Fabrica In Between Gallery 2026: UK Photographic Artists Can Exhibit in Brighton, £350 Fee, 26 October Deadline
Fabrica, the contemporary art gallery in Brighton, is seeking one outstanding photographic image for the 2026 edition of its In Between Gallery window exhibition. The open call is restricted to UK-resident photographers and artist groups who consider themselves early- to mid-career. Applications must reach Fabrica by 12 noon on Monday 26 October 2026. One artist or artist group will be selected, and a single image will be exhibited in the gallery's central Brighton street-facing window from November 2026 to April 2027, subject to occasional short interruptions for venue use. The selected artist receives a £350 fee and separate travel coverage for a related photography talk.
The essential dates: 26 October noon, 30 October selection
The organiser's original call states that all applications must arrive by 12 noon on Monday 26 October 2026. This is midday in the UK, not the end of the day. Because British summer time ends on 25 October, local UK civil time on the closing date is normally Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). Overseas observers should not convert a summer-time schedule mechanically, but the application itself remains limited to UK residents. Fabrica plans to notify the selected artist on Friday 30 October; the display then begins in November.
The photograph will be shown for several months through April 2027, with possible brief removals when the venue has other commitments. A display period extending across winter and spring does not mean the artist is resident in the gallery for six months or receives a monthly salary. This is a presentation opportunity for a finished photographic image and an associated public programme.
Who can apply: UK residents, early- to mid-career
Fabrica specifies photographers and artist groups who are based in the United Kingdom and identify as early- to mid-career. The announcement does not restrict the opportunity to Brighton residents, so applicants elsewhere in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland may consider entering if they meet the UK residence condition. It also does not set a fixed maximum age or insist that every applicant has graduated from an art school. Applicants should assess whether their practice and presentation history fairly represent the stated career stage.
The residency restriction refers to living in the UK. A foreign-born artist currently living and developing their work in the UK should not assume that nationality alone is disqualifying; conversely, a British national based overseas should not rely on a passport if they no longer satisfy the UK residence rule. Artist groups should clarify who is included in the submission and whose work is being represented. Do not describe this as a worldwide contest simply because its application form can be viewed online.
What is the In Between Gallery?
Fabrica operates a public-facing photographic exhibition space in its picture window on Duke Street in central Brighton. The gallery itself occupies a former church and is located in the city's busy Lanes area. Pedestrians can encounter the artwork from the street without planning a traditional gallery visit. This direct urban setting is central to the programme: one image must hold attention, communicate across an unusual window format and remain meaningful to passers-by across different times of day.
For the ninth year, Fabrica is working with Spectrum Photographic, Photo Fringe, Jane & Jeremy and POST. Their involvement supports the selection, presentation and promotion of contemporary photography. The initiative is not a competition for a digital billboard, a video projection or a large-scale interactive installation. A digitally made photograph may be relevant if it is accepted as photographic artwork, but the published call is specifically seeking a single still image rather than moving-image, VR or participatory media work.
One image selected, but up to three images may be submitted
The final exhibition will feature one selected photographic image by one artist or artist group. Applicants may submit up to three low-resolution images for the panel to consider. This is different from securing three exhibition spaces or a series of changing projections. Artists should select options that demonstrate their practice, while thinking carefully about which single image would work best in Fabrica's window. Each image needs title and contextual information as required by the online form and accompanying document.
A practical window format: roughly 2.7 by 2.25 metres
Fabrica publicly explains that its picture window is approximately 2.7 metres by 2.25 metres. Photographs approaching a square composition tend to fit the display well. A predominantly light or bright image is also easier to present because the window has a filter that does not flatter mostly dark or black-and-white photography. These are curatorial and technical pointers from the organisers, not a blanket ban on all monochrome images or a claim that any particular aspect ratio guarantees acceptance.
Artists working in digital photography, constructed images or composites can consider how the chosen image will read at street scale: viewing distance, tone, recognisable form and visual contrast. The public call does not define an obligatory pixel dimension, printing medium or minimum camera specification. Those production details, where relevant, should be clarified by Fabrica after selection rather than invented from the window measurements.
The £350 fee: what it covers
The selected artist receives a total fee of £350 in connection with displaying the photograph, giving a presentation at Fabrica's Photography Networking Event on Thursday 4 February 2027 and creating a short Instagram takeover from 28 January to 4 February 2027. This should not be read as £350 for every entrant, £350 each month, or three separate £350 payments for the exhibition, talk and social-media activity. The organisers state that travel expenses to and from the networking talk will be covered separately from the artist fee.
The public call does not state a separate accommodation allowance, long-term studio provision, production budget, printing fee reimbursement or guaranteed ongoing representation. If any of these practical costs would determine whether an artist can take part, seek written guidance from Fabrica. One artist or group is selected, so even a technically compliant submission is not guaranteed financial support.
Public profile, online promotion and networking
Fabrica plans to feature the selected image and artist on its website and on promotional materials created with the partner organisations. The artist is also invited to produce the Instagram takeover, scheduled from 28 January to 4 February 2027, and to speak at the Photography Networking Event on 4 February. Those opportunities can help an emerging photographer develop ways of explaining their practice to curators, peers and audiences, as well as producing an image that has an extended public life.
Applicants should be comfortable with discussing their work publicly if selected. A concise artist biography and a thoughtful explanation of the submitted image will be useful beyond the selection stage. The announcement does not promise exhibition sales, commissions, gallery representation or future paid contracts through any of the collaborating photography organisations.
What the application must contain
Fabrica requests applications through the online form linked from the organiser's official In Between Gallery page. Required materials are up to three low-resolution images; a title and supporting contextual information for the image in a Word or PDF document; an artist biography or CV in Word or PDF; and a link to a website or Instagram account where examples of the applicant's practice can be seen. Applicants should check the live form for any mandatory information not described in the short public summary.
The image files should be viewable and genuinely low-resolution as the initial submission specifies, rather than enormous files that could delay upload or exceed a form limit. Context can briefly explain when an image was made, its visual or conceptual premise and how it relates to the artist's ongoing work. The gallery's main page does not publish exact file-size or word-count rules for all fields, so these need confirmation within the actual form rather than assumption.
How to choose a suitable image
An image for a city-centre window may be seen fleetingly, after sunset or from several metres away. If the photographic idea relies on very subtle black detail or tiny text, the window's filter and the busy surroundings may diminish its effect. Think about the image's main shape, visual rhythm and the story a passer-by can grasp. A square or nearly square crop can be advantageous, but artistic intent matters; do not change a work solely to imitate what you imagine the judges prefer.
The application can include a small group of images demonstrating the breadth of the artist's practice, while identifying the work most appropriate for this particular site. Clear titles and accurate credits are important, especially where a project includes collaborators, borrowed archival material or models. Any permissions required for public display or publicity should be resolved transparently. These are general professional guidelines, not additional compulsory competition rules.
Voluntary equality and diversity questions
Fabrica invites applicants to complete an Equality & Diversity questionnaire connected with the main application. It explains that this form is voluntary, anonymous and not part of selection decisions. Artists should therefore not mistake it for a required artistic statement or feel obliged to disclose personal information outside the programme's stated procedures. The gallery says it is committed to equal opportunity and fair treatment for candidates.
The difference between photography and other digital art
In Between Gallery is relevant to visual artists, including those who use digital photographic tools, but it is not a general open call for experimental films, video art, creative coding software, games, XR or installation design. The selected final work is a still photographic image adapted for window display. Artists whose practice is primarily time-based should consider whether a single photographic image genuinely represents their artistic ideas; if not, a moving-image-specific open call would be a more appropriate route.
Official entry link and verification
Information checked on 17 October 2026 against Fabrica's own open-call announcement. Deadline: Monday 26 October at 12:00 UK local time; UK residents only; early- to mid-career individuals or artist groups; one image selected from applications with up to three low-resolution images; public display November 2026–April 2027; fee £350 including the associated talk and Instagram activity, with talk travel separately covered. Applicants should submit using the 'THIS FORM' link on the current official page and follow the live form's instructions. Aion Laboratory is providing an independent editorial summary, not acting as the recipient of entries.
Fabrica: official In Between Gallery Open Call 2026 and application form: https://www.fabrica.org.uk/open-calls/in-between-gallery-open-call-2026
Fabrica: Artist Opportunities and institutional information: https://www.fabrica.org.uk/