Supporting Whitechapel Gallery’s open call for London Open Live

Building on our research, Artquest are supporting Whitechapel Gallery’s application and selection process for London Open Live.

Whitechapel Gallery’s open call exhibition, The London Open, is back with an exclusive focus on live art practices.

Established in 1932 to showcase artists in the east end of London, The London Open has for many years encompassed the whole city to present a snapshot of themes and issues in arts practice. The open call exhibition has helped launch the careers of artists including Larry Achiampong, Frank Bowling, Alice Channer, Anish Kapoor, Heather Phillipson, Paula Rego, Veronica Ryan and Bob and Roberta Smith.  

For the next edition, London Open Live invited artists whose practice incorporates performance and/or live art to apply.

The live art scene was badly hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, not least due to the cancellation of live events during the various lockdowns, resulting in fewer opportunities for artists. With a focus on live practices, London Open Live will showcase live art practice through a dynamic programme of live art.

The deadline for applications was 10am Monday 13 January 2025. Application are no longer being accepted, and the exhibition will run from 4 June – 7 September 2025.

Artquest: supporting application and selection

Artquest are supporting Whitechapel Gallery by advising on the application and selection process, aiming to make this as open and equitable as possible. Applications will be collected and processed by Artquest using a new online tool we have developed that cuts selection time, increase accuracy, fosters better conversations amongst the selection panel, and make individual application feedback simpler and better. The tool supports a more equitable process, and is flexible enough to enable the panel to lead the process with curiosity, patience and insight.

A panel comprising artists and experts in the field, alongside Whitechapel Gallery curatorial staff, will select a range of work that explores live arts practice in London today, and reflects on what it means to be open within this field. The programme will highlight intergenerational artists at various stages in their careers, and builds on Whitechapel Gallery’s long history of commissioning and staging live art.

Eligibility

London Open Live was open to individual artists or collaborative groups who met 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.

Whitechapel Gallery recognises that some artists face structural barriers in their careers as a result of disability, gender or gender expression, socio-economic backgrounds, sexuality, age, ethnic origin, religion, pregnancy and experience of migration. Applications from artists from historically underserved groups were particularly encouraged.

Selection

Up to 13 applicants will be invited to participate. London Open Live will showcase work made by artists at any stage in their careers, bringing together a diverse range of ideas and practices from both emerging and established artists.

Selection will be informed by ensuring a balance of career stages and live practices, and proposals that reflect the importance of live art in today’s increasingly atomised and virtual world.

Applications and works will be selected by a panel of artists and curators with particular experience of and interest in live art practices:

• Anne Bean, artist
• Lois Keidan, co-founder Live Art Development Agency
• Martin O’Brien, artist and Senior Lecturer in Live Art, Queen Mary University of London
• Harold Offeh, artist
• Whitechapel Gallery (Leila Hasham, Head of Exhibitions and Hannah Woods, Assistant Curator)

For more information on the timeline for shortlisting and selection, see information on the Whitechapel Gallery website. We will contact all artists to let them know the selected artists before public announcement.

Award

Selected artists will be awarded:

• Budget of £1000 (inclusive of all taxes and expenses)
• Technical and production support from Whitechapel
• Annual Whitechapel Gallery artist membership card
• Development support from Whitechapel curatorial and marketing teams
• Opportunities to connect with all selected artists

Programme

Performances will take place at Whitechapel Gallery, gallery 2, each Thursday – Sunday from June into early September 2025, with an accompanying public programme.

For more details on eligibility, the award, support from the gallery, making an accessible application and scheduling, read our frequently asked questions.

Accessible applications

We know that most artists will be able to complete an online application form, but for some this presents a barrier. A small access budget was available for anyone with financial barriers to making work or applying, and Artquest assisted some artists to complete the application in another way.