Do you live in an SS postcode? If so, keep an eye on our social media in October, when we invite applications from new artists. There will be an online form to submit and you will need to send us three photos of your work.

Download a pdf with our new artist information for further details.

APPLICATIONS FOR 2026 ARE NOW CLOSED.

Your work needs to bring something new to the Trail. You are more likely to be successful if you can show us something different or that we feel is under represented on the Trail.

New artists are selected by a panel of judges that may include art buyers, gallery owners, art teachers and interior designers.

Stage one: A tick list is emailed to each judge together with the photographs and application forms from the candidates. The judges are informed as to how many candidates they can select to put forward to stage two. Once each judge has independently made their selection, they email their completed form back. Votes from all the judges are collated and the candidates with the highest number of votes go forward to stage two.

Stage two: The candidates that have been selected for stage two are emailed and asked to deliver two pieces of work along with any additional information they want to be given to the judges. On arrival of their work our representative explains the procedure to the candidate and answers any questions they might have. Each judge books a time to view the work independently and completes a stage two tick list. 

Selection as a Trail artist guarantees a place for one year. If all goes well, you will be invited to exhibit annually. Artists can take a year off at any point, in consultation with the Leigh Art Trail team. If an artist takes off two years in a row, they would need to reapply if they wished to return to the Trail.

We are always looking for new venues. Please get in touch using the venue application form. Our aim is to match venues with the most suitable artists for the space available. Our Venues Team will liaise with you, put you in touch with the artist and do their best to help everything run smoothly. For information on the venue and artist requirements you can download this pdf Leigh Art Trail venue info.

The Leigh Art Trail is a volunteer-run, not-for-profit organisation funded by artist subscription. Our venues are not paid for providing exhibition space and do not take commission on artists' sales.

Every Leigh Art Trail artist donates one piece of original work each year to go into the Secret Auction. These go on display in the artist's venue. Visitors are invited to decide how much they would like to bid, fill out a card and post it in the venue’s Secret Auction box. The highest bidder at the end of the Trail is contacted by phone or text message. They make their payment and the artist contacts them directly to arrange delivery. All money raised by the Secret Auction is used to cover the Leigh Art Trail's costs.