Open Calls

Maidstone River Park Exhibition - A Celebration of 25 years

Maidstone River Park was one of a lasting legacy of projects, funded in part by the National Lottery, to celebrate the new Millennium. It was the largest Millennium project in the south-east, outside of London, and the 25th anniversary in 2026 provides an opportunity to rediscover the river park and celebrate the project’s legacy. 

To mark this important milestone, Creative Maidstone is inviting artists, makers, creative practitioners and members of the public to submit work for a special exhibition celebrating the River Medway and the landscapes, stories, and communities that live and work along its banks. This anniversary exhibition will celebrate its past, present, and future through the eyes of the people who know it best.
Artworks can be in any medium, including photography, short stories, poems, etc. and you can submit up to 2 pieces for consideration.
Application deadline: 3pm on 12th June 2026
Chosen submissions will be notified by: 19th June 2026
Exhibition dates: 11 July - 1 August 2026
For further details and to apply please register here.

Maidstone Pride Art Exhibition

Maidstone Pride Art Exhibition is a celebration of queer identity, creativity, and community, calling out to local creatives across Maidstone and Medway. We invite artists who want to explore and express what their queerness means to them — how it shapes their lives, their relationships, and their sense of self. This exhibition is about pride in all its forms: loud and defiant, quiet and tender, joyful, political, and deeply personal.

Dates: 

Open Call Release: 18th February
Open Call Closes: 30th April 2026
16^th – 18^th June to hang the exhibition
19^th June – 4^th July exhibition
6^th July removal of artwork

Theme:

Pride, What Pride means to you?, Pride icons, Colour, unity, self-expression, gender identity

For more details and how to submit your works, please visit the Maidstone Pride website