CALL TO ARTISTS - 2026/27 Theme: ‘EARTH: Safe As Houses?’ Dates: 8 November - 31 Jan 2027 Applications by: 28 September latest Delivery: Fri 23/Sat 24/Sun 25 Oct Brief: Earth is our first home. Our shelter. Our inheritance. Explore the issues of your / our relationship with the earth. Earth: Safe as Houses? - Earth is our first home. Our shelter. Our inheritance. Today, there is undeniable visual evidence of climate change. Much of it carries the imprint of the human hand. From melting glaciers to rising seas, from scorched forests to flooded streets, the consequences touch both distant landscapes and the places we call home. Cultural life shifts. Communities adapt. Some feel loss. Some feel anger. Some feel urgency. Is our planet Earth as ‘Safe As Houses’?

We invite you to face this full on, bringing hope and joy through your visual creativity.

As an artist, you will be aware of the planet’s beauty and abundance. Forests regenerate. Wildlife returns. Fields bloom after fire. The natural world bends, adapts, survives. Homes and habitats are rebuilt, yet how do we mourn and marvel at the same time? 

What is your viewpoint?
What are your visual responses?
 
Who Can Apply?

This is an open and inclusive exhibition welcoming all visual genres that engage with the theme Earth: Safe As Houses? including Eco Art, Recycled Art, Land Art, 3D work, painting, print, ceramics, lens based practice, assemblage and more.

Conversely, we are in awe of the beauty and abundance on our planet as the natural world bounces back, adapting to change, an evolving narrative.  How can we respond?  We still enjoy and care for the Earth.

This is an open and inclusive exhibition, welcoming all visual genres embracing the theme of Earth / Safe As Houses such as Eco Art,  Recycled Art, Land Art, 3D, painting, print, ceramics, lens-based, Assemblage.  

Up to 4 works  -  Smaller works encouraged, max frame size 45cm

Fees:  £14 entry fee -  FEE PAYABLE ONCE ACCEPTED BY WSG , total cost 1 to 4 works

We charge 35% on Art sales, payable 30 days after the sale. For online sales, the delivery cost is shared with the artist.

Exhibition Dates: Sunday 8 November  2026- Sunday 31 Jan 2027

Globe Planet Mountains Moorland Environment Gaia Earth Oceans Geology Minerals Fields Glacier Primeval Homes Nests Earth Buildings Floods Fire Sun Cosmos Animals Creatures Soil Urban

• Our physical gallery welcomes approximately 400–500 visitors per week.
• Our online e-commerce website receives 1,500–2,500 visitors per month.
• We currently have 1,250 engaged Instagram followers, with regular promotional posts and story features.
• Our email newsletter reaches over 1,800 subscribers, including collectors and regular gallery visitors.
• All artworks in the exhibition will be available for sale, with a standard gallery commission of 35%   omni channel - online and instore.
• We also produce a short video and undertake local distribution of leaflets and posters to cover the event

ABOUT US

Water Street Gallery is situated in the heart of Todmorden, within sight of the town’s beautiful classical Town Hall and close to a lively mix of independent shops, cafés and public transport links.

Recognised as one of Calderdale’s leading contemporary art galleries, Water Street Gallery presents a rich and varied programme of work by artists and makers from the local area, across Northern England and further afield.

The gallery is owned and directed by Mike and Rosemary Holcroft, who met in the 1970s at the Royal College of Art in London. Both have sustained successful careers as practising artists, alongside many years of experience as curators.

Their knowledge, warmth and enthusiasm have shaped the gallery’s welcoming atmosphere, where collectors, art lovers and casual visitors alike can feel at ease and enjoy the pleasure of looking at art.

Established in 2010, Water Street Gallery has built a diverse and highly regarded stable of artists and makers.

Mike and Rosemary have a particular talent for recognising and encouraging emerging artists, as well as championing distinctive contemporary craft and new creative forms.

Alongside its exhibitions, the gallery offers a carefully selected range of crafts, design-led gifts and original works, creating a space that is both inspiring and accessible. Its informative and engaging exhibition programme reflects a deep commitment to the arts and to the creative life of the region.

Their continued passion for art serves a wide community of patrons, artists and visitors, from Calderdale and across Northern England to well beyond.