Opportunities

Open Call: Featured Designers for the Pocket Parade

Illuminated Arts CIC is inviting fashion and textile designers to apply for one of six featured designer places in the Pocket Parade, a National Lottery-funded community fashion event taking place at the Queen’s House, Greenwich, on Friday 11 September.

The Pocket Parade brings contemporary fashion together with the social history of hand-stitched tie-on pockets, community storytelling and intergenerational creativity. As part of the wider Stitching Communities Together project, the event will celebrate pockets made by community participants alongside the work of selected designers, creating a public showcase where professional, emerging and community-made textile work can sit side by side.

Selected designers will be invited to show up to ten looks from an existing or new collection. At least one outfit must incorporate historically inspired pockets in some form, whether through construction, embellishment, collaboration, styling or concept. Designers will also take part in one paid 2.5-hour community workshop, meeting participants and supporting the creation of a pocket that can be incorporated into a garment or runway look.

Each selected designer will receive a £120 workshop fee and a £150 materials contribution. Designers will also be invited to an introductory session, where they will explore the history and social significance of pockets and have the opportunity to draw inspiration from the Queen’s House collection.

We welcome applications from emerging, early career and established designers whose work connects with textiles, fashion, identity, storytelling, heritage, sustainability, memory, reuse, craft or community. Designers may bring their own models or work with community volunteers.

Application deadline 15th June 2026:

Fill in your details below and we will be in touch.

Volunteer with Us

If you would like to volunteer with Illuminated Arts, we are looking for enthusiastic and cheerful people to join us in providing our free community workshops to charity and community groups and help with our public events.

We provide DBS checks and cover the costs of local public transport, and lunch for all-day events.

You don’t need to be an artist, just enthusiastic and willing to have a go!

Fill in your details below and we will be in touch.