---
title: "The 2020s: Sacred Brands and Disposable Icons, Presented With Limited Ad Interruptions"
description: Open call for Fringe Arts Bath Festival 2026 group exhibition exploring the 2020s through a future historian's lens. International, free to apply.
url: https://www.artsume.com/programs/eddf3de5-77ba-40de-bf5b-ccc4b756fa65
type: program
status: closed
createdAt: "2026-03-30"
updatedAt: "2026-10-21"
programType: Exhibition
organization: Fringe Arts Bath
organizationUrl: https://www.artsume.com/o/fringe-arts-bath
deadline: "2026-04-11"
location: Fringe Arts Bath Festival, Bath, United Kingdom
isOnline: false
compensationRange: No payment to artists; selected artists contribute £25 and their time. Some art supplies funding may be available through FaB.
disciplines:
  - conceptual art
  - installation
  - mixed media
  - painting
  - printmaking
  - sculpture
  - ceramics
  - photography
  - performance
  - textile
  - digital art
careerStages:
  - Emerging artist
---

# The 2020s: Sacred Brands and Disposable Icons, Presented With Limited Ad Interruptions

**Hosted by:** Fringe Arts Bath

**Type:** Exhibition | **Location:** Fringe Arts Bath Festival, Bath, United Kingdom | **Deadline:** April 11, 2026

## About This Program

> "The 2020s reimagined as a history exhibition created by a far-future society with limited knowledge of our time — mythologizing brands, icons, and culture of the 2020s"

Now accepting artists to participate in The 2020s: Sacred Brands and Disposable Gods, Presented With Limited Ad Interruptions. This exhibition is part of Fringe Arts Bath Festival 2026.

Exhibition Concept
The exhibition will be structured as a history exhibition on the 2020s, imagined as if it was created by a society in the far distant future with limited knowledge of our time. Imagine a society as far removed from us as we are from the Babylonians; what fragments of us would remain and how would those pieces be molded to construct the narratives of the distant future?

About Fringe Arts Bath
Fringe Arts Bath (FaB) is a test-bed for new ideas, a platform for early-career curators & artists, and those who prefer to operate outside of the gallery-based arts scene. FaB aims to raise the profile of contemporary visual arts in Bath and beyond. FaB festival is a free, 2 week festival putting art in unusual places in unexpected ways for people to happen across and interact with, with exhibitions, interventions and events based in Bath, UK.

Creative Prompt for Artists
Imagine you are an archeologist in the future. Reinterpret and mis-imagine relics for a history exhibit on the historical period of the 2020s. Were the Hollywood Stars a memorial to fallen soldiers? Were minions household spirits? Artists are invited to playfully explore the biased and messy nature of writing history by creating objects, images, performances or text that mis-interpret or mythologize the 2020s as seen by a future culture.

Timeline, Eligibility and Fees
March/April 2026: Artists selected
April 2026: Artists will receive a contract
15-22 May 2026: Exhibition set-up
22 May 2026 (6pm-late): FaB Festival Preview/Opening Night Arty Party
23 May-6 June 2026: Fringe Arts Bath Festival
7 June: All work removed and spaces cleared

Everyone can submit, from anywhere in the world. Deadline Fri 10 April 2026 at 23:59 GMT. It's free to apply. If you are selected, FaB will ask for a £25 contribution and some of your time.

## Eligibility & Requirements

- **Career Stage:** Emerging artist
- **Geographic Eligibility:** International
- **Disciplines:** conceptual art, installation, mixed media, painting, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, photography, performance, textile, digital art
- **Note:** Open to everyone worldwide. Virtual reality experiences or anything requiring visitors to wear a VR headset will not be accepted. AI-generated work is accepted if stated.

### Additional Requirements

Required: contact information and a proposal (~500 words) responding to the Creative Prompt, including two or more ideas for artwork. Optional: portfolio media of previous work, CV, relevant previous experience. Proposal can be submitted as a PDF, PowerPoint, video, or audio file.

## Compensation & Benefits

No payment to artists; selected artists contribute £25 and their time. Some art supplies funding may be available through FaB.

## What's Provided

- **Materials Support:** Available - Some funding available for art supplies through Fringe Arts Bath Festival if needed.

## Timeline

- **Opens:** March 30, 2026
- **Deadline:** April 11, 2026
- **Program Start:** May 23, 2026
- **Program End:** June 6, 2026

## Contact

**Contact:** Roxanne

## How to Apply

Apply at: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdRxglpojX5Rv35kqLEawbebUj5s-kzDmLrUtem1-U5CCUfRA/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=109774369055909306849