Open Call: zero material
Kakilang
Kakilang will work with one selected artist with a conceptual or visual arts based practice to develop a new body of work, with a public presentation in spring 2027. The format stays open, shaped by the artist's chosen medium and approach.
zero material manifesto
In an age of scarcity and excess, what forms of art making remain relevant? zero material recognises that each material, whether tangible or intangible, carries its own agency that awaits to be exercised creatively — informed by diasporic experience, it proposes unorthodox approaches like hacking, smuggling and piggybacking as artistic practice.
The artwork may take the form of a gesture, a situation, an infrastructure, a digital trace, a collective action or even an administrative process — the materiality that already penetrates and accumulates in our everyday lives.
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Who We Are Looking For
zero material is not looking for a fixed medium or a finished idea, but a way of rethinking how art gets made. We are looking for an artist whose practice engages with materials, systems, or processes — someone curious about working with what already exists, and interested in how diasporic experience shapes the way things are made. You might be early in your career or further along — what matters is a genuine engagement with the questions the programme is asking.
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Eligibility
- UK-based artists of ESEA heritage
- An arts practice in conceptual or visual arts of at least two years
- Right to live and work in the UK between August 2026 – June 2027
- Availability in March 2027 for public presentation
- If applying as a duo or collective, please nominate one leading artist as the representative for the application
What the Selected Artist Receives
- An artist fee of £2,500 and a production budget of £800
- A supported public presentation in spring 2027
- Artist development support including tailored workshops, one-to-one mentoring, and institutional visits
- A hot-desking space at Kakilang's central London office between August 2026 – June 2027 up to 3 days per week, if required
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Open Call Timeline
- Open call period: 8 July – 10 August 2026
- Shortlist announcement: 12 August 2026
- Shortlisted artist interviews (online): 18 August
- Selected Artist Announcement: 1 September 2026
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Programme Timeline
- Project Development: September – December 2026
- Concept Consolidation: January – February 2027
- Public Presentation: March 2027
Selection Panel
- Rhine Bernardino, Independent Artist and Curator
- Liang-Jung Chen, Associate Artistic Director, Kakilang
- Ruth Holdsworth, Co-CEO, Kakilang
- Howl Yuan, Artistic Director & Co-CEO, Kakilang
How to Apply
First stage — submit the following:
- Artist statement (100 words)
- A short proposal of what you might want to explore (300 words)
- Why work with Kakilang? (100 words)
- Portfolio in one of the following formats: a PDF of up to 3 projects (Maximum 9 pages in total and 10mb), a video or audio file (Maximum 3 minutes and 10mb), or a link to your website.
- The anonymous equality monitoring form
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If this format is difficult for you, please get in touch before 22 July. Contact zero material programme lead Liang-Jung Chen at [email protected] or 02072871052
We aim to offer as much access support as possible and welcome a conversation about your needs before you apply.
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Second stage — shortlisted artist interview (online)
- The shortlisted artists will then be required to prepare a 7-minute presentation on your practice and what zero material means to you.
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Application
Please complete the application form at https://www.kakilang.org.uk/2026-open-call-zero-material ⠀⠀
While we have publicised this opportunity, please note that: (i) the application and selection process is managed by the advertising company/organisation; and (ii) we rely on them to: provide accurate, up-to-date details about themselves and the opportunity; ensure that opportunities are ethical and paid fairly. To report a listing, please email [email protected].