No. 35 Gallery invites artists worldwide to submit work for Light—International Online Group Exhibition 2026. This exhibition explores light across contemporary artistic practices, from natural and artificial illumination, sunlight, shadows, reflections, and atmospheric effects to symbolic representations, abstract compositions, experimental approaches, and conceptual interpretations of light, visibility, and perception. Selected artists will present their work in a curated international online group exhibition hosted on the No. 35 Gallery website, supported by curatorial presentation and promotion through the gallery’s platforms.

No. 35 Gallery invites artists worldwide to submit work for Light—International Online Group Exhibition 2026. This exhibition explores light across contemporary artistic practices, from natural and artificial illumination, sunlight, shadows, reflections, and atmospheric effects to symbolic representations, abstract compositions, experimental approaches, and conceptual interpretations of light, visibility, and perception.

Selected artists will present their work in a curated international online group exhibition hosted on the No. 35 Gallery website, supported by curatorial presentation and promotion through the gallery’s platforms.

Artists are invited to submit works inspired by, responding to, or engaging with light in its many forms, including sunlight, moonlight, artificial lighting, reflections, shadows, glowing objects, illuminated landscapes, urban night scenes, interior spaces, atmospheric conditions, transparency, and the interaction of light with colour, form, texture, and space.

Submissions may explore the relationship between light and darkness, visibility and absence, time and memory, emotional experiences, spiritual symbolism, perception, transformation, and the ways light influences our understanding of the physical and psychological world.

The theme is intentionally broad and welcomes a wide range of approaches, including realism, impressionism, expressionism, abstraction, minimalism, symbolism, surrealism, experimental photography, light-based installations, conceptual practices, personal narratives, and contemporary interpretations of illumination and visual experience.

What Artworks and Subjects Are Included?

Natural Light & Atmospheric Phenomena:

Sunlight, moonlight, dawn, dusk, golden hour, changing daylight, seasonal light, atmospheric effects, illuminated landscapes, reflections on water, light passing through clouds, natural shadows, and the interaction of light with natural environments, architecture, and everyday surroundings.

Artificial Light & Urban Environments:

City lights, neon signs, illuminated buildings, streetlights, interior lighting, artificial reflections, glowing objects, nighttime environments, theatrical lighting, projections, and explorations of how artificial illumination shapes contemporary spaces, urban experiences, and human perception.

Light, Shadow & Visual Representation:

Chiaroscuro, contrasts between light and darkness, silhouettes, transparency, reflections, refractions, highlights, colour relationships, illuminated figures, dramatic lighting, abstract compositions, and traditional or experimental investigations of light as a fundamental element of visual representation.

Conceptual & Contemporary Approaches:

Light as a symbol of hope, spirituality, knowledge, transformation, memory, identity, and emotional experience. Abstract and conceptual interpretations of illumination, visibility and invisibility, presence and absence, perception, time, and the relationship between light and human consciousness. Experimental approaches may include light-based installations, photography, digital art, projection, and contemporary explorations of light as both subject and artistic medium.

We welcome submissions from emerging and established artists working across all visual art mediums, including painting, photography, sculpture, mixed media, digital art, textile art, printmaking, drawing, collage, installation documentation, light-based art, and other contemporary practices.

Through this exhibition, No. 35 Gallery aims to bring together diverse international perspectives on light and its significance in contemporary visual culture, creating a thoughtfully curated platform for artists exploring illumination, perception, atmosphere, emotional expression, and the relationship between the visible and invisible.

Eligibility

This open call is open to artists worldwide working in any visual art medium or discipline.

Both emerging and established artists are welcome to apply.

Applicants must be aged 18 or over.

Fees

Submission is free.

Only selected artists will be invited to participate in the exhibition.

A £15.50 participation fee per selected artwork applies only after selection.

There is no fee to submit an application.

What Selected Artists Receive

Selected artists will receive:

Participation in a curated international online group exhibition hosted on the No. 35 Gallery website
A dedicated online exhibition presentation featuring selected artworks
Curatorial selection and structuring of the exhibition
Inclusion of the artist’s name, artwork details, and relevant professional links
Social media promotion through the gallery’s platforms
Continued visibility through the gallery’s online exhibition archive
Inclusion in a professionally curated, high-quality digital exhibition catalogue featuring the artwork image, artist biography, artist statement, artwork details, and sales information where applicable
A digital Certificate of Participation confirming inclusion in the exhibition
Promotion & Reach

The exhibition and selected artists will be promoted through No. 35 Gallery’s platforms:

23,000 Instagram followers and growing

Approximately 25,000 monthly website visitors, with projected growth to 100,000 monthly visitors through ongoing promotion and audience development

Additional promotion may include newsletters, social media features, artist highlights, and exhibition announcements across the gallery’s platforms.

Curatorial Support

Selection and structuring of artworks
Design and development of the online exhibition layout
Consideration of visual and conceptual relationships between selected works
Guidance on artwork presentation where required
Development of a cohesive and professionally presented exhibition experience
Exhibition Details

The exhibition will be presented online through the No. 35 Gallery website.

Selected works will be curated into a dedicated digital exhibition accessible to an international audience.

Following the exhibition period, the exhibition will remain archived on the gallery website for one year, allowing continued visibility for participating artists and their work.

Sales & Commission

Artists may choose to make their artworks available for sale through the exhibition.

No. 35 Gallery takes a 30% commission on any sales made through the exhibition.

About No. 35 Gallery

No. 35 Gallery is an independent online contemporary art platform supporting emerging and established artists through curated exhibitions, solo presentations, artist interviews, and international open calls.

The gallery provides artists with opportunities for visibility, professional presentation, and connection with international audiences.

Founded in 2025 by Anisa M. Nia. Based in London, UK.

How to Apply and Important Information

Applications can be submitted through the application form on CuratorSpace.
Artists may submit one artwork per application.
Artists wishing to submit additional artworks must complete a separate application form for each additional artwork.
Please ensure that all submitted images are clear, high-quality, and accurately represent the artwork.
Submission is free.
There is no application fee.
A non-refundable participation fee of £15.50 GBP per selected artwork applies only to artists whose work has been selected for the exhibition.
Artists who are not selected will not be charged any fee.
For questions regarding the opportunity or participation process, please contact the curator.
For technical questions regarding the application platform, please contact CuratorSpace support.