CISTA ARTS invites artists to submit work for its March 2026 online group exhibition. Held in Common: Between Us explores the space of relation—what circulates, lingers, or unfolds between individuals, bodies, places, and moments in time. The exhibition welcomes works that attend to connection, distance, encounter, and shared presence, without prescribing form or narrative.

Artists working across all disciplines are invited to submit works that reflect on what exists between us: materially, spatially, emotionally, or conceptually.

Open to artists worldwide | All disciplines welcome

CISTA ARTS invites artists to submit work for its March 2026 online group exhibition, Held in Common: Between Us.

This exhibition considers the space that exists between individuals, bodies, places, and moments in time.

“Between us” points to what is shared without being fixed, what is felt without being named, and what is sustained through proximity, distance, or repetition.

It gestures toward relations rather than positions, and toward continuity shaped through encounter rather than declaration.

The exhibition welcomes works that attend to connections that are subtle, fragile, or unresolved.

This may take the form of material traces, gestures of exchange, layered surfaces, spatial relations, or visual languages that register contact, absence, or co-presence.

Contributions may reflect personal, social, or collective conditions, but are not expected to illustrate them directly.

Artists are encouraged to consider:

• spaces of relation, exchange, or tension
• what circulates, lingers, or passes between bodies or places
• shared conditions shaped by distance, care, or attention
• material or conceptual thresholds that remain open
• encounters that resist closure or singular interpretation

Submissions are welcome across all disciplines, including painting, drawing, photography, collage, printmaking, mixed media, digital practices, video, and experimental approaches.

The exhibition is open to artists at all stages and from all geographical contexts.

Dates:

Submission Deadline: 18 February 2026
Exhibition Dates: 1- 30 March 2026

Submission Guidelines:

We are keen to learn about you! Please submit the following:

• Contact information (full name, email, mobile)

• Details of the artworks (title, size, medium, year, price)

• Artist statement (max 100 words on how your work relates to the theme)

• Short biography (max 100 words, third-person)

• Up to 4 sample images of your work

Please note: Only two artworks per artist will be selected for exhibition.

Selected Participants Will Receive:

• Exhibition of your work on the CISTA ARTS online platform (1-30 March 2026)

• Inclusion in a professionally produced paperback catalogue (UK-based) + complimentary PDF copy

• No commission taken on sales

• Daily social media features in our Meet the Artist series

• Exhibition placement on our homepage + archived access after close

• Direct links to your website or social media in all features

• Certificate of participation

Participation Fee: 

£30 for one accepted artwork | £50 for two accepted artworks

Applying to this exhibition opportunity is free.

Participation Fee Benefits:

Selected artists will have their work exhibited online for the full month on our homepage, included in a professionally produced printed and digital exhibition catalogue, featured in daily social media promotion under our ‘Meet the Artist’ series, and receive a certificate of participation. 

CISTA ARTS takes no commission on sales.

Digital Exposure and Reach:

• We currently have over 12.5K followers on Instagram, in addition to a Facebook audience and a mailing list of over 2K subscribers.
• Our online exhibitions attract between 1,200–1,800 unique visitors, and our website receives more than 4,000 visits per month.

• Each participating artist will be permanently featured on our Past Exhibitions page, with direct links to their own website or social media for continued exposure.

Exhibition Access:

The exhibition is fully accessible to the public via our official website, with no login or fee required.

Exhibition History:

Since our founding in 2018, CISTA ARTS has organised over 50 solo and group exhibitions, both online and in hybrid formats.

Our platform is designed to support emerging and mid-career artists across borders, particularly those facing visa and mobility restrictions.

Artist Feedback:

We have received consistently positive reviews from artists who have worked with us, with many praising our professionalism, communication, and the quality of our exhibitions.

These testimonials can be viewed on our Google Reviews page.

About Us:

Based in London, CISTA ARTS is an independent, artist-led curatorial platform dedicated to inclusive programming, cross-cultural dialogue, and supporting underrepresented voices in contemporary visual art.