Open Call: World of Wearable Art Competition 2026 & Webinars

For more than 35 years, finalists in the World of WearableArt (WOW) Competition have captivated audiences at the annual WOW Show in Wellington, New Zealand. The event celebrates the fusion of art, design, fashion, and performance, offering designers a global platform to showcase their work and join an international creative community. The competition invites creators to push boundaries and craft extraordinary wearable artworks.

Each year, six themes are introduced to inspire creators. Three of these are recurring: Aotearoa, Avant-Garde, and Open. The remaining themes are unique to 2026: Metallic, Kinetic, and Bizarre Bra.

This year, there is also a series of live webinars, which will be recorded –

  • 9th of December 2025, 12 PM New Zealand Time = GMT + 13 (It is tonight at 11 PM, Irish Time) – From Everyday to Extraordinary: Your Guide to Bizarre Bra
  • 21st of January 2026, 6 PM New Zealand Time – Photography & Video: How to Capture Your Creation

The sign-ups for the webinars are here – https://www.worldofwearableart.com/content-hub/wow-webinars

There is an inspiring archive of past winners on the website – https://www.worldofwearableart.com/explore/wearableart-archive

The application deadline for designers outside of New Zealand is the 12th of February, 2026.

For more information, visit WOW’s website – https://www.worldofwearableart.com/competition/entry-information

Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For questions about content, please follow the link to the organisation involved in hosting the event.

Open Call: Loewe Foundation Craft Prize – Deadline the 30th of October

There is still time to apply to the annual international Loewe Foundation Craft Prize.

Even if you are not interested in applying, please take a look at the online exhibition of the previous winners and shortlisters of this fine craft award; their work is truly inspiring! Each listing includes a video tour of the artist’s studio. And while there doesn’t YET appear to be any works using the technique of feltmaking, there are makers who utilise other textile methods.

Here are three interesting examples:

The Loewe Foundation Craft Prize celebrates “excellence, artistic merit and newness in modern craftsmanship. A panel of experts will select the winning entry, which will receive a €50,000 prize, from a shortlist of 30 artists. All finalist works will be presented in an exhibition in Singapore, opening in spring 2026.”

Submissions are open until the 30th of October, 2025.

For more information, visit their website –https://craftprize.loewe.com/en/craftprize2026

Their Instagram: @loewefoundation

Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For questions about the content, please follow the link to the organisation hosting the event.

Open Call: Exhibitions for Municipal Gallery – dlr LexIcon – Co Dublin

The dlr (Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown County Council in Dublin) invites professional artists to apply for an exhibition in the Municipal Gallery, dlr Lexlcon.

This is an opportunity to apply for an exhibition featuring work that has already been created and does not have to be developed specifically for dlr LexIcon. But it must have been made within the last five years.

They will select three exhibitions, one for each year, from 2027 to 2029.

Additional Info:

  • One can apply if one is a professional artist living in Ireland, working in the visual arts or in contemporary fine art-led craft.
  • One can apply as an individual artist. One can apply as a group of artists who work together or as a group of artists who would like to exhibit together.
  • One can apply if you are a curator working with one or more artists.
  • One can apply as an arts organisation.

Please note that this Open Call Exhibition opportunity differs from their Visual Art Commission, which is for the creation of entirely new work. More info about THAT, here – https://www.dlrcoco.ie/arts/funding-opportunities/visual-art-commission-2027-2028-and-2029

Closing date for the Open Call: Monday, the 3rd of November, 2025 at 2 PM

Gallery information meetings: They will hold two information meetings to give interested artists a chance to hear about the Gallery and what is needed for this application:

  • In-person – There will be an in-person gallery visit with Arts Office staff on Tuesday, the 7th of October 2025, at 6 PM.
  • Online – There will be an online information meeting on Thursday, the 9th of October at 11:30 AM.

Please contact them by email arts@dlrcoco.ie or phone (01) 236 27 59 to book a place on one of these information meetings.

For further information and to apply, visit their website – https://www.dlrcoco.ie/arts/funding-opportunities/open-call-exhibitions-municipal-gallery-dlr-lexicon-2027-2028-and-2029

Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For questions about the content, please follow the link to the organisation hosting the event.

Open Call: InnLyte Studio Series – Short Documentary Videos about Wellness and Creativity

Open Call -artists and makers across Ireland - link between creativity and wellbeing.

Visual artists or makers based in Ireland, with a physical studio space, and who have experienced how creativity can support their wellbeing or mental health, are invited to participate in the InnLyte Studio Series of short documentary videos.

The InnLyte Studio Series focuses on visual artists and makers who work with materials like paint, sculpture, ceramics, printmaking, textiles, mixed media, or any other tactile, visual art forms.

This is an independent and self-funded project by Dee Stopa.

There’s no payment, but selected artists will receive professional photographs and be part of a meaningful conversation.

This open call is ongoing.

Previous documentaries about artists can be watched on YouTube, here – https://www.youtube.com/@InnLyte/videos

For more information, visit this website – https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd0eHT1xt6Rf8J3F2f8IH8P4HjSlRBttkPMcgWPugDs8mYGnQ/viewform

Their Instagram – @innlyte

Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For questions about content, please follow the link to the organisation involved in hosting the event.

Open Call: Irish Design Week – 17-21st of November

The Design and Crafts Council of Ireland (DCCI) is now accepting registrations for this year’s Design Week, which takes place from November 17th to 21st.

The DCCI invites designers, makers, educators, and creatives across Ireland to apply for funding to run events that reflect this year’s theme: “The ties that tie, and the links that link”

Your event can be a talk, exhibition, open studio, workshop or other activity.

The deadline for applications is the 12th of September, 2025.

For more information, visit their website – https://www.dcci.ie/whats-on/irish-design-week-2025/

Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For questions about the content, please follow the link to the organisation hosting the event.

Open Call: Loewe Foundation Craft Prize

This year’s annual international Loewe Foundation Craft Prize is now accepting applications.

Even if you are not interested in applying, please do check out the online exhibition of the previous winner and shortlisters of this fine craft award; their work is inspiring! Each listing includes a video tour of the artist’s studio. And while there doesn’t appear to be any works using the technique of feltmaking, there are some amazing textiles!

Here are just three examples:

The Loewe Foundation Craft Prize celebrates “excellence, artistic merit and newness in modern craftsmanship. A panel of experts will select the winning entry, which will receive a €50,000 prize, from a shortlist of 30 artists. All finalist works will be presented in an exhibition at Singapore, opening in spring 2026.”

Submissions are open until the 30th of October, 2025.

For more information, visit their website –https://craftprize.loewe.com/en/craftprize2026

Their Instagram: @loewefoundation

Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For questions about the content, please follow the link to the organisation hosting the event.

Open Call: Craftwork 4.0 All – Residencies in 12 European Countries

Craftwork 4.0 All has announced an opportunity for craft residencies in twelve countries across Europe, which will take place from November 2026 to Aug 2027. Detailed information on themes, places and conditions will be presented by Residency Hosts during the first online session.

Open to craftspeople from any EU country, the residencies can be held in the following countries: Bulgaria, Croatia, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden.

Residencies can be for one week, two weeks, or three weeks. The financial support for craft practitioners covers travel, accommodation, daily subsistence, and materials.

Deadline: Register by the 1st of September for the first online Zoom session, which is scheduled for the 19th of September, 2025.

For more information, visit their website – https://www.craftwork4all.com/residencies-onboarding/

Their Instagram: @craftwork4all

Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For questions about the content, please follow the link to the organisation hosting the event.

Open Call: Hunt Museum Annual Exhibition

The Hunt Museum in Limerick invites artists from across Ireland and beyond to submit work for its annual exhibition.

This inaugural show will offer a platform for both emerging and established artists to showcase their work. Submissions are invited from visual artists working in paint, photography, sculpture, print, drawing and mixed media.

The selected pieces will be exhibited at the Hunt Museum, providing artists with the opportunity to gain public exposure and engage with a diverse audience.

Submission deadline: Sunday, the 31st of August, 2025.

For more information, visit their website – https://www.huntmuseum.com/whats-on/hunt-museum-open-submission-exhibition/

Hunt Museum’s Instagram – @huntmuseum

Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For questions about the content, please follow the link to the organisation hosting the event.

Open Call: Full Circle Awards for Artists

The Full Circle Awards is a new initiative designed by Circular, i.e. and The Rediscovery Centre, to honour and celebrate the incredible efforts of everyday people who drive positive change through circular living.

They invite people nationwide for nominations to the Full Circle Awards — ordinary individuals making an extraordinary impact by promoting reuse, repair, recycling, and sustainable living in their communities.

There is a category for Creative Circular Artists: For those who transform waste materials into art, furniture, décor, or other creative expressions through upcycling.

Deadline: the 25th of July.

For more information, visit their website – https://www.circular.ie/full-circle-awards

Instagram: @circular_ie_ @rediscoveryctr

Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For questions about content, please follow the link to the organisation involved in hosting the event.

Open Call: Textile Artist Residencies – Norway

AiR Green - Tiltile Artist in Residency

Open Call 2026

AiR Green offers a residency program tailored for artists working with textile media at Søndre Green Farm, situated at the foot of the Norefjell mountain range in Krødsherad Municipality in Norway.

Through the program, AiR Green aims to provide space for focused work, support the development and dissemination of textile art, and foster connections between artists from around the world.

Air Green offers two residency formats: one for four artists for one month and Studio AiR Green, which is for a single artist for two months.

Residency periods for AiR Green 2026

Spring
AiR Green: April 15th – May 13th 2026
AiR Green Studio: April 15th – June 7th 2026

Fall
AiR Green: August 12th – September 9th 2026
AiR Green Studio: August 18th – October 7th 2026

Deadline: 1st of August, 2025.

For more information- https://www.norsketekstilkunstnere.no/air-green-kunstneropphold-pa-sondre-green/

Their Instagram – @airgreen3536

Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For questions about the content, please follow the link to the organisation hosting the event.