Art callout: Dreaming through the locking glass

'What Cumbrian artists did during lockdown'

At the same time, it has been a chance to slow down, reflect, and engage with a much smaller area around us.

For artists this is an opportunity to capture a unique moment in human history.

Our new book, Dreaming through the locking glass, is an artistic response to these confined times.

We are calling on artists of all disciplines throughout Cumbria – painting, print-making, poetry, textiles, ceramics, illustration, 3D, prose, photography – to create an original piece of work that captures the artist’s personal experience of life during lockdown.

Submissions will be selected down to a shortlist and selected artwork will feature in the new 144-page book alongside a short description of the artist's work; their wider art; and how life has changed for them -– personally and creatively – under lockdown.

The artwork might by a distant view, a recollection of days before lockdown, words wrestling confinement and imaginative freedom, recognition of the value of our health workers, a localised view of neighbourhood seen through new eyes… whatever the situation inspires the artist to create.

Profits from the sale of Dreaming through the locking glass, which will be available for sale county and nationwide, will be split between Cumbrian NHS Trusts and local artistic groups, including Green Door; Space2Create; and the Eden Valley Artistic Network.

We would anticipate art from this project also becoming a touring exhibition in 2021.

Deadline for submitting work is midnight, Friday 29 May, 2020, though submissions are welcomed earlier.

*** THIS PROJECT HAS NOW CLOSED ***

We are delighted that our Windermere-based print broker, Latitude Press, has waived its commission so that more money can be given to the NHS and local arts organisations.