GERMINATOR 2026/27 — OPEN CALL

With the culmination of the current Germinator exhibition and degree show season underway, Haarlem Artspace and Playing Fields are pleased to announce the next iteration of the programme.

Germinator developed out of a growing concern around the shifting conditions of art education, particularly the widening gap between academic study and the realities of sustaining a practice beyond it. As courses come under increasing pressure and professional development is often sidelined, many graduates leave education without access to the networks, knowledge and context needed to navigate the art world.

Germinator is a small but direct response to this. The programme supports a group of recent graduates based in the East Midlands through a year of mentoring, dialogue and practical guidance, culminating in a group exhibition at Haarlem Artspace. Working closely with artists, the project focuses on building confidence, sharing knowledge and developing an understanding of how practices operate beyond the university environment.

The first iteration of Germinator has recently culminated in a group exhibition, and we are now looking ahead to the next cohort.

We are particularly interested in artists who are committed to developing their practice and are open to critical dialogue and long-term engagement.

If you graduated in the past few years and have a connection to the Midlands, we would like to hear from you.

Please send a short introduction and a link to your work to:
kris@haarlemartspace.co.uk

While we will continue to visit degree shows and make invitations directly, we also welcome artists getting in touch.

Tutors, lecturers and peers are encouraged to share the opportunity or recommend artists.

A downloadable poster is available — please share it within studios, universities and artist-led spaces.