Guidance

Online submissions are now open for artists wishing to participate in this year’s event. Please use this submission process for applying either as an Art House venue, Art in Shops artist or other public / community space applicant.

Please read the information below carefully before starting your submission as there are a number of changes this year. All submissions need to be entered through our new online submission process, we are no longer accepting completed forms by email. We recommend you reading in advance the questions in the form (see ‘Start Application‘) ensuring you have all the information ready in advance before proceeding with the online form.

Applying as Art House participating artist

All artists exhibiting within Art Houses need to commit to opening their studio over the two weekends of the event. We no longer accept single weekend applications. The location of your venue is also required before applying. We do not allocate Art House spaces to those without a venue. Instead we invite you to select to exhibit within our Art in Shops strand of the event.

Shared Art Houses – We accept submissions from artists wishing to share a venue (up to 3 can share together). Please when applying select if you are the lead applicant/ie venue owner – or additional artist. Each artist taking part in a shared art house is required to submit their application separately through this form. Each participating artist will receive their own entry on the website and in the printed map.

Groups – If applying as a group (4 to 6 artists), please complete under one collective name. We do not require one form to be submitted from each artist. However, on the website and in the printed map there will be just be one listing summarising the group, not individual entries for each artist.

Applying as Art in Shops or Other public space applicant

Art in Shops or Other Public Spaces – provides opportunities to artists and recent graduates to showcase existing work in highly visible, accessible locations, that encourage experimentation, to test out new ideas and to broaden their audience reach. This strand of our programme is open to artists living locally or outwith the immediate area. Artists from across Scotland are eligible to apply, although they are required to be available to instal and uninstall their own works for exhibition.

Applicants are required to propose works for exhibition that respond to our festival subject title, this year being Shift & Flow.

‘Shift & Flow’ embraces the constant fluctuating environment of the intertidal zone, of a fragile ecosystem where the sea meets the land; shift conceived as patterns of movement, transition, flux, of a change of emphasis, a shift from one state or place to another; or flow as a gestural, immersive art process of mark making, exploring surface, rhythm and fluidity. We welcome submissions that respond imaginatively to such subjects.

In region of 10 artists will be selected for this strand of our programme. For the first time this year we are also delighted to announce, two of those selected will be offered artist awards (comprising £800 each) in support of their practice.

Exhibitions will be hosted across a range of different spaces and settings from shop windows to café walls, commonly working with venues, such as: Print Works Coffee, The Portobello Bookshop, Miros Prom, Smith & Gertrude, Home Sales & Lettings, Eyden’s Café, Malvarosa, Porty Light Box, Traade, Unity Hair and Dook.

In addition should you have an exhibition proposal for another public or community space within Portobello or Joppa do apply through this strand of the programme suggesting the location within your submission.

Flowering Porty front gardens festival

The front gardens festival run in celebration of our tenth year will not be taking place in 2026. However we have decided to revisit this and consider whether to go ahead with this type of festival in future years.

Selection Process

The selection panel consists of members of the Art Walk Weekends Organising Committee and Art Walk Projects staff who will consider:

• Strong evidence of artistic practice both in the local context and in a wider art context (exhibitions and development of artwork for other environments). This will be assessed from the evidence provided in the CV.
• A clear, well thought through and coherent approach to your art practice, showing quality, consistency and a professional approach to presentation across the work submitted. This will be assessed through your artist statement and images of artwork provided.
• For Art in Shops & Other public space applicants we will assess how your proposed work responds imaginatively to our subject theme, as well as suitability for the variety of spaces on offer.

Costs

Category	Fee
Art House (single artist or collective)	Two weekends – £150
Shared Art House (up to 2 additional artists per venue)	£40 for each additional artist – as well as lead artist (single artist fee of £150)
Art in Shops/Other public spaces	No participation fee, instead artists are required to pay the venue a 10% commission on any sales they receive during the festival

Assistance

Should you have problems or require assistance in completing the online submission form please get in touch with us by email at weekends@artwalkprojects.co.uk and we will do our best to assist you.

By submitting an application you agree to our Terms and Conditions.