The summer exhibition is open to all members and fellows of the Royal Society of Sculptors, working in any medium. This year the work will be exhibited in the Wade and Heath rooms, as well as the garden of Burgh House, Hampstead from Wednesday 16 July- Sunday 21 September 2025. The Summer Show will be selected and curated by Polly Bielecka, Gallery Director, Pangolin London Sculpture Gallery. The private view will be Wednesday 16 July 2025.

This year’s Summer Show takes place in Burgh House a beautiful 18th Century Queen Anne Style Home built in 1704 in the middle of Hampstead.

A private residence for most of its history the building was saved by local residents in 1979 and has since become a dynamic exhibition and events space.

Remnants of the colourful life of the house are still present with its extraordinary ‘sugar twist’ staircase, panelled rooms and lovely garden terrace designed by pioneering landscape designer Gertrude Jekyll. 

Given this unusual location, this year’s exhibition takes as its inspiration the innovative series of Post War touring exhibitions organised by the Arts Council under the title ‘Sculpture in the Home’.

These exhibitions explored and celebrated the important role sculpture plays in a domestic environment. 

Seeking to highlight the significance of sculpture in everyday life, curator Polly Bielecka hopes that this contemporary revision will transform the two rooms at Burgh House and highlight the varied membership of artists at the Royal Society of Sculptors.

She says: Whilst there will be practical concerns that artists will need to consider in terms of size and weight, I have no doubt that the Royal
Society of Sculptors will put forward a really interesting range of works that will create a fabulous exhibition in this unusual space  - a home from home. 

The exhibiting spaces available at Burgh House are - 

The Wade Room -  https://vimeo.com/1075687459/e9ed9419b5?share=copy

The Heath Room - https://vimeo.com/1075697541/6dbd7d0330 

The Garden - https://vimeo.com/1075699269/dfb9ce9f6e?share=copy  ** please note that there are only three potential locations for artwork in the garden, security is also  minimal and artists will need to ensure that their artwork is insured **

Summer Show Award - Supported by the Marsh Charitable Trust

We are pleased to let you know that thanks to the generous support of The Marsh Charitable Trust, the curator of the 2025 Summer Show, Polly Bielecka will be able to award a £1,000 prize for an artwork of her choice.

CURATOR

Arriving when the gallery was still a building site, Polly Bielecka set up Pangolin London in 2008 and has since curated a dynamic exhibition programme, focusing on the historical developments of British Sculpture as well as the cutting-edge contemporary.

Studying History of Art at Edinburgh University, she started her career at The Fleming Collection, where she worked for 5 years before joining Pangolin London. 

Polly is responsible for engineering the gallery's diverse sculpture programme and project manages ongoing site-specific commissions, offers collection management advice to collectors and presents talks on all aspects of sculpture. She lives with her husband and children in North Essex.

NOTES 

- Anything hung on walls must be via the rails (no nails, hooks etc)  **Please see images in photo gallery above for reference **

- Measurements of space -

Wade Room 

Ceiling Height: 309.5 cm

Door clearance: 75cm

Heath Room 

Ceiling Height: 306 cm

Door clearance: 75cm

Entrance to general building

Gate clearance: 158 cm width

Stairs clearance: 196cm width

Door clearance: 90cm width x 210cm height

Second set of doors leading to stairs: 116cm width x 210cm height

Staircase from ground floor to first floor: 80cm width x 220cm height

Landing: 75cm width x 256cm height

Staircase from Landing to First Floor: 80cm width x 252cm height              

- As there is no loading bay, lift, or parking at Burgh House, artists will need to arrange for their artwork to be dropped off at Dora House (not Burgh House) on 9 July between 10.30 am- 4.30 pm 

- Artists will need to arrange to collect their work from Dora House (not Burgh House) on 24 September between 10.30 am - 4.30 pm 

- If work is being sent from abroad, package labelling must be marked as 'Temporary import for exhibition' to avoid additional fees.

- Artists will need to supply their own plinths.

- The curatorial decision is final.

- Installation instructions must be provided in advance, the instructions can be submitted via video.

- If appropriate, works must be PAT tested, proof of testing will be required. If a work is not fully functioning on the day of installation it cannot be included in the show and may be removed.

- Artists will not be present for installation; experienced technicians will install the work.

- Artwork can be for sale. Commission is 30%

ENTRY PROCESS

Entry is via this online application form only. Entry fee is £5 per work. You may enter up to five works for consideration. 

The closing deadline for online submission is 5 pm, Tuesday 27 May 2025.

Notification of all results will be sent by email W/C 9 June, at the latest.

After submitting your first artwork, you will then be directed to make a payment. Select the amount for the number of submissions you would like to make.

If this is more than one, you will then be able to make further submissions by submitting additional forms up to the number of artworks you have paid for. 

ENTRY FEE

Entry fee is £5 per work. You may enter up to five works.