Be Part of our Summer Art Exhibitions
You're invited to share your creativity with the world this summer. Enter your art in our open exhibitions.
Work in any media is welcome and submission is free! Read on for how to join in.
Work in any media is welcome and submission is free! Read on for how to join in.
You are invited to submit a piece of artwork to be included in one of our upcoming exhibitions, all based on the themes found in ‘The Man Who Planted Trees’, an allegorical short story written by Jean Giono. You can listen to or read the short story at the bottom of this page.
Our exhibitions will be open to the public and free to visit: 28 May-16 June: Town Hall Foyer & Cafe, Hebden Bridge 5-7 July & 12-14 July: Holme Street Venue, Hebden Bridge 13-27 July: Project Colt, Elland Bridge, Elland ‘The Man Who Planted Trees’ text is the starting point for our environmentally-themed community project as part of Culturedale - Calderdale's Year of Culture 2024. The project includes a reimagining of Giono’s short story for the stage, through community performances, and a series of exhibitions, workshops and events. Links to explore the story are at the bottom of this page. Giono’s tale follows a man’s encounter with the mysterious solitary shepherd, Elzéard Bouffier, who he discovers has dedicated his life to planting trees to revive a devastated valley. The tale tracks their multiple encounters over the years, weaving a narrative of hope, determination and incredible ecological revival. |
Inspired by this, our exhibitions will be centred around the themes of nature, legacy, rebirth and power of the individual. We also encourage artwork considering responses to the climate emergency.
Your interpretations may be literal, follow a key thread of the narrative or explore a chosen theme. Your work may be a new piece, inspired by the project, or something you have made recently that you believe fits one or more of the themes.
Whether you would like to submit work that is 2D or 3D, and work in textiles, ceramics, collage, print-making, painting, sculpture, photography, written word, sound art, or any other medium, we can’t wait to see what you’ve created!
Your interpretations may be literal, follow a key thread of the narrative or explore a chosen theme. Your work may be a new piece, inspired by the project, or something you have made recently that you believe fits one or more of the themes.
Whether you would like to submit work that is 2D or 3D, and work in textiles, ceramics, collage, print-making, painting, sculpture, photography, written word, sound art, or any other medium, we can’t wait to see what you’ve created!
Submission Details
Submission of work for exhibition is free of charge. Applications should be made via the online form accessed below. Any work submitted before noon on Tuesday 7 May will be considered for the Hebden Bridge Town Hall exhibition. Any work submitted after Tuesday 7 May will be considered for our July exhibitions. Submissions for our July exhibitions will close on Monday 17 June at noon. However, please note that any work not chosen for our Hebden Bridge Town Hall exhibition will have a second chance to be considered for our July exhibitions. Please complete one online submission form in full for each separate artwork submitted. You can submit a maximum of three art works. We may choose only one piece if multiple pieces are submitted. We welcome work that has been created by you within the last 5 years. Please ensure your name and contact details are included somewhere on the art (underside / reverse ideally), or on an attached piece of paper. If you are submitting wall mounted work, please ensure you have affixed horizontal strings on the back for hanging purposes. We reserve the right not to accept application forms that are incomplete, and to reject work if it is unsuitable for exhibition, doesn’t relate to the themes closely enough, or is impractical for display given the limitations of our loaned exhibition venues. Whilst we will endeavour to exhibit all appropriate work submitted, we may have to refuse work due to capacity. |
A sample interpretation panel from our 2023 Arts Trail.
We will be compiling an interpretation panel for your artwork. This will be made using your answers to questions on the submission form. The end result will look something like the panel above. We ask you to bear this in mind when completing these boxes on the submission form. We may have to make alterations or edits to your interpretation panel proposed wording due to space, or to better relate the piece to the themes of the exhibition. |
We aim to be in touch with everyone who has made a submission within two weeks of the relevant closing date (7 May / 17 June).
Exhibiting Your Work - The Practicalities
Artists will be responsible for packaging and transporting their art to the exhibition venue within the designated time slot or ensuring someone else can do this for them. Please ensure you remove and take away your packaging as you drop off your work (and bring it back when collecting your work to safely transport it home!). Artists will also be responsible for collecting and repackaging their artwork at the designated time/venue.
Hebden Bridge Town Hall
Drop off window – Bank Holiday Monday 28 May 10am-12noon | Collection window – Monday 17 June 10am-12noon
Holme Street Venue, Hebden Bridge
Drop off window – Thursday 4 July 10am-12noon | Collection window – Monday 15 July 10am-12noon
Project Colt, Elland
Drop off window – Friday 12 July 10am-12noon | Collection window – Monday 29 July 10am-12noon
Terms and Conditions - important, so please read before making a submission
Artists are responsible for the insurance of their own work, where so required, and accept that they enter their art at their own risk. While we will do our best to look after the work, we are unable to accept any liability for loss or damage that occurs during hanging or exhibition. Please ensure your name and contact details are included somewhere on the art (underside / reverse).
By entering you accept that your work may be photographed and / or used in promotional material.
This is not a selling exhibition. However, artists who already offer their work for sale may include a link to their website / online shop at the bottom of the artwork interpretation panel, for interested parties to note down. Please therefore include this information in your online form submission.
If selected to exhibit your work you will be asked to complete an Equality and Diversity Monitoring online form, to satisfy the requirements of our various funders, and to ensure that our activities are accessed by as many individuals as possible. Monitoring is an essential part of tackling inequality and discrimination and, if done effectively, will help us check whether our policies, services and organisational culture are meeting the needs of our community.
Feel free to contact hbaexhibitions@gmail.com with any queries about the submission/exhibition process and Serena or Iona will be in touch.
Artists will be responsible for packaging and transporting their art to the exhibition venue within the designated time slot or ensuring someone else can do this for them. Please ensure you remove and take away your packaging as you drop off your work (and bring it back when collecting your work to safely transport it home!). Artists will also be responsible for collecting and repackaging their artwork at the designated time/venue.
Hebden Bridge Town Hall
Drop off window – Bank Holiday Monday 28 May 10am-12noon | Collection window – Monday 17 June 10am-12noon
Holme Street Venue, Hebden Bridge
Drop off window – Thursday 4 July 10am-12noon | Collection window – Monday 15 July 10am-12noon
Project Colt, Elland
Drop off window – Friday 12 July 10am-12noon | Collection window – Monday 29 July 10am-12noon
Terms and Conditions - important, so please read before making a submission
Artists are responsible for the insurance of their own work, where so required, and accept that they enter their art at their own risk. While we will do our best to look after the work, we are unable to accept any liability for loss or damage that occurs during hanging or exhibition. Please ensure your name and contact details are included somewhere on the art (underside / reverse).
By entering you accept that your work may be photographed and / or used in promotional material.
This is not a selling exhibition. However, artists who already offer their work for sale may include a link to their website / online shop at the bottom of the artwork interpretation panel, for interested parties to note down. Please therefore include this information in your online form submission.
If selected to exhibit your work you will be asked to complete an Equality and Diversity Monitoring online form, to satisfy the requirements of our various funders, and to ensure that our activities are accessed by as many individuals as possible. Monitoring is an essential part of tackling inequality and discrimination and, if done effectively, will help us check whether our policies, services and organisational culture are meeting the needs of our community.
Feel free to contact hbaexhibitions@gmail.com with any queries about the submission/exhibition process and Serena or Iona will be in touch.