The Art Makers

About the Project

The Art Makers Exhibition began as the International Artists Award, an open call created to bring artists together in one shared space. It was set up to give artists a chance to show their work and be seen, no matter where they are based or where they are in their journey. From the start, the goal was simple: to make room for real people and the work they are making. It was never about fitting into a specific style or expectation, but about creating a place where different practices could exist side by side.

The artists in this exhibition come from many different countries and backgrounds. Some are early in their practice, while others have been making work for years and have developed a steady rhythm in their work. They all work differently and use different materials, but they are connected by the act of making. Each artist brings something personal, shaped by their own experiences, routines, and ways of seeing the world. These differences are not smoothed out or made uniform; they are what give the exhibition its range and depth.

The works selected through the open call showcase a diverse range of ideas and approaches. There is no single theme guiding the exhibition, and no expected way for the work to be read. Instead, each artwork is given space to exist on its own terms. When viewed together, the works sit side by side, forming a collection of individual voices rather than a single message. This allows the exhibition to feel open, with room for many interpretations.

The exhibition is online, so the work can be seen from anywhere in the world. This format removes the need for physical travel and makes the exhibition easier to access. It also allows artists and viewers to connect across distance, time zones, and different contexts. The online space becomes a shared meeting point where the work can live and be revisited.

Alongside the online exhibition, the works are also presented in a printed publication, The Great Book of Art Makers. The book offers a slower, more personal way to spend time with the artworks, away from screens. It allows readers to return to the work, notice details, and sit with it at their own pace. Together, the exhibition and the book create a lasting record of the artists, their work, and this shared experience.

Exhibition Note

A Virtual Exhibition from The Great Book Of Art Makers

Welcome to The Art Makers Exhibition, a space where ideas slowly come together and find their form. Each artwork carries a sense of curiosity and care, shaped by time spent thinking, trying, and responding to the materials at hand. Some pieces grow through careful experiments, others through more instinctive and unexpected choices. In each case, the work reflects a quiet exchange between the artist and what they are making.

The focus here is on noticing the small things. Textures, marks, gestures, and details appear again and again across the exhibition. Some works feel calm and inward, while others feel open and full of energy. Some invite you closer, while others hold you at a distance. Together, they create a shared presence shaped by different lives, cultures, and ways of understanding the world.

Meaning in this exhibition does not ask to be solved or explained. It forms through what catches your attention and what stays with you after. A work may remind you of something personal, or it may simply bring a feeling that is hard to name. These responses are part of how the artworks continue to live, carried forward by each viewer.

The exhibition also makes space for the relationships between the works. When they sit together, quiet connections begin to appear. A small detail in one piece may feel more noticeable next to something bold in another. These moments of contrast and familiarity help the works feel connected, as if they are aware of one another.

At its core, The Art Makers Exhibition rests in the space between making and seeing. It honours curiosity, imagination, and the care that goes into paying attention.