unfold: fabrica x sussex contemporary

Fabrica have partnered with Sussex Contemporary to present a UK-wide judged open call for contemporary artists, with selected work exhibited at Fabrica in Brighton in April 2027.

To unfold is to reveal, develop or become. It suggests the gradual opening of something previously hidden: an idea taking shape, a story coming into focus, a landscape changing, a relationship evolving or a creative practice growing over time.

Unfold can be personal or collective, deliberate or unexpected, quiet or profound.

We’re interested in work that explores process as much as outcome, and in the ways people, places, materials and experiences shift, connect and transform.

Your response might consider moments of change, resilience and renewal; acts of discovery or becoming; or the ways identities, memories and futures continue to unfold. You might approach the theme through the natural world, social or political change, or the unfolding qualities of time, movement and narrative.

These are just starting points. Unfold is intended as an invitation, not a constraint. We’re looking for thoughtful, imaginative and unexpected responses to the theme, across all forms of contemporary practice.

This open call is a chance to bring your work into conversation with other artists and with audiences at Fabrica - an arts organisation in the heart of Brighton with a long history of presenting contemporary art, film and participatory projects.