Open Call: Memory of a Free Festival
Ormston House welcomes submissions for the Limerick iteration of Memory of a Free Festival through our free Membership Scheme for artists. For this opportunity, we invite members living and/or working on the island of Ireland to propose existing artwork(s) for inclusion in a group exhibition at Ormston House from April to June 2026.
The deadline for submissions is Saturday, 29 November at 6pm.
Memory of a Free Festival is a touring exhibition and event programme presented by Ormston House, launching in spring of 2026. Our project draws on and rejoins Anti-Nuclear festivals that took place annually in Carnsore Point, Wexford on Ireland’s south-east coast between 1978 and 1981.
Organised by a coalition of political and environmental activists, the now-legendary festivals were attended by thousands unified by a shared opposition to what would have been Ireland’s first nuclear power plant. Unprecedented in the cultural and political history of the nation, these festivals were a testament to the potential of people power and music as catalysts for social change.
Featuring artworks by Orla Barry, Brian Duggan, and Alanna O’Kelly, Memory of a Free Festival launches with an event at Project Arts Centre, Dublin in March 2026. The exhibition will open at Ormston House in April and move to Wexford Arts Centre and Uillinn: West Cork Arts Centre. Each iteration of the exhibition will be accompanied by site-responsive facets. This open call is for the Limerick iteration of the exhibition only.
Who?
Artists must be living or working on the island of Ireland and must also be a member of Ormston House. We welcome submissions from artists working in any medium and at any stage of their career. Full information on our free Membership Scheme is available here.
What?
Artists can submit up to three existing artworks for consideration. Due to the spatial restrictions, large-scale sculpture, installations, and environments cannot be accepted. We welcome durational artforms, events, performances, and screenings.
While we are not prescriptive, we are looking for artworks that resonate with the thematics, concerns, and research underpinning this exhibition. Therefore, we encourage submissions that refer to particular themes. These could include but are not restricted to:
countercultural, DIY, and grassroots movements
art as activism
the case for/against nuclear power
festivals as site of alternative social order
music as catalyst for social and political change
Irish energy infrastructures
Please send us a single PDF document (max. 10MB) to info@ormstonhouse.com with the subject heading “Memory of a Free Festival”, including:
an artist’s statement: tell us about your practice (max. 250 words)
a work statement: tell us about the artwork you are proposing (max. 250 words per artwork)
documentation of the proposed artwork(s) (photograph, video, text, sketch, sound file, weblink, etc.), including title, year, medium, dimensions or duration
installation and technical instructions
any other relevant information
A biography and CV are not required.
When?
The deadline for submissions is Saturday, 29 November 2025 at 6pm. Late submissions will not be processed. Submissions exceeding the 10MB limit will not be processed. Artists will be notified by late December. The exhibition will run from April to June 2026.
Where?
The exhibition will take place at Ormston House, 9–10 Patrick Street, Limerick city, V94 V089. We will promote the exhibition and share documentation on our website and social media channels.
How?
The artworks will be selected by the Ormston House team. Selected artists will receive an artist fee of a minimum of €1000. A separate budget for transport and/or logistics can be negotiated with Ormston House. If you have any questions, please email us at info@ormstonhouse.com.