BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art Submission Manager

Open Submission 2026 (18+)

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Baltic is pleased to announce Baltic Open Submission 2026!

This is a fantastic opportunity for you to have your work presented in a group exhibition at a world-class gallery, among many other artists, makers and creatives based in the North East of England. Up to 100 works will be selected for inclusion in the exhibition by a panel of five.

The panellists are North East-born and internationally renowned artists Laura Lancaster and Rachel Lancaster; Will Hughes, Tees Valley Artist of the Year 2025; and Baltic Assistant Curators Rose McMurray and Rosie Coleman Collier.

Who Can Apply

Anyone based in the North East can submit a piece of work to be considered by the panel: you don’t need to have a degree, a studio or even have shown your work in public before. Everybody’s entry will be reviewed equally by the panel.

This Submittable form is for 18+ applicants, if you are aged 11-17, please click here, to apply.

All you need to do is to fill in the form below between 10am on Tuesday 12 May and 10am on Tuesday 16 June 2026 to submit your work for consideration.

The guidelines on submitting a piece of work can be found here. Please read these carefully before submitting an entry. Artworks that do not fit within the specific guidelines will not be accepted for submission, if you have any further questions, please email open@baltic.art.

Key Dates

Tuesday 12 May 2026: Announcement and submission process opens
Wednesday 3 June, 10am to 4pm: Online and in-person Q&A drop-in session, in Baltic Front Room
Tuesday 16 June 2026, 10am: Deadline to submit your work online
Tuesday 16 June 2026: Last day for postal entries to be received
Thursday 6 August 2026: All successful applicants contacted
Thursday 20 August 2026: Artists announced to media
Monday 24 – Sunday 30 August 2026: Participants to deliver the works selected for the exhibition at Baltic. The schedule for this will be confirmed in detail to each participant closer to the time
Friday 18 September 2026: Exhibition Preview Party
19 September 2026 – May 2027: Exhibition open to the public

Making your submission via post

By post: You can make an entry by post. Please DO NOT send original artwork: we are unable to include original artwork in our selection process. Only images of work will be accepted for submission. Take a photo of your artwork and include a print-out or a photograph of it. Postal entries must be received by at Baltic by Tuesday 16 June 2026. Any entries received after this date will not be considered by the panel.

Maximum 2 sheets of A4 paper. Please include the following information:

o Your name

o Postal address

o E-mail

o Phone number (if available)

o A short statement about your work (maximum 100 words)

Please send to the following address:

Baltic Open Submission 2026

FAO Rose McMurray & Rosie Coleman Collier

Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art

South Shore Road

Gateshead

NE8 3BA

Further Information

We encourage applications from previous years’ entries to reapply.

If you’re thinking of applying but still have some questions, we are holding an online and in-person drop-in session on Wednesday 3 June, from 10am to 4pm in Baltic Front Room with Rosie Coleman Collier (Assistant Curator) and Rose McMurray (Assistant Curator). You don’t need to book. Simply show up on the day, or please email open@baltic.art to request the Zoom link.

Please ensure you have read the guidelines before submitting your application.

Baltic Open Submission: Youth Open Call supported by Fenwick (11-17 year olds)

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Submit

Baltic is pleased to announce Baltic Open Submission: Youth Open Call supported by Fenwick

This is a fantastic opportunity for artists under 18 to have their work presented in a group exhibition at a world-class gallery, among many other artists, makers and creatives based in the North East of England. We are inviting artwork submissions by young people aged between 11–17 years old to consider the theme of Local, and for submissions to consider local places, local stories, and local viewpoints. Up to 50 works will be selected for inclusion in the exhibition by a panel. Selected works by the 11–17-year-olds will be shown alongside those from the general open call.

The panellists are Baltic’s Young Producers group and artist Terox, a previous Baltic Open Submission exhibitor who has gone on to produce and sell his own art.

Who Can Apply

Anyone aged between 11-17 years old who lives in the North East can submit a piece of work to be considered by the panel. Everybody’s entry will be reviewed equally.

Your parent/carer or guardian will need to register with Submittable on your behalf for all ages in this category (if they do not have an existing account) and will need an email address to do this.

This Submittable form is for 11-17 year old applicants. If you are 18+, please click here to apply.

Your parent/carer or guardian needs to fill in the form below between 10am on Tuesday 12 May and 10am on Tuesday 16 June 2026, to submit your work for consideration.

The guidelines on submitting a piece of work can be found here. Please read these carefully before submitting an entry. Artworks that do not fit within the specific guidelines will not be accepted for submission. If you have any further questions, please email youthopen@baltic.art.