ARTIST OPEN CALL Pride & Ally Summer Show 2025

Open Call for Artists

Still, I Am Because You Are

Pride & Ally Summer Exhibition 2025
Deadline: 21 June 2025

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About the Exhibition

Our flagship Pride & Allies Summer Expo returns with:
Still, I Am Because You Are

Mid Street Lab invites LGBTQIA+ artists of all backgrounds and mediums to submit work that explores identity, connection, and collective resilience. Inspired by Ubuntu—“I am because you are”—this exhibition is a celebration of interdependence, quiet strength, chosen family, and shared joy.

This year’s show is co-curated with Brighton-based National Queer Arts Curator Pacheanne Anderson, with visual support and documentation by our in-house Pride photographers Antony Edward & Pierre Monerville (who will also offer a special portrait series for exhibiting artists? TBC) and our newest boldest jury member, Roseanna Sharville. Together, we are building not just a show, but a living archive of what it means to belong.

Why Get Involved?

Part of Brighton’s iconic Pride season, this exhibition offers:

• Unmissable Visibility in one of the UK’s most celebrated queer festivals
• Creative Collaboration with a network of curators, artists, and cultural partners
• Emotional & Cultural Impact—this is a space for powerful stories and connections

What’s In It for You?

Selected artists will receive:

• A feature in Discover Magazine Brighton (print & digital)
• Free admission to Winter Artists Open House 2025
• Access to Professional artwork photography + limited edition fine art print by Harwood King
• Inclusion in the Mid Street Lab 2025/26 Creative Catalysts Group
• Optional inclusion in our in-house artist portrait archive and brochure
• Promotion across our platforms and Pride-linked events

Who Can Apply?

• LGBTQIA+ artists and their close allies
• All disciplines welcome: painting, sculpture, photography, digital art, performance, sound
• Brighton & Hove and beyond – we welcome local and regional submissions
• Local students, emerging, self-taught and established creatives

Key Details

• Submission Fee: £15 per work (max 2 / 20£). Discounts for students & low-income artists.
• Work Size: Max 180x200cm (2D) or 80x150x70cm (3D); must be movable by maximum two people.
• To Apply: Complete the submission form including :
  • Artist bio and statement (max 2x100 words)
  • Images of submitted work (up to 5)
  • A short reflection on how your work responds to the theme
  • Copy of submission fee receipt

Make Space for Connection

This isn’t just a show.
It’s a mirror, a home, a statement.
Let your work speak. Let your story be seen.

Still, we are—because you are.

📧 Apply now or get more info at info@midstreetlab.com

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