OPEN CALL: Passing Through
with East Quay in Watchet and Studio KIND in Barnstaple
Deadline: Sunday 6th July
Studio KIND and Studio 10 Project Space at East Quay are teaming up to host two exhibitions throughout 2025-2026, and we are inviting artists from across Northern/Mid Devon and West Somerset to take part.
Passing Through is an exploration of what it means to live on the cusp of a place; from the ways in which we exist between built/rural spaces, to the intersections between different landscapes and environments, to the idea of edgelands, margins, and liminality in a broader context. Taking inspiration from the South West coastline, local landscapes and the moorland between us, the project will explore the connections within our communities, whilst also acting as a kind of mapping of our geographical locations.
Passing Through will be open to 20 artists living/working in North/Mid Devon and West Somerset (10 artists from each area). The aim of the project is to create a supportive group of artists with shared interests who are keen to make new work around these themes. We are seeking artists who are keen to enter into an exchange and dialogue with others, are looking to experiment with different ways of working, and are ready to proactively collaborate throughout the duration of the project.
Artists working in all mediums will be considered, including paint, print, drawing, sculpture, ceramics, photography, sound, moving image, writing, installation, and performance. Artists will be selected according to the strength of their current practice, their ideas in response to the themes of the project. We are keen to create a diverse yet cohesive group of artists, so will also be taking into consideration the relation between each applicant’s work during the selection process.
Selected artists will be invited to meet for a ‘Walk and Talk’ event on Exmoor, at the ‘mid-point’ between Watchet and Barnstaple. This will be a chance for the artists to meet in person and discuss their own areas of interest, take a walk together along the river, share ideas, and start gathering imagery/material for new work. The date of the event is Saturday 16th August 2025, from 11am - 3pm. The group will then be encouraged to set up their own networks, to continue sharing ideas and develop ongoing conversations.
The project will have two exhibitions throughout its course. The first will take place in Studio 10 Project Space at East Quay in Watchet in October/November 2025, and the second will take place at Studio KIND in Barnstaple, in March/April 2026. Dates TBC.
Each artist will receive a £100 travel bursary to cover the travel costs for the Walk and Talk event, as well as travel to both venues for the exhibitions. Both exhibitions will be professionally photographed and receive promotion from each venue.
Project aims:
1. Celebrate our localities and share fresh perspectives on the places between us, whilst also highlighting the varied experiences of artists living and working in the South West of England.
2. Connect artists across the two regions. Build networks, resilience, support, and skill-sharing and encourage ongoing conversations between artists.
3. Create a connected and supportive group that can continue to work together after the project is complete.
4. Exhibit an ambitious body of work across two venues, each of which share experiences of hosting cultural initiatives in rural areas.
To apply, artists will be asked to share an artist statement, provide examples of previous work, and give a brief overview of why they are interested in taking part in this opportunity.
Studio KIND CIC is an artist-led gallery and project space in Barnstaple Pannier Market, in the heart of North Devon, hosting a range of curated exhibitions and community projects, as well as workshops, events, and artist support opportunities.
East Quay, Watchet, is run by the Onion Collective, a social enterprise working to build social, cultural and environmental justice in Watchet, through wide- reaching and ambitious regeneration projects. East Quay’s cultural programme seeks to provide access to the highest quality contemporary art, raising new ideas in an open environment, and forming meaningful connections with the local community and visitors from further afield.
If you have any questions, please contact: laura@studiokind.org.uk or millie@containsart.co.uk