What We Carry

Overview

CISTA ARTS invites artists to submit work for What We Carry, an international online group exhibition considering carrying not simply as a physical act, but as a condition of living. The exhibition explores what we carry across bodies, objects, places and generations—memories, histories, habits, responsibilities, knowledge, attachments, beliefs and traces of experience.

Exhibition Theme

We carry more than we can see. Artists are invited to approach questions about what bodies, objects, places and generations carry, and what passes between communities or environments. Submissions may engage with personal or collective memory, inheritance, migration, material histories, care, labour, responsibility, cultural transmission, environmental traces, possessions, technology, data, ritual, loss, resilience, or other interpretations of carrying.

Key Dates

• Submission Deadline: 13 September 2026
• Exhibition Dates: 1–30 October 2026

Eligibility & Disciplines

Artists of all mediums and from all countries are welcome to apply. The exhibition welcomes submissions across visual art disciplines, including painting, drawing, photography, sculpture, installation, ceramics, textiles, printmaking, mixed media, digital art, moving image and interdisciplinary practices.

Submission Requirements

• Contact information (full name, email, mobile)
• Details of the artworks (title, size, medium, year, price)
• Artist statement (max 100 words on how your work relates to the theme)
• Short biography (max 100 words, third-person)
• Up to 4 sample images of your work
• Note: Only two artworks per artist will be selected for exhibition

Fees

• Applying to this exhibition opportunity is free
• If accepted: £30 for one accepted artwork or £50 for two accepted artworks

What Selected Participants Receive

• Exhibition of your work on the CISTA ARTS online platform (1–30 October 2026)
• Inclusion in a limited edition, professionally produced paperback catalogue (UK-based) + complimentary PDF copy
• No commission taken on sales
• Daily social media features in the 'Meet the Artist' series
• Exhibition placement on homepage + archived access after close
• Direct links to your website or social media in all features
• Certificate of participation

About CISTA ARTS

Based in London, CISTA ARTS is an independent, artist-led curatorial platform dedicated to inclusive programming, cross-cultural dialogue, and supporting underrepresented voices in contemporary visual art. Since founding in 2018, the organization has arranged over 50 solo and group exhibitions, both online and in hybrid formats. The platform currently has over 12.1K Instagram followers, a Facebook audience, and a mailing list of over 2K subscribers. Online exhibitions attract 1,200–1,800 unique visitors, and the website receives more than 4,000 visits per month.