As we barrel through August, it feels like the perfect time to start fresh. While we might be looking at the end of summer (global warming dependant, ignoring the current UK heatwaves) that means we’re also looking at the start of a new part of the year, a point where organisations are opening up submissions, schemes, residencies and more. We’ve collated some of our top opportunities coming up over the next few months for you to peruse and end the summer on a high.
One thing we’re noticing is that there seems to be a greater acceptance in open calls and residency schemes for interdisciplinary work. More and more organisations are actively advertising support for artists whose discipline crosses into multiple formats, and for artists from one place looking to explore the parameters of another genre. As primarily interdisciplinary artists ourselves, we think this is a welcome shift in attitude. Wanting to explore scope and breadth doesn’t mean your ideas are any less specific and tangible. We’re hoping this means greater and more beneficial opportunities for all of us!
As per, make sure to check the website and guidelines fully before applying. I’m reminded of this after submitting a full colletion of photography to a residency this week only for a very polite admin staff member to point out that the deadline had passed a month ago.
Get submitting!
Faizah x
[FICTION]: 2026 Nero New Writing Prize
Deadline – 11th September
In association with Brunel university London, the Nero prize aims to discover unseen and unpublished talent in fiction, helping to springboard these writers into the next step of their career, and give them a leg up into and industry that can be hard to get your feet under.
Submissions can be a piece of fiction or narrative non-fiction that is previously unpublished, up to 5000 words and self contained (rather than an extract of something longer.) A shortlist of five will be announced on 22nd October 2026, followed by an overall winner at an awards ceremony at Brunel on 18th November 2026. A cash prize of £3000 will be presented to the winner at the ceremony on 18th November, as well as four shortlisted authors receiving £1000 each.
Guidelines and form for submission here:
[POETRY/SPOKEN WORD]- Sing Lit Station Pitches
Deadline – 23rd August
Singlitstation’s Development Lab are looking for three spoken word artists, who can pitch projects to explore with a panel of directors, dramaturgs and producers.
These ideas can be super early concept or an existing project you’re ready to take to the next level. Artists selected will be invited to take part in a closed 35 minute project development session to help shape this idea with the expertise and experiences of the panel. This callout also applies to interdisciplinary artists with practise rooted in Spoken Word – potentially also experimenting with movement, music, film, installation etc. Could be the perfect shout for anyone looking to explore their practise in a more interdiscplinary manner, while still rooted in Spoken Word.
Fill out the Google form application on their link here.
[THEATRE]: Bush Theatre’s Open Submissions
Deadline – 26th August
Bush Theatre are holding Open Submissions for full length plays to connect with theatre makers, building relationships across the UK and Ireland.
They’re looking for original voices and ideas, focusing on a sense of urgency, inventiveness and theatricality. While the key draw here is building a relationship with an amazing off-West end theatre that programmes such great work – as part of the open call at least one Writer identified in this scheme will be offered a place on Bush Writers group 2026-27.
This is an opportunity to start building a relationship with a fantastic theatre for new writing, and allow them a chance to see whatever fabulous thing you’re creating.
Apply via the Google form here:
[FICTION/POETRY/QUEER] FOGLIFTER – Open Call
DEADLINE: 1st October
FOGLIFTER are a San Francisco based press, home to urgent queer and transgressive writing from literary artists identifying within the 2LGBTQIA+ community. They’re currently holding open submission until 1st October for the below:
- 3-5 poems
- up to 7500 words of fiction
- up to 20 images of cross genre work, text image hybrids, drama
Successful selection means that every contributor will receive $100 (via Paypal) and two copies of the issue in which they feature. A nice bonus for an open and inclusive call and an opportunity to let your creativity flow. FOGLIFTER have a history of tangible and co-mutual action to support Queer voices in both literary and political contexts. This one comes as a personal reccomendation.
Submission guidelines, information and links here:
STRYX – SOUP Residency
Deadline – 15th September
As part of their annual residency programme, Stryx are looking for practitioners based in the West Midlands for an early-career residency SOUP. There are two others available but we’re specifically honing on what we believe the most beneficial from our perspective – though all three potentially have something to offer you.
This scheme offers space and support in the heart of Digneth to work towards the next stage of your career. They’re after artists specialising in visual art, live art, sound, music, film, movement, and socially engaged practices. Open to interdiscplinary practise – primarily seeking artists looking to collaborate with Styx’s wider community of curators and aduiences.
The scheme is jam-packed, their site listing the below as involved parts of the scheme:
- £1264 residency bursary based on 80 hours paid at Artist Union rates (early-career level)
- Two-month studio residency at Stryx (April and May 2027)
- 24/7 access to large, shared workspace
- Use of AV/darkroom facilities (if applicable)
- Mentoring and curatorial support
- Opportunities to showcase work at three public events:
- Introductory event (Digbeth First Friday)
- Mid-point open studio
- Final showcase (partner gallery solo exhibition)
- Artist-led workshop opportunity
- Solo show at a partner gallery in Black County.
You can apply via the Google form on this webpage:
[VISUAL ART] ZARI Gallery
Deadline – Ongoing
Open submissions available to visual artists wanting to share their work with the gallery. Zari are committed to maintaining an open platform for visual artists to share their work regardless of experience or previous credits.
Even if your work is not selected to be featured in their gallery, the team, reviews every submission, and so it’s potentially a great chance to introduce yourself as an artist to their team.
Our main recommendation would be to look at their work and what they feature in exhibitions. As with all art venues, consider what it is they’re most interested in, and whether that’s something you want your work to be included in.
Website for more information and submissions here:
[MULTIMEDIA/POETRY/PROSE] FIELDNOTES Folio
Deadline – 11th November
Fieldnotes are a really inteersting one. They’re an artist-run publishing journal who release an annual collection as well as apublicly programmed series of events and workshops. We’re abig admirer of thier work and have even been to some of the workshops they programme. They have an authnetic feel, in our opinion at leasst.
Which makes it even better than they’re currently offering a prize for emerging writers submitting new work, supported by the Jan Michalski foundation. The award will launch a new published work FIELDNOTES Folios as a series of short books in January 2027 showcasing this new writing talent.
They’re primarily looking for ambitious new writing and actively promote risk taking in your work. They’re open to submission of prose between 500 to 17,500 words, or collections of poetry, prose and image-based projects between 30 – 80 pages. Either way there’s a lot of scope here to be imaginative. Th cost of entry is £6, however they’re open to receiving requests from authors where this causes an issue.
Full guidelines and FAQs via their website here
[THEATRE] 41 Degrees Productions SCRATCH Like a PRO
Deadline – Early September
41 Degrees Porductions are a relatively new production company working primarily in theatre but remaining inclusive within that ubrella, across both drama and musical styles.
They’re holding a scratch at the Golden Goose Theatre in London. The event will take place on Sunday 27th September, and gives you a chance to see your work staged followed by social networking after the event. Scratch nights are useful for anyone working in live performance. Not only is it your chance to see your writing on stage and to get feedback from practitioners/audiences, but it’s also a chance to document your work through photos or videos (so long as you’re permitted to.)
41 Degrees are looking for Plays, Monologues, songs, musicals and spoken word pieces. Applications can be made via the Google form in their Instagram bio .
GOOD LUCK!
That’s it for now on here, but make sure to follow us on our social media platforms for more opportunities like this being shared.
If you have an opportunity for creatives and artists that you’l like us to share, then you can get in touch with us on our socials or by emailing stghostycreatives@gmail.com with some more infromation about what you’r eoffering and how you’d like to benefit artists.
stghostycreative.co.uk 
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