Discover Baltic Open Submission 2026 at Fenwick Newcastle
Celebrating Emerging North East Artists and Their Work
Baltic Open Submission 2026 brings together a broad range of artistic practices, including painting, sculpture, photography, video and more, showcasing the work of creatives from across the North East of England. Now open to visitors, the exhibition offers the chance to discover the region’s emerging artistic talent and experience their work in person.
Baltic Open Submission 2026 is on display from 19 September 2026 until May 2027.
Discover the Young Artists supported by Fenwick (Ages 11–17)
This year also marks the launch of the Youth Open Call supported by Fenwick, showcasing work from young people aged 11–17.
Young artists responded to the theme ‘Local’, exploring local places, stories and viewpoints through their work. From streets and schools to parks, neighbourhoods and coastlines, the theme invited young artists to explore the places and moments that feel meaningful to them.
The selected works are now on display alongside artworks from the general open call as part of Baltic Open Submission 2026, giving visitors the opportunity to discover the creativity of young artists from across the North East.
As part of the award, Fenwick is supporting artistic talent by giving these artists a platform in-store. The mini exhibition is now open in the new Concierge space at Fenwick Newcastle, running from 18th September to 1st November. The original artwork from our first-place artist is displayed in person, alongside scanned versions of the runners-up pieces, giving visitors the chance to discover each artist’s interpretation of ‘Local’ and the stories behind their work.
Fenwick Art Award — 1st Place
Elizabeth (17)
Riverside (2026)
Medium: Painting on board
Dimensions: H25.4 x W20.1 cm
Artist statement: “I was inspired by the autumn light in a photo I took while on a walk in Wooler with my best friend, leading me to paint this oil painting. It reminds me of happy memories spent together and many more to come.”
Fenwick Art Award — Runner Up
Henry (11)
Around the Tyne (2026)
Medium: Digital photograph on paper, aluminium frame
Dimensions: H50 x W40 cm
Artist statement: “I love visiting the Quayside and wanted to find a unique way to capture the wonder of all the elements that make it what it is in one image. A 360° camera enabled me to do this in a fun way, combining the historic features with the contemporary ones. I love that this image makes the Quayside look like a unique world of its own!”
Fenwick Art Award — Runner Up
Jason (14)
Untitled (2026)
Medium: Water-based paint and marker on paper
Dimensions: H49 x W39 cm
Artist statement: “This is a painting of a cat which always sits outside of my house in Walker. Created specifically for the Open Call, I painted it in a loose, expressive style which was inspired by Chinese art, which is where my family are—I wanted to combine the idea of 'local' across two continents.”
Visit Fenwick Newcastle from 18th September to 1st November to discover the Fenwick Art Award and experience the work of this year’s emerging artists for yourself.
