Annual Open 2025 Submission Guidelines

About the Open Call

Submissions Now Open! Established the same year as the gallery in 1984, the Annual Open is London’s longest-running democratic exhibition and a rare opportunity for all artists at any stage of their career to submit work without a selection criteria. All submissions are accepted and exhibited, unless the terms of these guidelines have not been adhered to. Key Dates: Online Submission Deadline: Wednesday 22 October, midnight. Delivery Dates: Friday 24 – Sunday 26 October, 11am – 4pm. Exhibition Dates: Saturday 8 November – Saturday 6 December, Wednesday – Sunday, 11am – 4pm. Opening Reception: Saturday 8 November, 1pm – 4pm. Closing Event: Saturday 6 December, 1pm – 4pm (Winner Announcement at 2pm). Judge A—Z (Anne Duffau) will award the prize of £500 towards a solo exhibition in our Salter Space in autumn 2026. Collection Dates: Sunday 7 – Monday 8 December, 11am – 4pm. For anyone who needs assistance with submissions, we will be accepting them in person on the delivery dates. Submission Information: Artists must be 16 years+ and living or working in the UK. 2D & 3D Artworks: A maximum of 2 works can be submitted per artist. Maximum dimensions for 2D artworks, including frame: 80cm height x 80cm width. Maximum dimensions for 3D artworks, including plinth if supplied: 80cm height x 80cm width x 80cm depth. All works must be ready to install with fittings attached (no clip frames). Works are installed in a salon-style, so works from an individual artist will not be hung together. Diptychs are not accepted. Final placement of work is at the gallery’s discretion. Works containing food or perishable items cannot be submitted. When submitting the online form, artists are asked to upload one high-quality image per work (JPG or PNG, max 1200 x 1200 pixels or 3MB), titled as: Surname_First Name_Artwork Title. Moving Image: A maximum of 1 work can be submitted per artist. One further 2D or 3D artwork can also be submitted, totalling 2 works maximum. If your film file is under 1gb please upload your film via the online submission form. If your film file is above 1gb please send your film file via WeTransfer, Dropbox or Google Drive link to open@southwarkparkgalleries.org. Maximum duration for moving image, including credits: 5 minutes. Files must be .mov or .mp4 formats. Works will be displayed as one looped showreel in our Salter Space as a 16:9 projection. A title frame will be added at the beginning of each artist’s work. Please do not add padding or black bars to your film. Delivery & Installation: 2D & 3D artworks must be delivered in person on the delivery dates to: Lake Gallery, 1 Park Approach, Southwark Park, London SE16 2UA. Moving Image artworks must be sent via file transfer as detailed above. No postal entries will be accepted. Delivery dates are final, no late deliveries will be accepted. The work must be ready to be installed by the gallery’s technical team. We cannot store any work or packaging. Work that is inconsistent with our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy will not be exhibited. The gallery reserves the right to withdraw an artist’s work if the artist is in breach of our Code of Conduct. In the event of space constraints, at least one work by each entrant will be exhibited. Collection: 2D & 3D artworks must be collected in person on the collection dates at: Lake Gallery, 1 Park Approach, Southwark Park, London SE16 2UA. No postal collections will be accepted. Proof of ID or submission receipt must be provided. Collection dates are final. Uncollected works will be disposed of. All packaging must be provided by the artist and packed on collection. Moving Image files will be deleted within 1 week of the exhibition closing. Fees: Southwark Park Galleries is a not-for-profit company and charity. The funds raised from fees and sales cover the costs of presenting the exhibition. 1 artwork – £20 (concessions £15). 2 artworks – £30 (concessions £25). Concessions are considered as: full-time student, 65 years+, unemployed and/or in receipt of benefits, and Bermondsey Artists’ Group Artists. Submission fees must be paid at the time of online submission by credit or debit card, unless assistance to submit in person is required, in which case payment can be made by cash or cheque during delivery days. If any work cannot be displayed, a refund minus administrative fees will be issued. Artwork Sales: All works in the Annual Open must be for sale. 55% of the sales price goes directly to the artists and 45% (including VAT) raises funds towards Southwark Park Galleries’ programme. Artists will be asked in the submission form to add the artwork’s sales price, which must not exceed £1,000. Upon completion of sale and payment received, Southwark Park Galleries will transfer the artist their 55% within 1 month of the exhibition closing. VAT is payable by Southwark Park Galleries and will be deducted from the 45%.

What is Offered

Accepted artworks will be exhibited. A prize of £500 towards a solo exhibition in the Salter Space in autumn 2026 will be awarded by judge A—Z (Anne Duffau). Artists receive 55% of artwork sales.

Requirements

Artists must be 16 years+ and living or working in the UK. A maximum of 2 works can be submitted per artist. 2D artworks must not exceed 80cm height x 80cm width (including frame). 3D artworks must not exceed 80cm height x 80cm width x 80cm depth (including plinth). All works must be ready to install with fittings attached (no clip frames). Diptychs, food, or perishable items are not accepted. Moving image works must be .mov or .mp4 format, maximum 5 minutes duration, and under 1GB for direct upload. Works inconsistent with the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy or breach of the Code of Conduct will not be exhibited. All works must be for sale, with a maximum sales price of £1,000.

How to Apply

Artists can submit using the online form here: https://form.jotform.com/Southwark_Park/annual-open-2025. Assistance for submissions is available in person on delivery dates. Artwork details and images must be correctly entered. Moving image files under 1GB can be uploaded directly, while larger files should be sent via WeTransfer, Dropbox, or Google Drive link to open@southwarkparkgalleries.org. Fees must be paid online by credit or debit card, or in person by cash or cheque during the delivery days.