Hidden Door Festival 2026 Visual Artists Open Call
Edinburgh's Hidden Door Festival opens applications for visual artists to showcase work at the 2026 festival (June 3-7). Deadline: January 11, 2026.
Hidden Door Festival, a volunteer-run charity based in Edinburgh, is opening applications for visual artists to participate in its 2026 programme. The festival will take place from Wednesday 3 to Sunday 7 June 2026 and is known for transforming disused or abandoned spaces into temporary cultural venues while showcasing and supporting new and emerging artists.
This year's open call follows the festival's recent success with The Paper Factory transformation and comes on the heels of securing vital funding from Creative Scotland's Multi-Year Fund, which provides support through 2027. This funding commitment enables the organisation to plan more ambitiously while maintaining its core mission of championing emerging Scottish talent.
Hidden Door is committed to fair pay for all participating artists. Since 2010, the festival has created paid opportunities for thousands of artists and performers through a combination of Creative Scotland funding, ticket revenue, donations, and sponsorship.
Visual artists interested in presenting work as part of the 2026 programme are encouraged to apply immediately. The application deadline is 23:59 on Sunday 11 January 2026. Further open calls will follow in the new year for poets, dancers, theatre-makers, and other creative practitioners.
The festival provides a unique and highly visible platform for artists to reach large audiences and test new ideas within an immersive and dynamic environment. The 2026 venue location remains a closely guarded secret and will be announced in the New Year, ahead of the full programme reveal. Hidden Director Hazel Johnson emphasises that the Creative Scotland funding provides the stability and freedom to be more ambitious than ever in supporting incredible emerging talent.