Collect Open
Independent artists and collectives are invited
to apply for Collect 2026
Collect Open is the fair's platform for pioneering craft installations. It is a truly exciting feature of Collect to which individual artists and collectives are encouraged to apply.
This is a unique opportunity to push your creative boundaries and take your practice in a new direction. We are looking for boundary pushing projects that tell stories challenging material, social, political or personal perceptions. Projects are selected by an independent advisory panel and are allocated space amongst the exhibiting galleries. For many artists, this opportunity will springboard their careers.
Applications for Collect Open 2026 have now closed.
All Collect Open 2026 applicants have now been contacted. If you haven't received an email, please check your spam folder or email: collect@craftscouncil.org.uk
To be notified when applications are live for Collect Open 2027 next spring, please sign up to our newsletter at the bottom of the page.
Read application guidance
“What impressed me most about this year’s Collect Open was the breadth of disciplines on show - there was a thoughtful balance between traditional craft techniques and forward-looking innovation. It is a powerful reminder that craft is not just about heritage, but about cultural relevance today.”
- Jason Stocks-Young, leatherworker and founder Diamond Awl Leather Workshop and JSY Leatherworks; panelist and awards judge, Collect Open 2025
