OPEN CALL: CELEBRATING COMMUNITY CREATIVES Black History Month London | Art, Music, Culture & Community

Deadline: 21/10/2026
Exhibition & event: Thursday 29 October 2026 Private view, 6–10pm exhibition will continue until early November 
Venue: ArtWorks East, East London

ArtWorks East, ArtEast CIC are inviting African & Carribean Diaspora artists and creative practitioners across all disciplines to apply for MindfullyCreate CIC Celebrating Community Creatives; a special Black History Month exhibition and community event in East London bringing together visual art, performance, music, creativity, culture and wellbeing.

We are looking for artists whose work connects in some way with the themes of community, identity, heritage, belonging, culture, connection, resilience, wellbeing or shared experience.

We welcome applications from artists working across all creative disciplines, including but not limited to:

• Painting, drawing & illustration
• Photography
• Sculpture & installation
• Textiles, fashion & craft
• Film & moving image
• Digital & new media
• Printmaking
• Spoken word & poetry
• Music & sound (acoustic sets)
• Performance & live art
•  Multidisciplinary and socially engaged practice

You do not need to work exclusively within these themes. We are interested in artists who have something meaningful to contribute to a wider conversation around African & Caribbean Diaspora creativity, culture and community.

Artists are welcome to sell their work onsite during the exhibition; artists are requested to donate a percentage of their sale to the initiatives supported and are able to increase the price accordingly. 

ABOUT THE EVENT

Celebrating Community Creatives is an immersive Black History Month evening taking place at ArtWorks East in East London on Tuesday 29th October. Private view 6 pm - 10 pm. The exhibition will operate until early November.

The evening will bring together contemporary Black creative voices with live music, art, sound, connection and community, creating an environment where audiences can experience and engage with different forms of creative expression.

ArtWorks East is an independent East London gallery and creative hub providing space for artists, creative practitioners, exhibitions, community activity and events.

ArtEast CIC works through creativity, community engagement and cultural programming, using the arts to create opportunities for participation, connection and wellbeing.

The event is being delivered in collaboration with MindfullyCreate CIC and Divine Frequency, bringing together visual art, sound and shared experience.

The event will also raise support for the African Caribbean Women’s Development Centre in Leyton and Volunteer of Africa (VOA) a Charity in Uganda.

WHO SHOULD APPLY?

We particularly welcome applications from:

Black artists and creative practitioners at any stage of their career, including emerging, early-career and established artists.

We are interested in hearing from artists based in East London, London and beyond, and from people working across different creative communities and disciplines.

Whether you are a painter, musician, photographer, filmmaker, designer, poet, performer, sculptor, textile artist, dancer or multidisciplinary practitioner, we want to hear from you.

We are especially interested in practices that create opportunities for connection, dialogue, participation and community, or that explore aspects of Black identity, culture, heritage, experience or contemporary life.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

We are specifically looking for artists from the African & Carribean Diaspora to raise money for African & Carribean Diaspora initiatives.

The fundraising initiatives:

African Carribean Womens Development Centre in Leyton  &  Volunteer of Africa (VOA) a Charity in Uganda.

Profits made on the night will go towards these intiatives, as well as encouragagment to donate to their fundraising links.

There is no single aesthetic or style we are seeking.

We want to create a genuinely diverse programme that reflects the breadth of African & Caribbean Diaspora creative practice.

Your work might be personal, political, celebratory, experimental, conceptual, playful, reflective or community-led.

What matters is that your practice can contribute to the wider spirit of the event:

Creativity. Culture. Community. Connection. Wellbeing.

WHY APPLY?

Selected artists will have the opportunity to:

• Be part of a curated Black History Month programme in East London
• Exhibit or present their creative practice to a new audience
• Connect with artists and creative practitioners across disciplines
• Be part of an evening combining art, music, culture and community
• Contribute to a programme supporting community-focused organisations
• Build connections within the wider East London creative community
• Be considered for future opportunities and programming at ArtWorks East and through ArtEast CIC & MindfullyCreate CIC 

We are particularly interested in creating an environment where artists can meet, connect and discover opportunities beyond the event itself.

APPLICATION

Please submit your application through the link below.

You will be asked to provide information about your practice, your connection to the themes of the open call and examples of your work.

You do not need to have an extensive exhibition history to apply.

We are interested in your work, your perspective and what you bring to the creative community.

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CELEBRATING BLACK CREATIVITY. BUILDING COMMUNITY.

This is more than an exhibition.

It is an opportunity to bring different creative disciplines, experiences and communities together in one space — celebrating the richness and diversity of Black creative practice while creating opportunities for connection, wellbeing and collective experience.

Come and be part of the community.

ArtWorks East × ArtEast CIC × MindfullyCreate CIC × Divine Frequency

Black History Month 2026 | East London