Fringe Arts Wolverhampton 2026: Illuminate

Fringe Arts Wolverhampton 2026: Illuminate

27–29 November 2026

Following a successful inaugural festival in 2025, Fringe Arts Wolverhampton returns this November—bigger, bolder and more ambitious.

This year, our theme is Illuminate.

Alongside the return of our much-loved light trail and lantern parade, we invite artists, makers and communities to explore how creativity can shine a light on the ideas, actions and stories shaping a more sustainable future.

We are seeking work that responds to themes including:

• Climate change and environmental futures

• Sustainability and circular economies

• Eco-activism and environmental justice

• Community-led initiatives and collective action

• Making, mending and repair cultures

• Handmade practices, reuse and upcycling

• Restoration, renewal and regeneration

• Self-care, stewardship and citizenship

• Stories that reconnect us with nature

• The beauty of the natural world

Whether through performance, making, exhibitions, workshops or shared experiences, we welcome imaginative proposals that inspire connection, conversation and positive change.

Explore the application strands below to find the opportunity that's right for you.

Festival Venues

Fringe Arts Wolverhampton 2026 will take place across a range of city centre venues.

Our three main exhibition venues are:

• The Grand Palace

• St Peter's Collegiate Church

• Mander Centre Community Hub

The Black Country Artisan Fair will take place separately in the main Mander Centre Hall on 28 November 2026.

Application Strands

Performers

We're looking for creatives to programme events in venues and public spaces along the festival route.

Think spoken word, live music, DJ sets, storytelling, artist talks, workshops, film screenings and other small-scale cultural events.

Do you already have a relationship with an independent city centre venue you'd like to collaborate with? Great. If not, we'll work with you to connect with local businesses and spaces.

Successful applicants will receive a seed commission of £250 per programme to support the delivery of their event.

Please note that this is a seed commission intended to support small-scale events and existing work rather than the creation of new large-scale productions.

Paraders

Come and represent your community.

Join Gatis Community Space CIC for our spectacular lantern parade, bringing together creativity, light and collective action to celebrate the diversity of Wolverhampton.

We welcome individuals, community groups, schools, dance troupes, historical re-enactment groups, cultural organisations, special interest groups, creative collectives and communities united by a shared passion, identity or cause.

We're looking for performers and groups who can bring movement, music, costume, cultural traditions, creative expression or a unique visual identity to the parade.

You can apply in one of three ways:

• As a performer – for dancers, musicians, movement groups and other performers who would like to be featured within the parade.

• As a group or collective – for community organisations, special interest groups and creative communities who want to take part together.

• As a lantern bearer – members of the public who would like to carry a lantern and join the procession. Registration for lantern bearers will open in end of July 2026.

Whether you're part of a knitting circle, climate action group, cycling collective, rave community, mascot team or cultural organisation, we'd love to hear from you.

Makers

We are offering six subsidised places at the Black Country Artisan Fair, taking place in the main Mander Centre Hall on 28 November 2026.

Black Country Artisan Fair are seeking talented creators and crafters, designers and makers who want to showcase and sell their artwork to the public. All submissions must be handmade, not sourced or crafted from craft kits. (This is because many kits are licensed for home use only and cannot be resold.)

Our goal is to support small artisans who can’t afford their first show at a larger market.

We recognise that stall fees can be a barrier for emerging creatives, so Fringe Arts will cover the cost of your place at the market.

Applicants should be based in or connected to Wolverhampton and the wider Black Country.

Makers are expected to hold their own Public Liability Insurance (PLI). If you do not currently have PLI, please get in touch before applying, as we may be able to extend cover under our own policy in some circumstances.

Black Country Artisan Fairs has been running since 2018, initially under a different name. However, the original founder, That’s Sew Becky, has been dedicated to supporting small businesses across the Black Country since the beginning.

Showcases

Calling all visual artists.

We are looking for existing artwork to be exhibited across our three main festival venues: The Grand Palace, St Peter's Collegiate Church and Mander Centre Community Hub.

We welcome submissions across all visual art forms that respond to the festival theme Illuminate.

Themes might include:

• Climate change and environmental futures

• Sustainability and circular economies

• Community-led initiatives and collective action

• Making, mending and repair cultures

• Restoration, renewal and regeneration

• Self-care, stewardship and citizenship

• Stories that reconnect us with nature

• The beauty of the natural world

Please submit images of the work you would like to exhibit, along with a brief description.

An Inclusive Access Fund is available for artists who may need additional support to participate.

This funding can contribute towards costs such as transport, printing, framing, access requirements or caring responsibilities. Awards will be made on a case-by-case basis according to need.

How to Apply

Please submit all proposals by the end of the day on Friday 21 August 2026 to:

info@theasylumartgallery.com

Applications will be reviewed over the following weekend, and successful applicants will be notified shortly afterwards.

Please include:

• The opportunity strand you are applying for in the email subject line

• A brief summary of your proposal

• Supporting images, website links or social media profiles

• Details of any support you may need from us

• An indication of whether you would like to apply to the Inclusive Access Fund

We are committed to making Fringe Arts Wolverhampton accessible and inclusive. If you have any access requirements or need support to apply, please get in touch.

Fringe Arts Wolverhampton 2026 is funded by Arts Council England and Enjoy Wolverhampton BID, Produced by Asylum Artist Quarter in partnership with Gatis Community Space.