Wells Art Contemporary (WAC) is an international competition showcasing innovative visual art across all genres. Established in 2012 and open to artists worldwide, WAC offers a unique opportunity to exhibit in the magnificent setting of Wells Cathedral — often described as “the most poetic of the English cathedrals” and the first Gothic cathedral in England. This beautiful space welcomes 18,000 monthly visitors and offers an inspiring welcome to all artists, regardless of creed, with its pale stone, ethereal light and soaring architecture. The 2025 exhibition will run from 8 October to 1 November 2025. All entries will be considered by a prestigious panel of selectors, and artists will have the chance to win a wide range of prizes, including cash awards, residencies, mentoring, and more. Work may also be offered for sale during the exhibition. There are two ways to participate:
- Exhibit in the Gallery: Selected artworks will be shown in a white-wall gallery specially built within the Cathedral cloisters. Work in any medium—including painting, drawing, sculpture, print, photography, video, digital, textile, and mixed media—will be considered. The WAC team will handle the hanging and display of all works.
- Create a Site-Specific Installation: Artists are invited to propose installations for the Cathedral’s interior or grounds, creating work that directly engages with this extraordinary space. If selected, artists will install their own work.
WAC
Up to twenty artists will be offered the opportunity to create site specific works to respond to locations within the cathedral.
For the first time there is a suggested theme for the Installations; this year it will be ‘Flowing Light’. Some thoughts on this theme, from the Canon Chancellor of Wells Cathedral, can be found here.
“Flowing Light” was the image of transformation envisioned and articulated by the Christian medieval mystic Mechtild of Magdeburg. The first to write of spiritual visions in Low German, this creative woman opened up Christian imagery and mystical experience to a broad range of people amongst whom she lived in the thirteenth century. She wrote passionately of the flow of divinity into humanity, so her revelations present shimmering pictures of the divine-human encounter and the possibility of a transformative relationship in abundant life-giving streams channelled with beauty and vibrancy between humanity and God.
The Revd Dr Megan Daffern, Canon Chancellor
Artists are encouraged to interpret this theme broadly to inspire their work, and proposals that work with the theme will be favoured.
The available installations sites are described, with photos and measurements. Artists are encouraged to visit the cathedral in person.
The deadline to enter your Installation proposal is 1st July 2025.
Selected artists will be informed on 1st August 2025.
INSTALLATION SITES
The possible sites for installations are listed below to find out more click read more:
ENTRY
Artists based in the UK or internationally, who are over the age of 18 on 1 January 2025 are invited to apply. Entry is by online submission via this website.
All entrants are asked to ensure they have read the Rules and Guidelines before entering.
Entry Fee is £30 per work. Artists may enter up to 4 works. If you enter fewer but wish to add more before the deadline please log in and click Add Entry.
Artworks will be chosen by an independent team of experienced selectors. To give all installations sufficient space, and to create a narrative, it is possible that not all of the available sites will be filled. In this regard, the decision of the selectors and of Wells Cathedral is final.
The installation selectors will consider ideas in any medium and of any appropriate size. Your initial submission should say:
- Which of the available sites you would like to use
- How your installation will respond to that specific site
- Outline how your work responds to the theme
Please also supply
- an image, sketch/drawing or photo (no more than 5MB) of your proposed work/idea, up to 4 additional supporting images, at your discretion.
- The title, medium, and dimensions of the whole artwork
- The selling price of the whole artwork, noting that a 45% commission will be levied by WAC. Note that this year installations can only be listed for sale as a whole. The listing and sale of the individual pieces of an installation will not be allowed.
At the discretion of WAC, there may be some funds available to assist artists with the costs of getting their artworks to and from Wells Cathedral.
IMPORTANT NOTES
- See the KEY DATES section for the dates on which artworks must be installed and removed. Wells Cathedral have other events before and after WAC and set-up and take-down schedule for the show is tight. Therefore there can be no flexibility on these dates.
- It is the responsibility of the artist and any assistants they bring to complete the installation and take-down of their work themselves. The WAC team will be available before and during the process to advise on access etc.
- Artists are responsible for insuring their work while it is on display.
- Individual installations will not be directly supervised by WAC stewards during the show.
THE
Laura Moffat
Laura Moffatt is Director of Art and Christianity and Editor of its quarterly journal. She leads on A+C’s regular programme of high-profile events, exhibitions and publications for diverse audiences. Laura is also co-editor of ‘Contemporary Art in British Churches’ (ACE, 2009) and the forthcoming title ‘Visual Communion’ (Brepols, 2025), and writes on art and architecture for a variety of publications. She is a member of the Church Buildings Council for the Church of England and of the London DAC.
Cathy De Monchaux
Cathy De Monchaux (born & lives in London) is a renowned British sculptor known for her intricate and evocative works. She studied at Camberwell School of Art (1979–1983) and Goldsmiths College (1985–1987) and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Sculptors.
Shortlisted for the Turner Prize in 1998 for her solo exhibition at Whitechapel Gallery, De Monchaux has exhibited widely in prestigious institutions across the UK, France, the USA, and globally, with works held in major public and private collections, including Tate, the Arts Council, and the Hirshhorn Museum. Her public commissions include installations at Cullercoats Railway Station in Newcastle upon Tyne and Newnham College, Cambridge. She continues to live and work in London.
Image credit: Anthony Lycett
THE
Prizes will be awarded to either Gallery or Installation artworks, according to the decision of the selectors. There will be a number of bursaries award on a case by case basis.
- Howden Art Award: £2,000 awarded to one artist
- NG Art Creative Residency*: The NG Art Creative Residency Prize aims to discover and celebrate emerging and established creative talents from a variety of disciplines. The prize winner will receive a free three-week placement at the NG Art Creative Residency in Provence. This includes board and lodging, studio space, mentorship and residency-related outings.
- Jane Bowe Memorial Prize: £500 to a work by a Somerset artist chosen by Martin Bowe.
- The Grace Student Prize: £250 awarded to a current fine art student aged under 26 enrolled on a recognised Bachelor or Masters Fine Arts course.
- Parker Harris Mentoring Prize*: Parker Harris will give a one-to-one mentoring session covering all aspects of professional development to a selected artist.
- Somerset Art Works Mentoring Prize: one-to-one mentoring session covering all aspects of professional development to a selected artist.
- St Cuthberts Mill Award: 20 sheets of Saunders Waterford 300gsm worth over £120 will be awarded to an artist who works on paper.
- People’s Choice Prize: £500 will be awarded to the artwork which received the most public votes.
For further details on all the prizes please read the Rules and Guidelines
* Please tick the box on the Entry Form if you wish to be considered for this Prize.
KEY
| Submissions deadline | 5pm, 1 July 2025 |
| Artists notified of selectors’ decision | 1 August 2025 |
| Delivery and erection of installation artworks in Wells Cathedral. |
from Monday 29 September to Tuesday 7 October 2025 Limited availability Sunday 5 October 2025 Installations proposed for sites 18, 19 & 20 cannot be installed until Tuesday 30 September 2025 |
| Private View |
9 October 2025, 7pm |
| Cathedral Show open to the Public | Wednesday 8 October - Saturday 1 November 2025 |
| Removal of artwork installations |
Monday 3 November or Tuesday 4 November 2025 Installations proposed for sites 15, 16, 18, 19 & 20 can only be removed on Monday 3 November |
Installation artists are reminded that all their work must be removed from the Cathedral strictly on the take-down dates shown above.
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