Ilkley Arts would like to invite you to take part in our second postcard art fundraising exhibition ‘The Secret Postcard’, taking place on 19th - 21st May 2023 at the Ilkley Arts Studio.

In our first successful postcard exhibition in October 2019, we raised over £1500 (split equally between Ilkley Arts and Wharfedale Refugee Action Group) and postcard donations came from Michael Palin, Tim Peake, Alan Titchmarsh, Jilly Cooper, Joe Cornish and many others.

All of the artworks will be available to view and purchase by secret auction only. A list of contributors' names will be circulated before and during the weekend, but work will be anonymous until the auction closes at the end of the exhibition.

All money raised from this years sale will be split between Ilkley Arts and Wharfedale Refugee Response.

The Wharfedale Refugee Response support group has been working alongside Refugee Action in Bradford since 2016. Together they organise day trips for families living in the Bradford area, as well as clothing appeals, food donations, Christmas gift appeals and more. The day trips to Ilkley and the surrounding areas are so important as they make a huge difference to the families who have been forced to flee from their own countries under often traumatic and harrowing conditions.

They provide a break and breathing room for refugee families under great stress and represent a small respite where the parents don’t have to think about how to feed their children for a day and the children have something fun to do. Without exception the families leave at the end of the day with a huge smile on their faces and a sense that they have felt welcomed by local residents.

This is all made possible by the generosity and support of the local community, community organisations and businesses. The group has welcomed families from all over the world, including Sudan, Iraq, Sri Lanka, El Salvador, Congo, Burma, Pakistan, Eritrea, Nigeria, Morocco, Somalia, Lydia, Syria and Iran. 

The Postcards

The Theme - Different View

Your postcard must measure 10 x 15cm, it can be made from any material, paper/card/board but all artwork must be original. Please make sure your name and signature is in the back.

All artwork will be anonymous and not linked to the artist name until after the auction, please feel free to share that you are taking part but please keep your postcard design/image hidden.

Donated postcards will be photographed for publicity purposes only.

The deadline for artworks is 28th April.

Please complete the online form to let us know that you're applying and then deliver or post (put in an envelope) your art work to Sarah Gamble, Ilkley Arts Studio, Cottage 4, The Manor House Courtyard, Ilkley, LS29 9DT or to Joanne Tinker, Tinker Gallery, 25 Church Street, Ilkley, LS29 9DR.