20th Anniversary Festival: 1 - 31 October
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(Image: The Big Bang by 2023 Art Competition joint winner Tara Ryan)
NEW WAVE FINE ART COMPETITION 2024
PRIZE: Exhibition plus £300 Cash Prize
DEADLINE: 25 April
A competition for art students to submit a new artwork which should respond to the following theme:
Human.Kind – This theme can be interpreted as you wish, either in its entirety, focusing on either word, or even being inspired by the dot that separates them.
The submission may be a completely new work, a recently completed work, or an artwork you are currently creating as part of your art studies. We welcome submissions of more than one artwork if relevant. We invite artworks on paper, canvas or other 2D media including painting and photography.
The competition is open to current undergraduate or postgraduate students of Fine Art and related courses at London universities, colleges or professional training schemes for artists. The winner will be offered a unique opportunity to hold their own exhibition as part of the Bloomsbury Festival 2024 (exhibition dates 18-27 October) and a cash prize. The gallery exhibition can be a display of additional works that respond to the theme or are other examples of your work.
The winning artist will be selected by a panel of experts, professional artists, and influential festival partners, including the Duchess of Bedford and the Director of Bloomsbury Festival.
The deadline has now passed for this competition.
NEW WAVE LUNCHTIME CONCERT SERIES 2024
5 Selected performers receive concert opportunity plus £150 cash prize
DEADLINE: 25 April
As part of our commitment to showcasing emerging artists, we produce a lunchtime concert series featuring outstanding young musicians. Proposals are invited from current music students and recent graduates (please see detailed requirements in the download below) to be part of the series this year. All genres including classical, jazz and folk are welcome. We will select 5 proposals to feature as lunchtime concerts in the Bloomsbury Festival 2024 programme (18 – 27 October).
The deadline has now passed for this opportunity.
NEW WAVE THEATRE OPPORTUNITIES 2025
ADVANCE NOTICE – Full details available mid-June
This scheme is aimed at emerging theatre writers and companies (aged 18+, UK based) to produce new work responding to our 2025 festival theme, to be announced late May/early June. Final selections will be in September 2024 and winners will be announced in October at Bloomsbury Festival 2024. Production opportunities will apply to the 2025 October festival.
New Wave Theatre supported by Bishop & Sewell
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Festival Podcast Production and Radio Training Hosted by the Bloomsbury Institute Volunteer opportunity – If you would like to learn new skills in podcast production and live and recorded radio broadcasts you can apply for our Bloomsbury Festival podcast and
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NEW WAVE: OUR PLATFORM FOR EMERGING ARTISTS Our New Wave programme seeks to nurture emerging artists and creatives at the start of their professional careers, by offering performance opportunities, cash prizes, and grant support. We are delighted to announce opportunities
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2026 PROGRAMME OPEN CALL Deadline: *THIS DEADLINE HAS NOW PASSED* Festival 2026 Dates: 1 – 31 October 2026 2026 Theme: Create and Celebrate 3-day Discovery Hub planned for 22-24 Oct In 2026 we invite new and existing partners to Create
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