OPEN CALL
INSPIRED BY STANDEN: THE FUTURE OF ARTS & CRAFTS
PRESENTED BY SUSSEX CONTEMPORARY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NATIONAL TRUST.
AN OPEN-CALL OPPORTUNITY FOR ARTISTS, MAKERS, DESIGNERS, CRAFTSPEOPLE AND ARTISANS OF THE UK.
SUBMISSIONS NOW OPEN, DEADLINE TO COMPLETE SUBMISSION FORMS - 31ST MAY 2026.
STANDEN HOUSE OPEN CALL
This open call welcomes UK based contemporary artists who work in any disciplines embraced by the Arts & Crafts movement including, but not limited to, PAINTING, PRINTMAKING, CERAMICS, FURNITURE, TEXTILES, WALLPAPER, GLASSWARES, SCULPTURE & METALWORK or a creative interpretation of the movement and this theme.
THE IMPORTANCE OF PLACE
The historic Standen House, located in West Sussex, was designed by the ‘father of Arts and Crafts Architecture’ Philip Webb with interiors by William Morris & Co. It is a place which is well known for its significant expression of the ideas and principles behind the Arts & Crafts movement.
Built using only local materials and traditional construction methods, every room is a statement of belief: that the things we live with should be made with integrity, skill, and care. Today, cared for by the National Trust, Standen draws visitors from across the country throughout the summer season. To have your work selected for display here, placed within those rooms and among those original interiors, is a rare distinction.
Standen House embodies the belief that everyday life should be enriched by things that are both beautiful and useful. This open call is looking for contemporary responses to the theme, with the selected works to be hung throughout the house where there is joy to be found in new contemporary works sitting both in juxtaposition and conversation with the traditional Arts and Crafts pieces that adorn the house.
THEME
Living Standen: A Contemporary Response to the Arts & Crafts Movement
The Standen House Open Call 2026 marks the start of a beautiful partnership between the National Trust and Sussex Contemporary.
This opportunity is the first open call and exhibition of this size to be created at Standen House, offering a chance to exhibit your work alongside original and significant Arts and Crafts artefacts within a historic setting, as well as the following:
Leading Contemporary Exhibition
Selected works showcased in the South Room, will be expertly curated by our Creative Director, Jo Myles.
Whole House Display
Key pieces curated in every room of Standen, creating a living dialogue between contemporary making, makers, and historic interiors. Curated by the National Trust’s Head of House and Collections, Ruth Young.
Works Available for Purchase
All selected works will be available for purchase throughout the three-month summer show. It’s a chance to reach a broad, engaged public through the National Trust’s summer visitors.
Additional Opportunities & Prizes
Selected creatives may be invited to participate in events, talks, or workshops during the exhibition’s three-month run in July, August, and September 2026.
Prizes and professional opportunities will also be on offer for outstanding submissions. Please note; our prize partners select prizes.
An innovative exhibition
Inviting UK-based and UK-connected artists, makers, designers, craftspeople, and artisans to create contemporary responses to the Arts & Crafts movement.
The Origins Of The Movement
Emerging in the 19th century, the Arts & Crafts movement was a reform movement that championed traditional craftmanship and an elevation in decorative arts. A push back against industrialisation and a revival of handmade production over mass-manufactured goods.
Contemporary Responses
The theme encourages submissions in media such as painting, quilting, embroidery, painting, metalwork, tiles, domestic ware, rugs, wallpaper, furniture, dinnerware, kitchenware, glassware, lighting, textiles, ceramics, mixed media, illustration, and many more.
The Judges
The works to be shown in Standen House will be selected by a panel of world-leading expert judges, chaired by Ruth Young, the Head of House and Collections at Standen. Ruth one of the leading authorities on Arts and Crafts interiors in the UK. More details on the judges to follow.
Our panel brings together world-class expertise in craft, design and decorative arts and their selection will be made with both rigour and care. Being selected by this panel is a meaningful credential in itself. It signals that your work stands in genuine dialogue with one of the movement's most significant living legacies.
A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY FOR FUNCTIONAL CONTEMPORARY WARES
As part of this open call there is the opportunity to contribute to a brand new installation in the Dining Room that celebrates the enduring legacy of the Arts and Crafts movement through a curated selection of functional contemporary wares.
This display will explore how today’s makers reinterpret Arts and Crafts principles, honesty of materials, craftsmanship and beauty in utility, all within the context of modern dining.
Each piece will be selected for its functionality, aesthetic quality and alignment with Arts and Crafts values. The installation will evoke a sense of warmth, domesticity and intentional living.
The Dining Room will be transformed into a living tableau featuring:
Hand-thrown ceramics
Plates, bowls and serving vessels.
Textiles
Woven table runners, napkins, and upholstery.
Woodwork
Handcrafted furniture, utensils and serving boards.
Metalwork
Artisan cutlery, candle holders and decorative accents
KEY INFORMATION
WHO CAN APPLY?
Living makers, designers, craftspeople, artisans, and artists working in any medium
All career stages are encouraged to apply, be it emerging, mid-career, or established.
UK-based or UK-connected, by birth, residence, work, or education
Inclusive and open to all backgrounds, practices and disciplines.
THE EXHIBITION
Selected works will be displayed across two distinct exhibitions running simultaneously throughout July, August, and September 2026.
VENUE
Standen House, West Hoathly Road, East Grinstead, West Sussex, RH19 4NE
TERMS & CONDITIONS & FAQs
You can read our full T&Cs HERE
And our FAQS can be read HERE
HOW MUCH IS IT TO ENTER?
£20 per work, with a maximum of three entries per creative
Purchase your entry/ies on this webpage. After purchase, you will be sent an order confirmation and then a link to our creatives page, where you will find all the project information and link/s to submit your entry form/s.
KEY DATES
Open Call Launch: 12th November 2025
Submission Deadline: 31st May 2026, 23:59
Selection Results Announced: 8th June 2026
Selected Artworks Drop-Off: 22nd June 2026
Exhibition Dates: 2nd July – 30th September 2026
Selected Artworks Collection: 5th October 2026
