Solo Show Open Call 2026

April 8, 2026 4:18 pm

Deadline 11:59pm on 3rd of May 2026

An old crt tv playing a film over a plinth covered with red fabric with headphones hanging on the right hand side. Above the tv there is red writing on the wall in large font that reads "being! A weapon in the hands of the workers!" — *Joey Simons – Solo Show 2025 © Erika Stevenson*

Overview of the solo show opportunity

Market Gallery is excited to share that we are now accepting applications for our 2026 Solo Show, an annual opportunity for a Glasgow based artist to develop and present a significant new project.

We are particularly interested in proposals that build on a body of work in development – projects that would benefit from focused time and support to become fully realised for presentation.

The form of the exhibition is flexible; however, for this year, we are specifically looking for work that does not utilise moving image, in order to maintain balance across our wider programme.

The exhibition will open in late October, running for four weeks, and will include an additional public-facing event (for example, a reading, screening, artist talk, performance) that complements, activates, expands or contextualises the show.

We strongly encourage applications from people who are LGBTQIA+, global majority*, living with disabilities, and from working class or low socio-economic backgrounds.

*People who are Black, Asian, Brown, dual-heritage, indigenous to the global south, and/or have been racialised as ‘ethnic minorities’.* from: Global Majority; Decolonising the language and Reframing the Conversation about Race

What the opportunity includes:

Access to Market Gallery’s space three weeks before the exhibition opening (including one week for install).
Use of gallery equipment, materials and resources (including our Resource Library).
Mentoring and support provided by Market’s Artist Committee.
Opportunity to realise and share a body of work, and an accompanying public event.
Invitation to recommend a book for our Resource Library.

Fee:

Artist Fee – £3546 (18 days @ £197*)
Production budget – £1000
Activation Event Fee – £295 (1.5 days @ £197)
Activation Event Production Budget – £150

*Our calculation to work out the daily pro rata residency rates of the SAU annual salary is based on the following estimation of annual working days (260 working days – 28 days holiday – 8 days sick) = 224 workings days in a year: £44,100 p/annum (pro rata) = £197 a day for 5 years + (rounded up)

Eligibility Criteria:

Artists must be based in Glasgow.
Artist collectives are welcome to apply; however, please be note that the fee will have to be shared.
Applicants must not be enrolled as students during the development or delivery periods.

Access:

An access budget is available to support artists’ participation in the residency. This will be tailored to individual needs through a conversation prior to the start of the residency. We also welcome access/care riders.
Market Gallery is located at Many Studios in a wheelchair accessible space, with an accessible and gender neutral toilet.

How to Apply:

To apply for the Solo Show Opportunity, please fill out the application form linked here, alongside an Equalities Monitoring Form, by 11:59pm on Sunday 3rd May 2026. If you would like to apply in an alternative way such as video or audio instead of a written application , please contact us at market@marketgallery.org with your requirements and we will be happy to discuss this with you. Any other enquiries about the residencies can be made to the same address and we will get back to you as quickly as possible.