Earlier this week we launched the fifth edition of our Creative Croydon outdoor exhibition again teaming up with Croydon BID and local design studio 31% Wool (er, our day job) – this year with a refreshed banner design and a new look to mark a new chapter for the project.
Are you a creative living, working or studying in Croydon? Would you like the chance to publicly exhibit your work across the town centre? If so, this competition is for you. Your work could be displayed on lamppost banners around central Croydon later this summer.
Across Creative Croydon’s four editions, we’ve showcased 18 local artists and 54 different artworks, transforming public spaces into open-air galleries and celebrating the borough’s creativity in all its forms.
This year follows the format of 2024 and 2025 with an open call for artists and a £750 commission for the three successful entrants.
Read on to get inspired, find out about this year’s panel of judges, as well as the info on how to enter. The all important deadline is Tuesday 9 June.
Artist and 2026 judge, Alec Saunders says of the exhibition,
‘For me, the Creative Croydon banners project is a brilliant opportunity to celebrate local creativity and provide a much needed platform for local artists. It represents pride, identity and the power of public art and brings positivity and a sense of belonging to Croydon. It’s also really special to see my work displayed in the place I live, especially when I’m walking around with my daughter and we can experience it together.’
Croydon BID CEO Matthew Sims, adds,
‘We are fortunate to have such a rich wealth of creative talent across our borough – talent that deserves to be celebrated and shared with everyone. Creative Croydon is a unique open-air art gallery, giving local artists the opportunity to showcase their work across our town centre. We welcome local artists to get involved and submit their work for a chance to be featured as part of Creative Croydon, as we look to bring colour, vibrancy and energy to our streets this summer.’
OUR 2026 JUDGES
Alec Saunders: exhibited in Creative Croydon 2025
Alec fuses cultural voices with sustainable practice, transforming walls into living mirrors of our shared humanity. More than images, Alec’s work purifies the air, reclaims discarded materials, and celebrates diversity while committing to the planet we share. Art for All. Art for Tomorrow.
Alex Mouette: exhibited in Creative Croydon 2025
Alex is currently attending The BRIT School for Performing Arts and Technology, where they are studying Digital Arts. Prior to that, they were home-educated. Alex has lived in Croydon all their life. Since a young age, they have always been passionate about digital artwork, which they have experimented with in a variety of ways.
Autumn Ng Fong Tiao: exhibited in Creative Croydon 2024
Autumn finds inspiration in the many interesting details, atmospheres and textures of Croydon, now exploring and expanding their creative practice in Manchester.
Erika Gomez: exhibited in Creative Croydon 2024
Growing up in Croydon Erika has been able to see Croydon’s art scene evolve, which inspires her and a lot of her art projects which is why being part of this exhibition is like a full circle moment.
Iulia Taropa: exhibited in Creative Croydon 2024
Iulia has been creating, breaking, reassembling and experimenting with art since childhood. While still exploring different creative paths, she has taken a recent interest in printmaking and textiles. Iulia has loved seeing the streets of Croydon brightened by the work of many talented artists with a wide range of styles.
Shirley Shephard: exhibited in Creative Croydon 2025
Shirley is a retired primary school teacher and has lived in Croydon all her life. She enjoys drawing and painting in water colours. Shirley used to do botanical illustration but now concentrates on portraying the natural world in general, as she is passionate about the environment.
DETAILS ON ENTERING
What to enter:
Three pieces of art (in any static medium). These can be existing works or pieces created specifically for the competition. Your art does not need to directly reference Croydon, and there is no set theme – other than feeling vibrant and helping brighten our town centre’s streets this summer.
Deadline:
Tuesday 9 June, 5pm
Format:
Artwork will need to be supplied or cropped to portrait format (see full entry details).
The selection process:
All entries will be judged by a panel of artists (who have shown work in previous Creative Croydon exhibitions). Three artists will be chosen for this year’s exhibition.
The successful entrants:
The three chosen artists will each receive a £750 commission for their work to be exhibited across Croydon’s lamppost banners.
How to enter:
Read full details, download a template and fill out the entry form on the 31% Wool website here.
We wish all entrants the very best of luck and can’t wait to see this year’s art.
In situ exhibition photography by Glenn Foster, courtesy of Croydon BID.
Posted by Julia
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