Sculpture Lounge Summer Exhibition 2026 in Holmfirth

An opportunity to exhibit in one of the biggest summer exhibitions in the North. Each summer, Sculpture Lounge holds a major exhibition at their studio building in the picturesque town of Holmfirth. Submissions are sought now for works in two and three dimensions across the price range. We are also seeking stock for our art gallery shop, we have a major curated exhibition, and we invite you to celebrate our studio centenary with a special mini exhibition of works priced up to £100.

Sculpture Lounge is a long-term artistic venture based in the Holme Valley on the northern edge of the Peak District National Park. Artist-led and self-sustaining, our destination offers an ambitious focus for the visual arts from a large former textile mill on the banks of the River Holme. We are proudly home to some of the North’s finest sculptors and makers and attract visitors from across the country as well as local and regional visitors. We are located a short drive from Manchester, Leeds and Sheffield, nestled in beautiful countryside.

Our summer events attract high visitor numbers. We now have to limit (free) ticketing for our preview evening to 200 people.

Submissions are sought now for works in two and three dimensions at any price point. We have three separate opportunities attached to this event:

• A curated exhibition: This is a mixed exhibition of sculpture, painting, drawing, handmade prints, ceramics, and many other works of art, craft and design.
• 100 at £100: This year our building celebrates its centenary year. We shall mark this with an exhibition of 100 artworks priced at (or just below) £100. You can contribute several works of art to this section of the exhibition.
• Gallery shop stock: Our gallery shop stocks smaller items of art, craft and design, along with many other beautiful items. If you make jewellery, sketchbooks, greetings cards, giclee prints, homewares, decorations, craft kits, or you are a supplier of artisanal products of any kind, please apply. Our gallery shop opens throughout the year so we may wish to hold on to stock or ask for more.

We are called the Sculpture Lounge, but we also love to exhibit wall-based work, paintings, prints, etc. We welcome the submission of artist editions and may consider digital reproductions and giclee prints for our gallery shop only. Artists can enter all three opportunities in this open call, but please use a separate entry for each one. You will be asked to select the appropriate category when completing your application. It is free to enter.

The exhibition opens each weekend from the 13th June to the 12th July. Additionally, we open all week from the 5th July and keep the exhibition installed for a further weekend (18th/19th July) for late viewing requests. We have a dedicated PR staff promoting the event through social media, local and regional press and listings sites. We also have permanent roadside signage and additional signage throughout the locality. Our events are listed on Eventbrite. We do not charge entry fees to visitors. Our sales commission is 40% (we are not VAT registered).

The following dates must be observed unless by prior arrangement: Deadline for applications: 10th March; Work must be delivered between 19th and 22nd May; Collection of unsold work: by Friday 14th August.

Any visual artists producing work for sale. How many works can I submit? Please submit up to 5 images. If your work is part of a larger collection of craft or design items, we will discuss fully after selection.

When is the delivery date? Work must be delivered between 19th and 22nd May. When do I need to collect my work? Collection of unsold work: by Friday 31st July.

How much does it cost? Its free to submit, sales are processed with 40% gallery commission. Are there payments to artists? Sales payments are processed as quickly as possible after the event.

Is there a private view / opening? Yes, there will be a private view opening on Friday 12th July.

What are the exhibition opening hours? The exhibition opens each weekend from the 13th June to the 12th July. Additionally we open all week from the 5th July. Usual opening hours are 10-4, or by appointment.

Does the location have disabled access? Unfortunately we are not yet fully accessible. The exhibition space is on the first floor, accessible by stairs only. We are working on this and hope to secure funding to reinstate our lift in the near future.

What publicity will be provided as part of the opportunity? We have a dedicated PR staff promoting the event through social media, local and regional press (Yorkshire Post etc), and listings sites. We also have permanent roadside signage and further signage throughout the locality. Our events are listed on Eventbrite.

Do I need to be present? No, we staff our gallery spaces and represent the artwork throughout.

How do you decide on proposals? We curate our exhibitions each year based on the submissions we receive. There is no theme this year so we will choose work that creates a varied and balanced exhibition across processes and media. We are a commercial event focused on sales for our artists; if a customer cannot imagine taking the work into their home or business premises, we may decline. We welcome unexpected and challenging work, so please apply if you think we might be right for you.

What happens if my proposal is chosen? You will be contacted to clarify a full list of works and details for getting the work to us.

When is the deadline? Submissions must be made by 10th March 2026. You must have an account to make a submission using CuratorSpace. It is free and takes a few moments. Once registered you can track submissions and receive updates on opportunities. If you already have an account you will need to log in to make a submission. You must also log in to send a message to the curator. Registering only takes a few moments and lets you track submissions and receive updates.