Open Call London Open Live

Exhibitions Events Learn Support Books Editions Venue Hire About Visit Eat & Drink Membership Shop basket Tickets basket () Exhibitions Events Visit Shop basket Tickets basket (0) Home Exhibitions Events Editions Books Venue Hire Visit Alba x Whitechapel Gallery About Sign up Learn Support Join Today Back Open Call: London Open Live Jamal Sterrett, Performance part of Polyphonic Bodies takeover, 2022. Whitechapel Gallery. Photo: Luke Lentes Jannis Kounellis, Untitled, 2002. Installation view of A Short History of Performance: Part One at Whitechapel Gallery. Photo: Manuel Vason Andrea Fraser, Official Welcome, 2001. As part of A Short History of Performance: Part Two at Whitechapel Gallery Photo: Manuel Vason Carolee Schneemann, Meat Joy, 2002. As part of A Short History of Performance: Part One, at Whitechapel Gallery. Photo: Manuel Vason Pauline Boudry and Renate Lorenz, Performance of Les Gayrillères, 2022. As part of Moving Bodies, Moving Images at Whitechapel Gallery. Performers: Julie Cunningham and Harry Alexander. Photo: Hannah Burton Helen Cammock, Performance of Che si può fare, 2019. As part of Max Mara Art Prize for Women 2017-19 at Whitechapel Gallery. Photo: Dan Weill. Martin O’Brien, Overture For The End (An Ashen Place), 2023. Whitechapel Gallery. Photo: Marco Berardi and Baiba Sprance. Past Exhibition Application FormFAQsEasy Read History of The London Open Open Call London Open Live The London Open – Whitechapel Gallery’s open call exhibition – is back with a live art focus for its 2025 edition: London Open Live. Exhibition and programme: 4 Jun – 7 Sep 2025 Originally established in 1932 as an open call exhibition to showcase local artists and the creative energy of the East End, The London Open has evolved over the years to encompass the whole city as a hub of global artistic activity and offer a potent snapshot of prescient themes and issues. It has provided an important launch pad for a great range of artists including Larry Achiampong, Frank Bowling, Alice Channer, Anish Kapoor, Heather Phillipson, Paula Rego, Veronica Ryan, and Bob and Roberta Smith. For 2025, the Open’s focus will be on performance and live art. The live art scene was badly hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, not least due to the cancellation of live events and programmes during the various lockdowns. This inevitably resulted in decreased visibility as well as lack of investment and support. London Open Live aims to create new opportunities for artists working across live art practices, while showcasing the importance of collective activity, of coming together and fostering intimacy through a dynamic programme of new and recent live art. A panel comprising artists and experts in the field, alongside Whitechapel Gallery curatorial staff, will select a range of work and approaches that represent and explores live art practices in London and collectively reflects on ideas and possibilities of ‘openness’ and ‘liveness’ today. The London Open Live programme will feature work by established and emerging artists who work across definitions of ‘live art’, and builds on Whitechapel Gallery’s long history of commissioning and staging performance and live art. Performances will take place Thursdays to Sundays throughout Summer 2025 and will be accompanied by a film and talks programme looking at contemporary performance and live art practice. The application process for London Open Live is being managed by Artquest – a public programme of University of the Arts London (UAL) – to ensure that that the open call offers a range of accessible options for applicants and is informed by Artquest’s extensive research into open call procedures across the arts sector. Application for London Open Live is now closed. Please see amended schedule for selection process in ‘Application’ section below. Selected candidates will be notified by Tue 25 Feb. Eligibility:London Open Live is open to individual artists or collaborative groups who meet the following criteria: Be living or working in one of the 32 London boroughs Be aged over 18 at the time of application deadline Have been working in performance and/or live art forms for a minimum of 3 years Not be studying in formal education (except PhD) at the time of deadline, or have plans to do so until at least after the exhibition period Apply with work created since June 2022, when the last London Open was held. Submissions can include proposals for existing or new works. Collaborative applications are eligible as long as at least one member of the group meets the criteria above. However, all applicants should be at least 18 years of age. Whitechapel Gallery recognises that some artists face structural barriers as a result of disability, gender or gender expression, socio-economic backgrounds, sexuality, age, ethnic origin, religion, pregnancy and experience of migration. We particularly encourage applications from artists from historically under-served groups. Selection:Up to 13 applicants will be invited to participate in London Open Live through an open application process. London Open Live will showcase work made by artists at any stage in their careers, bringing together a diverse range of original and exciting ideas and practices from both emerging and established artists. Selection will be informed by ensuring a balance of career stages and live practices, work that reflects on and exemplifies the importance of live art today and aligns with Whitechapel Gallery’s responsibility as a public institution and belief in supporting collaborative, permeable, bold practices that are unafraid to take risks and/or address issues and concerns relevant to the times we live in. Selection will be informed by ensuring a balance of career stages and live practices, work that reflects on and exemplifies the importance of live art today and aligns with Whitechapel Gallery’s responsibility as a public institution and focus on supporting collaborative, permeable, bold practices that are unafrai