Organizer Information
Aspex Portsmouth is a contemporary visual arts organisation and gallery based in Portsmouth, United Kingdom. It operates as a public-facing contemporary art space dedicated to supporting emerging and established artists through exhibitions, commissions, and participatory cultural programmes. Aspex has a long-standing commitment to community engagement and accessibility, often working closely with local residents, schools, and creative practitioners across Hampshire and the wider South East region.
The organisation is known for presenting socially engaged and conceptually driven exhibitions that explore contemporary issues through interdisciplinary artistic practices. Alongside its main gallery programme, Aspex also runs open calls, learning initiatives, and collaborative projects that aim to strengthen connections between artists and local communities. Its programming often prioritises inclusivity, encouraging participation from individuals of all backgrounds and experience levels.
Title & Description
Letters to Tomorrow – Open Call Exhibition
“Letters to Tomorrow” is an open exhibition organised by Aspex Portsmouth as part of the city’s centenary celebrations marking 100 years since Portsmouth was officially recognised as a city. The project invites participants from Portsmouth and Hampshire to contribute artworks that imagine, question, or speculate on the future of the city one hundred years from now.
The conceptual framework is inspired by the parallel exhibition “2126: What If?”, which explores speculative futures and long-term imaginaries. “Letters to Tomorrow” extends this theme into a community-oriented format, asking participants to reflect on their hopes, concerns, and visions for the future. Artists are encouraged to consider what might change, what might persist, and what they would wish to preserve or transform in their urban and social environment.
The open call is intentionally broad and inclusive, welcoming responses from both professional artists and individuals with no formal artistic training. The emphasis is on expression, imagination, and reflection rather than technical mastery. The resulting exhibition will function as a collective archive of speculative messages addressed to the future city.
Categories
- Visual Art (painting, drawing, printmaking)
- Photography
- Video and Film (as long as installation requirements are met)
- Mixed Media / Collage
- Illustration
- Text-based works and writing-based visual art
- Sculpture (subject to size and installation constraints)
- Any 2D or wall-mounted practice
Eligibility
- Open to all ages and levels of experience
- Open primarily to residents of Portsmouth and Hampshire (UK-based local/regional focus)
- Both emerging and professional artists are encouraged to apply
- No formal training or institutional affiliation required
- Individuals, community groups, and independent creators may participate
Program Benefits & Awards
- Inclusion in a public exhibition at Aspex Portsmouth
- Presentation of work in a professionally curated gallery environment
- Participation in the official exhibition preview event
- Opportunity to engage with local audiences and the wider creative community
- Visibility within a thematic exhibition linked to a major city-wide centenary programme
Please note: this is not a paid commission or prize-based award. The main benefit is exhibition exposure and professional presentation.
Application Fee
None
Application Requirements
- Personal details (name, contact information, location)
- Title and description of the artwork
- Short statement explaining the concept or response to the theme “Letters to Tomorrow”
- Visual documentation of the artwork (images or video files, depending on medium)
- Basic technical information (dimensions, medium, installation needs if applicable)
- Any additional contextual notes required for display
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 21 June 2026
- Selection Results Announced: 1 July 2026
- Artwork Delivery / Drop-off Window: 8 July – 12 July 2026
- Exhibition Preview: Wednesday 29 July 2026 (6:00 PM)
- Exhibition Dates: 29 July – 20 September 2026
- Artwork Collection Deadline: 21 September 2026
Location
Aspex Portsmouth – Portsmouth, Hampshire, United Kingdom
Additional Details
- Maximum artwork size: 1 metre (height) x 1 metre (width) (framed works)
- Works must be ready for hanging (framed or equipped with appropriate mounting systems)
- Artists are responsible for the delivery and collection of works unless otherwise arranged
- Artists must cover all transport and insurance costs if not hand-delivering
- The gallery does not provide return shipping services
- Uncollected works will be stored for up to one month after the exhibition closes, after which they may be disposed of
- All selected artists are invited to attend the exhibition preview event
The project strongly emphasises accessibility and community voice, making it particularly suitable for participatory, reflective, and conceptually driven work that engages with ideas of time, place, and collective memory.