Calling all lockdown creatives!

The Art of Isolation is an exhibition to showcase the rich and varied productivity of people during lockdown.

We are inviting submissions from all walks of creative life, from fine art to crafts and even DIY projects, to take part in this post-lockdown group show in a real-life, bricks-and mortar gallery.

That can be work that has already been made, or work you are in the process of making, or work you make specifically for this exhibition.

It is not just for artists, but also for showcasing those projects or hobbies we are particularly proud of, in a broad range of creativity exploring how our individual yet shared experience of socially distancing has affected our output.

One section of the London exhibition will be to show the life drawings and portraits which have been produced remotely through the Zoom sessions which have sprung up.

We would also love to see the view from your home or your studio – self-portraits, or landscapes captured from windows, still lifes, especially those of objects unusual or apt for the time.

Sculpture, film, music, multi-media and photography are all welcome, and there will be a special section devoted to collaborations.

But we are also looking for creations that might not traditionally be viewed as art, but have been made with the same pride, passion and intensity of an artwork. And it is about the story of its creation.

So far, the more irreverent entries have include a motorcycle exhaust pipe, which the owner restored over a number of weeks, a pair of jeans whose knees have been lovingly patched up with red thread, and a hollowed-out sourdough loaf which represents a new baker’s journey through hundreds of loaves to reach perfection.

Get involved! Tell us your stories about your creative outlets. Everything will be considered, the weirder the better!

The exhibition will run from July 18 to August 1 at the Surrey Quays Shopping Centre, which we are returning to following a successful show last year. We will be respecting the socially distancing regulations in the gallery, and at the private view.

Submit your work HERE, or on the homepage of this site. Entry fee is £15 (£25 for larger work).

We are unlikely to refuse any work into the show, but we reserve the right to do so.

Deadline for submissions is July 4. We look forward to seeing your work!