Art Friend is seeking artists who submitted work to the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition but weren’t selected and still have their artwork available. The exhibition will be at The Bakery, Portobello Road. The exhibition dates are 18-18 June and the artwork will need to be delivered on the morning of the 16th of June.

REJECTS is back!

Due to popular demand, Rejects is returning to London this summer to celebrate incredible artworks that didn’t make it into the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition - but absolutely deserve to be seen!

Art Friend is a friendly, down-to-earth gallery that aims to make everyone feel welcome in the art world. We’re looking for artists who submitted work to the RA Summer Exhibition, weren’t selected, and still have their artwork available.

Exhibition Details:

18-28 June

Artwork Requirements: Must be framed, ready to hang, and delivered on 16th June  Any unsold work must be collected on 28 or 29th June.

Rejected artwork can be from any year as long as it fits with this years theme ‘Interconnectedness - (please do not apply with rejected artwork if you are exhibiting with the RA this year).

Commission: There will be a 50% after VAT commission to Art Friend Gallery with the remaining money going directly to the artist.

Pricing: Artwork must be the same price across the board. Whatever price you sell it for yourself or through other galleries, you must sell it at the same price. Please do not add 50% on top, otherwise the artwork won't be accepted. Please be considerate with your pricing. We would like to sell your artwork for you, but if it is overpriced, it is unlikely to be accepted.

Exclusivity: Work must be exclusive to Art Friend for the duration of the show and for two months afterward (exceptions can be made for print editions).

Promotion: We ask participating artists to share details of the exhibition via social media and newsletters (if applicable).

Previously, Rejects was a huge success, with coverage in The Guardian, LOTI, and even on BBC Radio! This year, we’re excited to make it even bigger.

Selection & Recognition

Curation Limits: Due to space and logistics (like price points or style balance), we cannot accept every submission. This is not a reflection of your work's quality.

Our Commitment: Even if not selected for the main display, we aim to acknowledge every entry - whether through a feature in a blog post or a digital/physical booklet at the exhibition.

Know Your Limits: We understand "double rejection" is tough. If a non-selection feels too discouraging right now, we respect your choice to skip this round․

By submitting, you acknowledge that final selection is at the curators' discretion.

Deadline:

05/06/26 (to include artists rejected in the second round). However, we encourage you to apply as soon as possible, as space is limited and curation will begin before the deadline.

Application Fee: 

We are charging a £6.60 application fee per artwork, maximum of 2 submissions to help cover the administrative costs of processing submissions and organising the exhibition. This fee is non-refundable and applies to all applicants.

Important: If you pay for more than one artwork, the system will allow you to complete another submission form. You will need to fill out the whole form for each artwork you want to submit. The number of submission forms you can complete depends on how many submissions you have paid for.

By applying, you agree to our exhibition terms as outlined above.

We’re looking forward to seeing your work! Due to the high volume of submissions, we may not be able to respond to everyone straight away—but we appreciate every entry.