Apply for New Contemporaries 2022
We welcome submissions from emerging and early career artists who are final year students, recent graduates and postgraduate students from UK art schools and alternative learning programmes. We are committed to inclusion and equal opportunities and encourage submissions from artists of all backgrounds, ages, genders, socio-economic backgrounds, ethnicities, religions, sexual orientations, and from those who identify as having a disability.
As an organisation that continues to evolve, the 2022 selection of artists for New Contemporaries will no longer be an anonymous process. In the context of increasingly nuanced and sophisticated works and the fluidity of how their makers identify, New Contemporaries recognises the importance of knowing the artist behind the work, ensuring a diversity of voices represented. From this year, selectors will have access to some biographical information about the artist.
Being selected for New Contemporaries programme includes:
- Exhibiting as part of Bloomberg New Contemporaries 2022 in Hull at Humber Street Gallery and Ferens Art Gallery, opening in September, and South London Gallery, which will open in December. Selected artists are offered an artist’s fee and reasonable travel and accommodation costs covered for the private view of both exhibitions;
- Participating in New Contemporaries Bridget Riley Artists’ Development Programme, which includes 1to1 mentoring delivered in partnership with Artquest; Peer Networking Sessions; Workshops, Talks and other development opportunities;
- Contributing to our Digital Programme and the opportunity to present work on our channels including the online platform which complements the exhibitions;
- Being eligible, as NC alumni, for Studio Bursaries, Residencies, Fellowships, Scholarships and other opportunities;
- Being part of a network of other participating artists and previous alumni that spans over 70 years, including: post-war figures Frank Auerbach, Bruce Lacey and Paula Rego; pop artists Frank Bowling, Patrick Caulfield and David Hockney; new media pioneers Stuart Brisley, Helen Chadwick and Derek Jarman; YBAs Damien Hirst, Chris Ofili and Gillian Wearing; alongside contemporary figures such as Tacita Dean, Sunil Gupta, Mark Leckey and Mona Hatoum; and more recently a new generation of exceptional artists including Monster Chetwynd, Rachel Maclean, Haroon Mirza, Hardeep Pandhal, Laure Prouvost and Lynette Yiadom-Boakye.
To apply, up to 5 works should be submitted through our submission website. There is a £25 submission fee, which goes towards the costs of the two-stage selection process. The fee is non-refundable and is to be paid through PayPal on the submission site.
Accessibility
We are happy to assist artists who may identify as having a disability with the application process. Please contact us at submissions@newcontemporaries.org.uk.
An audio version of the guidelines will be found on each page and a step-by-step video on uploading your submission can be found here:
Download the full 2022 Submission Guidelines here:New Contemporaries 2022 Submission Guidelines
