VISUAL Carlow 2027 Exhibition Open Call

VISUAL Centre for Contemporary Art is a contemporary art venue in Carlow, Ireland with four distinct gallery spaces — Main, Link, Studio, and Digital — that allow concurrent exhibitions across different formats. The 2027 Open Call is run in partnership with Carlow Arts Office, marking 40 years of county arts officers supporting artists across Ireland.

The call is for a newly conceived or unrealised commission to be exhibited at VISUAL in September 2027. Existing work is not eligible; the program funds new production rather than touring or restaging earlier projects. Eligibility is unusually broad: professional visual artists working in any medium, in any location, at any career stage. Duos and groups are welcome.

What the winning applicant receives: a generous artist fee, a significant production budget, and curatorial, production, technical, and marketing support. Specific fee figures are not published on the public landing page — applicants negotiate within VISUAL's program structure. Shortlisted artists also receive expansion fees to develop extended proposals.

After exhibition, work returns to the artist or an agreed party — VISUAL does not acquire commissioned work into a permanent collection.

Selection is by a five-member jury panel: Aileen Nolan (Carlow County Arts Officer), Aisling Prior (independent curator), Benjamin Stafford (Visual Arts Curator at VISUAL), artist Daphne Wright, and Sepake Angiama (Artistic Director of the Institute of International Visual Arts).

Submission is free. The 2026 deadline is May 22, 2026 at 5pm GMT. Shortlist announced end of June; expanded proposals due end of August; winner announced September 2026.