In 2027, Southwark Cathedral will dedicate its Café exhibition programme to the work of local artists, creating a series of exhibitions celebrating the creativity and perspectives of artists connected to our wider community.

We are inviting artists with a strong connection to the Diocese of Southwark to submit proposals for an exhibition in the Cathedral Café to be displayed throughout 2027.

The Diocese of Southwark covers South London and East Surrey, including communities across Southwark, Lambeth, Lewisham, Croydon, Bromley, Kingston, Richmond, Wandsworth, Merton, Sutton, and surrounding areas.

You do not necessarily need to live in the Diocese, but you should be able to demonstrate a meaningful connection to a place, community or parish within it.

To submit your work for consideration, please complete this online submission form.

Submissions will be reviewed by Southwark Cathedral's Arts and Exhibitions Panel.

We aim to respond to all applications by November 2026.

Applications open until Sunday 18 October 2026

There is no fee to exhibit. We are offering the Café as a free exhibition space.

Artists are not paid an exhibition fee, but there is no charge to submit or exhibit your work. 
 
What are we looking for? 
 
We are open to a wide range of artistic practices, provided the work is suitable for display in the Cathedral Café. 

Artwork must be suitable for wall hanging.

We are particularly interested in paintings, drawings, prints, photography and other two-dimensional work that can be safely and appropriately displayed on the Café walls. 

The available display space is:

• 4 × wall sections between windows: 83 × 94cm
• 2 × long wall sections: 250 × 90cm
• 1 × small wall section: 142 × 90cm
• 1 × small rear wall section: 130 × 70cm
• 1 × large rear wall section: 182 × 70cm

Due to the nature of the space, we are unable to accommodate very large-scale works or freestanding sculpture. 
 
We welcome proposals for:

• Existing bodies of work that you would like to exhibit 
• New exhibition ideas that you would like to develop 
• Work that responds to a particular theme, place, community or aspect of life in the Diocese 
• Individual artists or, where appropriate, collaborative exhibitions 
• Some exhibition slots will take place later in 2027, so proposals do not necessarily need to be for work that is already completed.