Open call for Birmingham based artists and makers who make work celebrating or featuring the Jewellery Quarter; and/or work that contains craft or specialist skills. Work will be exhibited in the Hive Café and Gallery corridor.

Birmingham recently achieved World Craft City status and we are keen to feaure more work showcasing craft and  the Jewellery Quarter. We are looking for a selection of artists/craftspeople to feature in our café and gallery corridor display areas. The work should either feature or take inspiration from the Jewellery Quarter or other central Birmingham locations; or, it should be work that is produced using a particular specialist skill or craft. 

For example, work featured to-date includes hand tufted rugs by Sarmite Lasmane, and pastel paintings by Brian Prangle. Some of Sarmite's rugs also took inspiration from iconic Birmingham buildings; and Brian's work included as series called 'Riding the Iron Road' featuring tram stops in central Birmingham.  Your work may meet one or both criteria i.e. inspired by the Jewellery Quarter or using a specific craft or skill.

We will feature a series of artists/craftspeople individually across both or one of the spaces in the Hive, depending on the nature of the work.  Artwork can be sold but there is a 25% commission  on any sales. 

Work displayed in the cafe can only be wall mounted using our picture hanging system, which uses hanging wires and clips. Pieces displayed here need to have D-rings installed where possible, or an alternative solution. This area is approx. 3.5 metres wide.

The gallery corridor is more flexible and can accomodate, for example, approximately 8 A3 works hung on picture hooks; a wood panelled area can hold some light 3D works hung from existing hooks; and a further space can incorporate vitrine style display cases displaying three dimensional works, and further wall mounted works.  We will provide the display cases.

If you think your work is a good fit for the brief, but are unsure whether they can be installed in these spaces please submit an entry. If the work meets our brief and selection then we will work with you to find a solution for installation where possible.

We will make a selection of artists/craftspeople to feature from the open call in sequence, so if selected, your work may not be exhibited immediately but we will be in touch to let you know you've been selected and arrange dates for displaying the work.

Please note that we do not provide insurance cover whilst works are displayed with us - that would need to be arranged by you for the duration of the display.  Any art exhibited will be seen by visitors from 8 am to 3.30 pm Tuesday to Friday, and during occasional out-of-hours events and activities.