OPEN CALL FOR ARTISTS

 

Miniatures

A micro commission for artists with a strong connection to Blackburn with Darwen Borough

TWO COMMISSIONS: 2 artists selected

ARTIST FEE: £1,000 per artist 

APPLICATION DEADLINE: 5 pm, 30th November 2026

 

The opportunity

The Second Act / Uncultured Creatives is inviting applications from artists with a meaningful connection to Blackburn with Darwen Borough for a micro-commission exploring the theme of Miniatures. Two artists will be selected. Each will receive a fee of £1,000 to develop a new body of work in dialogue with the curator and the other commissioned artist. The commission is offered as part of the Creative Alliance scheme for the Place Based Partnership, funded by Arts Council England.

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The theme

The theme is deliberately broad. We welcome imaginative responses to miniature scale, detail, intimacy, storytelling, collecting, place or any other direction prompted by the theme. Work may be two-dimensional or three-dimensional and may use any suitable medium, including painting, drawing, print, textiles, photography, mixed media or sculpture.

 

The miniatures theme was established to:

• Acknowledge the ‘micro-scale’ of the commission 

• Generate an exhibit with the potential to create a small and easily tourable show that can be posted or packed in a suitcase, reducing the costs of transport that are a barrier to many artists.

• Avoid the storage challenges and costs created for many artists after commissions are complete.

• Connect with Blackburn with Darwen Borough's rich South Asian heritage and culture, with a nod towards the tradition associated with miniature painting. Artists are welcome to engage with South Asian histories, but this is not a requirement. 

• Create a loose framework for artists to respond to whilst remaining broadly accessible for different types of artists' practices. We want the commission to remain open to a wide range of artists and perspectives.

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Who can apply

We are looking for artists with a strong connection to Blackburn with Darwen Borough. You may apply if one or more of the following describes you:

• You are from Blackburn with Darwen Borough or currently live there;

• You have worked or maintained a creative practice in Blackburn with Darwen Borough;

• You have studied at higher education level in Blackburn with Darwen Borough; or

• You have another clear and meaningful connection to the town through your artistic or creative work.

Artists at any career stage are welcome, including people who have not applied for a commission before.

 

What the commission involves

Each selected artist will be expected to create a small group of approximately three to five miniature artworks. The final number, scale and format will be agreed with the curator in response to the artist's chosen medium and proposal.

The two artists will work with the curator to agree a coherent and appropriate way to present the works. Display options will be developed around the artworks themselves and the Blackburn with Darwen Borough exhibition venue once confirmed.

 

The compact nature of the commission means the finished works may also be stored as a set, and considered for future touring or display in other locations. Artists will have the opportunity for their work to be presented for sale through The Second Act collector database mailing list.

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APPLICATION AND SELECTION

 

How to apply

We have intentionally kept the application simple and accessible. Please send the following:

• A short explanation of your connection to Blackburn with Darwen Borough  (Max. 100 words)

• A simple outline of the ideas this theme sparks for you, the concept you may explore, and how you might develop the work  (Max. 600 words)

• An indication of the materials, processes and likely outputs you are considering and why exploring this as a miniature work is appropriate (Max. 600 words)

• A link to an accessible website or online portfolio, or a clearly presented portfolio document. 

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You do not need to have every detail resolved at application stage. We are interested in the strength of your initial idea, your practice and the potential for the work to develop through conversation with the curator.

 

Please check that shared links are active and that all files can be opened without requesting access.

 

Send your application​

Email your application as a PDF to alex@unculturedcreatives.co.uk by 5 pm on Monday 30 November 2026.

If you have any access requirements, please email us so we can discuss how best to support you and make the application process accessible and appropriate for your needs.

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Selection process

Applications will be reviewed by an internal Uncultured Creatives and The Second Act panel comprising:

• Jamie Holman, artist

• Alex Zawadzki, Curator and Creative Producer

• Matty Hall, Creative Technologist and Sairo co-founder

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Artists will be shortlisted against the following criteria:

• The strength and authenticity of their connection to Blackburn with Darwen Borough

• The quality of their existing work and practice

• The quality and potential of their early-stage concept for this commission

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Following the panel's shortlist, the curator will identify the final two artists by considering how their practices and proposals might work alongside one another. The final decision is therefore not only about each application in isolation, but also the potential for the two artists' work to create a coherent, engaging and conceptually connected exhibition.

This is an opportunity to develop a new body of work and to take part in a curated dialogue with another artist, shaping a shared presentation while retaining the distinct character of each practice.

 

Timetable​

30TH NOVEMBER 2026: Applications close at 5 pm

FIRST WEEK OF DECEMBER: Panel shortlisting, final pairing and applicant notification

DECEMBER 2026 TO EARLY 2027: Development conversations and making period

MARCH / APRIL 2027: Provisional exhibition in Blackburn with Darwen Borough, subject to venue confirmation

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