RivelinCo X Open Up Sheffield 2026: Early-Career Artist Opportunity

RivelinCo are once more partnering with Open Up Sheffield to provide two FREE spaces in their May programme, and free exhibition/studio space at RivelinCo’s new space in Hillsborough. This opportunity is for early-career artists living in S5 or S6 who have never been part of Open Up Sheffield before, and who don’t currently have their own studio space.

Open Up Sheffield is an open studio weekend for artists and makers to showcase their work to the public over two May weekends: 2/3/4 May, and 9/10 May 2026. Open Up Sheffield showcase the artists and their open studios in a digital and print programme which is distributed across the city. It’s an exciting opportunity for artists to share their work with a broader audience, make new artistic connections, and sell their wares.
RivelinCo is an arts organisation based out of a shopfront on Middlewood Road. Part of the shop front is a shared community space, in which we host activities and events throughout the year.

If selected, you’ll temporarily take over RivelinCo’s newly renovated creative community space at 96-100 Middlewood Road, which will be shared with one other artist. You can exhibit your work and use the space as a working studio. Over the two Open Up Sheffield weekends, the public will be able to visit your work, watch your process, and potentially purchase your work if you would like to sell.

Nya Gwasira was one of RivelinCo's Open Up artists in 2025. She says "meeting other artists and people who value art helped pull me out of isolation and reconnect with a creative community. Since Open Up Sheffield, I've been building my portfolio and developing my practice, gaining a deeper understanding of who I am as an artist and the direction I want to grow in. This opportunity gave me the confidence to take new steps, including applying for grants and accepting commissions."

What will I get?
· Up to 3 days of in-kind prep and setup time at RivelinCo, 29 April – 1 May 2026
· Support with thinking about how you’ll present your work, and free loan of relevant RivelinCo equipment such as a projector or display boards. Please note we may not be able to provide everything you’ll need to display your work, but we may be able to help you find contacts you can borrow from.
· Five days of open studio exhibition time at RivelinCo 2/3/4 May and 9/10 May 2026 as part of Open Up Sheffield, 11am-5pm each day (you will need to be available for all of this time)
· Free profile in the Open Up Sheffield print and digital programme (usually £85)
· Free marketing on the RivelinCo and Open Up Sheffield websites, newsletters and social media
· Discounted a-n membership, including public liability insurance cover
· Access to the Open Up Sheffield facebook groups and networking opportunities
· An optional paid opportunity to lead a workshop inspired by your artistic practice with the RivelinCo Young Creatives group.

To apply, please complete this short form by 5pm on Monday 2 February 2026.

The form will ask for some contact details, some links to your website/social media if you have them, some ‘profile’ information for Open Up Sheffield (like a biography), and 3 main questions:

· Please describe your artistic practice: what do you make and why?
· Why are you interested in this opportunity, and what difference will it make for you?
· Please describe what you would like to do and present over the Open Up Sheffield weekend? For example, this might be a description of the type of work you'll exhibit, and any artistic activities you might carry out for people to watch or chat about when they visit.

If you would like to apply in an alternative format such as video or audio, please get in touch before the deadline by emailing recruitment@rivelinco.org to arrange this.

We will respond to all applicants by Thursday 5 February at the latest. Good luck!