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There are a number of exhibition opportunities at Salford Museum & Art Gallery. Applications are welcome from individual artists or practitioners, groups of artists, community groups, schools, collectors etc. Please read the following information and think about how your proposed exhibition will fit within our spaces and aims.

Main exhibition spaces and opportunities:

North Gallery

  • A space that supports artists mainly from the North
  • Exhibition slots are generally 3 to 4 months in length
  • Approx size of space is 112sqm, or 36 linear metres of wall space, plus a variety of cases or plinths if required and available

Bluestairs Community Gallery

  • A space that supports Salford artists and communities
  • Exhibition slots are generally up to 3 months in length
  • Approx size of space is 18 linear metres of wall space, plus a display case.

By Hand Gallery

  • A selling space that supports and showcases mainly local independent artists, creatives and craft people’s handmade work
  • Applications for this space are taken on an ongoing basis
  • Work is taken sale or return with a pricing guide of most work under £50

Salford Open

  • A biennial exhibition open to all artists living, working, studying or were born in Salford
  • Takes place alternate years in the North Gallery which started in 2018

There is a separate application form for the Salford Open exhibition. This will be available for the Open [3] in 2022.

Selection Criteria

All exhibition proposals are viewed by a selection panel once a year (By Hand is reviewed on an ongoing basis). Exhibitions are selected based on quality, artistic integrity and relevance to audiences, collections and venues. The selection panel also considers applications relevant to the following main aims of the exhibition programme:

  • To be high quality and to have visual impact
  • Show excellence through working practices
  • Raise the profile of our collections and venues
  • Increase access to collections
  • Engage and inspire, relevant to current or new audiences
  • Contribute towards resilience through generating advocacy and income

Please note that the Gallery will not enter into any dialogue regarding your application and can not meet to discuss or view work at this stage. Therefore please make sure you are as clear as possible in the application form and that your images are of a high quality showing the work to its best advantage. Due to high demand, the Gallery will only contact people they are interested in speaking further to about their application. If you have not heard from us by the end of August, please presume your application has not been successful this time. Please do not send in original artwork- we can not return any part of an application.

Terms and Conditions

  • All work must be ready for display including framing and fixings if applicable
  • Any sales will be dealt with by the Gallery during the exhibition period and will be subject to a commission of 40% including VAT
  • All artwork is arranged and installed by the Gallery
  • All work must be delivered and collected from the Gallery in arrangement with the Gallery
  • We work at least 1 year to 18 months in advance on the exhibitions  programme, so please be aware if you are successful, your exhibition will be at least 1 year away
  • By Hand applications are taken and reviewed on an ongoing basis
  • Successful exhibitors will be expected to agree to further terms and conditions set out in a contract

The deadline for exhibition applications is 30 June every year.