Sample-Studios 2027/8 Exhibitions Programme
Members-Only Open Call
Sample-Studios invites submissions of proposals for exhibitions for our 2027/8 Programme in The Lord Mayor’s Pavilion. Submissions are invited for solo and group exhibitions, from members at any career stage and working in any medium. This Open Call is available to current studio-based Members, Associate Members and Creative Network Members of Sample-Studios only.
This open call aims to enable our members to engage new audiences with their work, enhance membership engagement with Sample-Studios’ exhibitions programming, respond imaginatively to the context of The Lord Mayor’s Pavilion, increase visibility of Sample-Studios’ members locally and nationally and offer members a meaningful platform for the development of their practice.
This open call round is likely to be competitive, with 6-7 slots available and typically 30-50 applications received. As a result, we are providing more guidance than in previous rounds for our current curatorial focuses and the nature of proposals which will be particularly welcomed, which include proposals that centralise the following artforms:
- Digital art practice
- Socially engaged practice
- Eco arts practice or work with an environmental/ecological focus.
- Visual art for early years audiences
- Practitioners who have demonstrably struggled to gain funding because their visual arts practice is considered design in some funding contexts, eg: illustration, glass, ceramics.
While proposals from artists of all career stages and working in all media are eligible, we especially welcome proposals that align with our specific curatorial focuses for 2027/8.
Home turf: We also particularly welcome members who have confirmed solo exhibitions in 2026-2028 in any publicly-funded gallery (ie: funded by a local authority or Arts Council for example) outside of Munster or Ireland to ‘tour’ their exhibitions back to their ‘home turf’ in Cork, in The Lord Mayor’s Pavilion.
Eligibility: Open to all members of Sample-Studios at any stage of their career. However, members who have had or will have solo or joint exhibitions presented by Sample-Studios (in The Lord Mayor’s Pavilion, St. Luke’s Crypt or offsite) during the years 2022-2027 are not eligible to apply.
Submissions will be assessed in terms of:
- The members’ track record (emerging artists are welcomed and their track record will be assessed with career stage in mind)
- Overall ambition of the proposal and the extent to which this opportunity enables the member to further develop their practice
- Alignment with Sample-Studios goals of increasing its visibility within the cultural and wider community locally and nationally
- Suitability to the venue and the extent to which the applicant has considered the suitability and feasibility of the work in this context.
- The extent to which the proposal centralises one of the stated artforms/focuses which are being prioritised in this round.
Selected artists and curators will receive a fee. You don’t have to have a confirmed curator as part of your proposal. Promotion, installation and invigilation costs are covered by Sample-Studios.
Applications should be made in one pdf document and be emailed to programme@sample-studios.com with your name and “Sample-Studios Members Open Call Exhibition Proposal” in the subject line. Submissions must include:
- C.V: Max 2 pages
- Statement: Max 300 words
- Examples of up to 10 works in one PDF (Work in Progress and/ or previous work is acceptable)
- Link to your website and/or social media platforms
- Exhibition proposal: Max 500 words. As part of your proposal, please briefly address the following if relevant:
1) If there are any time sensitivities for your proposal eg: it is part of a touring exhibition programme that has confirmed dates in other venues.
2) Who are your target audience(s) for your exhibition/events and how do you propose to engage the public with your exhibition/ event?
3) How do you propose to engage your fellow members with your exhibition/event.
4) If there are any partnerships you have sought/secured or intend to seek/secure in support of your exhibition/ event.
Deadline for exhibition proposals is 11am, Tuesday 13th January 2026. Late submissions will not be accepted. Submissions will be assessed by a panel composed of representatives of Sample-Studios’ staff, Board and an external panelist. Members will be notified of the outcome of their application by the end of February 2026. If you have any queries or require a floorplan of The Lord Mayor’s Pavilion for your proposal, contact Sinéad Barrett, Programme Coordinator: programme@sample-studios.com.