Open Call Now Live. SWANFALL ART invites artists, designers and creative practitioners worldwide to apply for ROAR: Rhapsody of August Riot, SWANFALL ANNUAL Exhibition 2026 at Mall Galleries, London. ROAR welcomes ambitious, experimental and interdisciplinary work across a broad spectrum of contemporary creative practice.

ROAR: Rhapsody of August Riot | SWANFALL Annual Exhibition 2026

24 - 29 August 2026 | Mall Galleries, London

ROAR is an open curatorial proposition rather than a narrow subject. It invites diverse responses across disciplines and welcomes work that is bold in spirit, distinct in voice, and alive with intensity, freedom, vitality, and imaginative force.

Curatorial Framework

"To raise new questions, new possibilities, to regard old problems from a new angle, requires creative imagination."
— Albert Einstein

Artists and creators shape culture as profoundly as scientists shape knowledge. If science expands the frontier of what humanity can know, creative practice expands the frontier of what humanity can become.

Creative practice today unfolds under mounting pressure: speed, competition, constant exposure and the demand to be immediately legible. ROAR begins in refusal of that narrowing.

It is grounded in the belief that freedom remains one of the essential conditions of serious creative practice — freedom to take risks, follow instinct, test new forms and pursue ideas not yet fully resolved.

By expanding the annual project while remaining committed to artistic excellence, ROAR reflects SWANFALL's continuing interest in contemporary culture as a living, evolving field of exchange.

We invite practitioners across disciplines to join us.

Who Can Apply

We invite artists, designers, makers, performers, and creative practitioners to submit works across the following categories, including but not limited to:

• Visual Arts include painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, installation, mixed media, ceramics, illustration, and animation
• Design includes graphic design, furniture design/manufacturing, metal work, decorative jewellery, glass work or textiles
• Digital and Media Arts includes digital art, short films, experimental film, AI-generated art, virtual reality (VR), and augmented reality (AR)
• Performance and Live Arts includes dance and performance art, variety, cabaret, pantomime, circus, puppetry, and visual theatre
• Sound and Music includes music composition, sound installations, and live sound performance
• Publications, Artist Books and Printed Matter include artist books, zines, independent publications, printed matter, poetry, experimental writing, and other publication-based practices
  
  

MEDIA AND SIZE

• All media are welcome
• Wall-mounted works: maximum side length 1.5m
• Large sculptures or installations: maximum height 2m
  
  

SUBMISSION OPTIONS AND PAYMENT FEE

Option 1: Individual Artworks

• Submit up to 3 works for consideration
• Recommended for artists presenting a clear concept, focused project, or small series. A cohesive set of related works may be considered as one

Option 2: Full Portfolio Entry

• Submit your full portfolio for a comprehensive curatorial review
• This option allows our team to engage with your broader practice and select the works that most resonate with the exhibition theme. Ideal for artists working across multiple series, experimenting with various media, or wishing to share the depth and range of their creative vision.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: 

• Early Bird Deadline: 15 July 2026
• Final Submission Deadline: 10 August 2026

APPLICATION FEE

• Single work submission (Individual Artwork): £15
• Full portfolio (unlimited works): £55 (Early Bird) / £65 (Regular)
• Fees are payable online at the time of submission. Please note that all payments are non-refundable and do not guarantee selection
• There is no additional exhibition participation fee for selected applicants.

BENEFITS AND AWARDS

CURATORS' CHOICE AWARD (1-5 Participants)

• One-month residency opportunity in London*
• Fully supported solo presentation, exhibition or special project with SWANFALL Curatorial, promotional and sales support 
• International media coverage, interviews and editorial features
• Priority consideration for future international exhibitions and art fair opportunities
• Formal invitation to join the SWANFALL GALLERY artist roster* (£3,000 - £10,000 per year (non-cash) per artist for artist development, such as exhibitions, fair participation, artist features, content production, marketing, promotion and discretionary gallery acquisitions.)

THE AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD (10-20 Participants)

• Participation in a fully sponsored, curated group exhibition
• Featured article or artist interview 
• Ongoing promotional support
• One-to-one professional development consultation
• Dedicated artist profile

ALL EXHIBITING ARTISTS

• Official exhibition certificate
• Virtual exhibition tour hosted on (minimum 1-year listing)
• Networking opportunities with collectors, curators, designers and cultural professionals
• Feature on the official exhibition page and media showcase
• Artwork and project sales support
• Priority consideration for future SWANFALL exhibitions and curatorial projects

All submitting artists will receive a digital Artist Career Guidebook as a gesture of appreciation and professional support

MALL GALLERIES

Following the success of its previous annual exhibitions, including Through the Looking Glass and fables, SWANFALL returns to Mall Galleries in 2026 to present its latest annual project, ROAR: Rhapsody of August Riot.

​Located between Buckingham Palace and Trafalgar Square, adjacent to St James’s Park, the Mall Galleries sit at the heart of London’s cultural and historic district.

As one of the UK’s most established exhibition venues, it offers an exceptional setting for a project that brings contemporary art into dialogue with wider creative practices.

Mall Galleries is managed and operated by the Federation of British Artists (FBA), an institution dedicated to supporting professional art practice and public cultural engagement.

With over 450 square metres of exhibition space and professional gallery facilities, the venue regularly hosts exhibitions, art fairs, auctions and cultural events.

Curated and organised by SWANFALL ART with the professional support of the Federation of British Artists, ROAR continues the MALL Galleries’ commitment to presenting ambitious contemporary practices while opening new possibilities for cross-disciplinary exchange.

THE ORGANISER

SWANFALL ART (Over 10K followers on Instagram) is the curatorial and artist development division of SWANFALL, a London-based contemporary art platform dedicated to curatorial production, artist representation, art advisory, and secondary market transactions. 

Our core mission is to foster an open, diverse, and transnational platform that supports intellectually rigorous and experimentally driven artistic practices.

As the commercial exhibitions branch of SWANFALL, SWANFALL GALLERY represents a select roster of artists and presents their work through international art fairs and private sales.

The synergy between curatorial vision and market structure enables us to enhance academic visibility while supporting the sustainable growth of our artists’ careers.

By integrating curatorial strategy with a commercial framework, SWANFALL offers a comprehensive support system committed to building bridges between cultural value, market potential and public engagement. 

After submitting this Image Entry Form, you will be directed to the payment page. Please select the payment option corresponding to the total number of artworks you wish to submit. 

If you have paid for more than one artwork, you may return and submit additional Image Entry Forms until you have submitted the total number of artworks covered by your payment.