Permission to Touch

Despite the recent surge in popularity of multisensory and immersive art experiences, the majority of art on display in exhibitions and museums is designed to be seen and not touched.

Indeed, the phrase ‘visual art’ is used as an umbrella term, referring to all art forms except music, performance and the written word, but this term is inherently exclusionary of works which are designed to be experienced using other senses and of people who cannot engage visually with the artwork.

The primary aims of Permission to Touch are to break down barriers between the art and the audience, challenge the notion of how we interact with works of art, and create an exhibition which is designed to work for people with different sensory abilities.

The Curator would like to share these artworks as examples to illustrate their thinking:

Stephanie Metz, Hanging Pods (2020) https://www.stephaniemetz.com/hanging-pods

Lenka Clayton, Sculpture For The Blind, By The Blind (2017) www.lenkaclayton.com/sculpture-for-the-blind-by-the-blind

Magazine cover with the word “POETRY” arranged in six large, rounded, abstract letters, each outlined in layered bands of yellow, green, blue, and red, set against a textured pink background. — **John Lee Clark, Tactile Art**, A DeafBlind poet on art he can touch.
Featured in Poetry Magazine, October 2019. Click here to read the full poem: poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/articles/150914/tactile-art

Curated by Molly Rogers

I have always been a creative person and, after previously training as a bioloigcal scientist, I recently took the plunge to pursue art full-time, beginning by completing the Art and Design Foundation Diploma at Bath College. The course really opened my eyes to the power of curation to tell a story and get a message across.

I am a mixed media artist, working with any medium that inspires me, though I do have a particular interest in printmaking, sculpture and photography. I am inspired by nature, mental health and social justice, and I’m interested in art’s ability to alter people’s perspectives and bring voices to the unheard.

insta @mollyrogersartist
linkedin.com/in/molly-rogers-wood-b851ab71

How to apply

Fringe Arts Bath Festival will take place 22 May to 6 June 2026

Submission deadline: Friday 10th April 2026 at 23h59 GMT

Media accepted: All media accepted
Free submission. All are welcome to apply, of any age, status, and from anywhere in the world.
If selected, we ask Artists for a £25 contribution (like crowdfunding) and to give some of their time, as we are all volunteers.
Please read our FAQs here to find out more.
See all 17 projects open to submissions on our home page: fringeartsbath.co.uk

To submit your work: please email the curator permission@fringeartsbath.co.uk including:

NB: please include the exhibition / project name in the email title.
max 200 words about your work and how it fits the call-out (written, audio file, video or another way to suit you).
some images of the work, or links to video / performance work (or existing work if it hasn’t been made yet).
any relevant links, if you have them (though it’s not a requirement and Curators might not have the capacity to visit them all).
of course please include any questions you have.
you might not hear back from Curators until after the deadline, thank you for your patience.