are now open. The deadline for applications is midnight, Sunday 6 October 2024.

Please send us a completed monitoring form, and a separate single PDF to info@multistory.org.uk.

The monitoring form is anonymous and will be removed from your application and the data collected will only be used to monitor the range of applicants applying for our opportunities.Download the monitoring form

The PDF should include:

A statement that includes a description of your practice to date, including any recent projects, exhibitions or development opportunities, and outlines your ideas for the new work you would like to develop (max 300 words)
Your CV, with your contact details (eg. mobile number, email), and your town of residence and postcode.
Examples of your work, max. 10 images collated in a single PDF document (links must be provided to access any film or sound works)

You can also apply by sending us a video or audio clip of up to 3 minutes long.

Receipt of your application will be confirmed via email, and we’ll be letting everyone know the outcome of the selection process in the weeks following the deadline.

Access

We are committed to ensuring the programme is fully accessible. Selected artists will be provided with an Access Rider to let us know what support they may need in order to participate in the programme.

If you’d like to talk with someone in the team before you apply or tell us if we can do anything to make the application and/or the selection process more accessible for you, please use the same email address above.

About BCN

The Blast Creative Network offers local artists a free annual programme of talks, workshops, reading groups, and social events and is a space for mutual support and knowledge sharing. It was set up to provide artists in the local area opportunities for critical engagement and collaboration outside of formal arts education. Find out more.