Artist’s Brief: Hadrian’s Wall Art Trail 2026

This autumn, we invite artists from across the North East and Cumbria to submit work for 2026 Hadrian’s Wall Art Trail. The trail will weave through several locations along Hadrian’s Wall crossing Northumberland and Cumbria.

Theme: Underfoot / Overhead

We encourage broad and imaginative interpretations of the theme Underfoot / Overhead. This might include but is not limited to - 

• Seen and unseen worlds

• Weather, light and atmospheric conditions

• Natural forces and their impact on the landscape

• Human interaction with the landscape through walking or movement

• Scale — from ground-level detail to expansive views

• Archaeology and buried material — what lies beneath the surface

• Boundaries, horizons, and thresholds 

• Mapping, marking or recording place

  
  

Submission Guidelines

How To Enter:

• Artists aged 18+ (all submitted work must be for sale)

• Artists under 18 (work will be exhibited but not offered for sale)

• Each artist may submit up to five works.

• The deadline for submissions is 11:59pm on Sunday 5th July 2026.

• All entries must be made via the Google Form.

Your Submission Must Include:

• Your full name, address, email address, and phone number

• A short bio (approx. 100 words) about you and your work

• Your social media handles and website (if available)

• High-quality image(s) of each submitted work

  • If you are unable to upload images via the Google Form, please email them to info@greencroftonthewall.com

  • Use the subject line: “Hadrian’s Wall Art Trail Images”

• Your preferred method of display/installation

• The sale price for each work, inclusive of a 30% commission

Accessibility

If you have any accessibility requirements or need support completing your application, please contact us at info@greencroftonthewall.com. We are very happy to assist.

Selection & Exhibition Details

Key Dates 

• Open call opens Tuesday 7th April 2026

• Open call closes 11.59pm Sunday 5th July 2026

• Successful artists will be notified of the outcome by Friday 24th July 2026

• Selected works must be delivered to The Threshing Barn between 17th - 24th August 2026

• The dates of the Art Trail are:

  • Week 1: Friday 4th – Sunday 6th September 2026

  • Week 2: Friday 11th – Sunday 13th September 2026

  • Week 3: Friday 18th – Sunday 20th September 2026

• A private view will take place on the evening of Thursday 3rd September 2026 for artists, family, and guests.

• Unsold work must be collected between 23rd–27th September 2026 from The Threshing Barn, Green Croft, Gilsland, Northumberland, CA8 7EL

Artwork Requirements:

Selection will be based on how well the work responds to the brief, its overall quality, and the practical considerations of the exhibition spaces and equipment available.

• All works must be delivered ready to hang.

• Framed works must be fitted with mirror plates, fixed approximately one-third down from the top on both sides.

• The reverse of each artwork must be clearly labelled with the artist’s name and the title of the work.

• Due to venue limitations, smaller works are strongly encouraged.

• Artists are responsible for insuring their work for the full duration of the exhibition.

• Final hanging and placement will be at the curator’s discretion. However, artists may indicate installation preferences in their entry form.

• We will request a headshot or an image of you with your work for promotional purposes.

• If a work requires installation beyond our technical capacity, artists may be asked to install the work themselves.

• The exhibition is primarily focused on wall-based work. Space is limited, and we do not have plinths, with only minimal shelving available.

• Artists wishing to submit floor-based work will be considered on a case-by-case basis, with selection dependent on practicality and spatial constraints.

Fees, Sales & Collection

• There is no fee to submit work.

• A hanging fee of £6.00 per selected work will be charged.

• A 30% commission will be deducted from all sales.

Artists are responsible for collecting their work at the end of the exhibition. If you are unable to collect during these times, please contact us ahead of time to arrange an alternative.

A third party or courier may collect on your behalf, but this must be agreed in advance. Please ensure all work is suitably packaged for safe handling if being collected this way.

Uncollected Work

Work not collected on the designated dates, and where no prior arrangement has been made, will be placed into storage.

If return of the work is required, the artist will be charged postage and packing costs plus a £15.00 administration fee.

Any work not collected within one month of the exhibition closing, and where no alternative arrangements have been agreed, will be considered abandoned. The organisers reserve the right to sell or dispose of unclaimed work, with proceeds supporting Hadrian's Wall Art Trail activity and local arts initiatives.

About The Organisations 

The organisations working together on the Art Trail are Green Croft Arts Ltd and Field Shelter CIC. We live and work on the line of Hadrian’s Wall. 

Green Croft Arts

Green Croft Arts is led by dance artist and creative producer Amanda Drago, and sound artist and photographer Kit Haigh. Together, we create work that fosters deeper connections between people, the landscape, and the region’s heritage. We work from The Threshing Barn, a cultural and wellbeing hub, situated directly on the line of Hadrian’s Wall between Greenhead and Gilsland, Northumberland. The Barn hosts classes, workshops, and performances, offering a creative and community-focused space.

Field Shelter CIC

Field Shelter is an artist-led creative studio and project space located near Haltwhistle, Northumberland, on Hadrian’s Wall. It is housed in an off-grid building that was formerly a derelict stable. Field Shelter supports experimental, rural-based contemporary art practices, exploring alternative methods of making, researching, and presenting work within a wild and natural landscape.