10 AUGUST 2026
An opportunity for blacksmiths and iron artists: submit your work to the “STRIKE” Open Call, Iron Notes’ European travelling exhibition
Applications are open until 1 September 2026 for STRIKE, the new international Open Call promoted as part of Iron Notes to select works for a travelling exhibition that will tour Europe between 2026 and 2027.
The European Biennial of Blacksmithing Art in Stia invites all blacksmiths, artists and professionals working with iron to submit their applications and take advantage of this opportunity for international exchange and visibility.
STRIKE is part of Iron Notes – At the Borders of Iron, the European project co-funded by the Creative Europe programme, bringing together organisations from Finland, Sweden, Italy, Estonia and Norway. The project aims to enhance and rethink the cultural heritage of ironworking by connecting blacksmithing traditions with art, design, education and contemporary research. The Stia Biennial of Blacksmithing Art is one of the project partners alongside the other European organisations involved.
STRIKE will be an international travelling exhibition exploring the expressive possibilities of iron in contemporary practice.
The initiative is aimed at artists, designers, blacksmiths and students, encouraging a dialogue between the skills and techniques of traditional blacksmithing and new languages, experimental approaches and reflections on the role of iron in contemporary art and craft.
The Open Call is therefore not simply about demonstrating technical skill in working with the material. It invites participants to develop works that express an idea, a point of view and a personal artistic research, exploring the boundary between traditional blacksmithing and contemporary craft.
The title of the exhibition is also the theme that participants are invited to explore. “Strike” can be interpreted in many ways:
a blow, a rhythm;
to begin, to act, to shape, to create;
a decisive strike, a turning point, something that changes the rules of the game;
a spark, an inspiration, a feeling, a conflict.
It is a word open to many interpretations, inviting each artist to draw on their own experience, sensitivity and practice with iron to develop an original work.
The selected works will form part of a travelling exhibition that will make its debut in Tallinn, Estonia, during the international Iron Notes event in November 2026.
Following its opening in Tallinn, STRIKE will travel to a number of European venues throughout 2027, giving the selected artists the opportunity to present their work as part of an international exhibition project.
The deadline for applications is 1 September 2026.
Selected artists will be notified by 21 September 2026, and the chosen works must be delivered to Tallinn by 23 October 2026.
The Stia Biennial is directly involved in the Iron Notes project. For this reason, we would particularly like to invite the blacksmiths, iron artists and creatives who have taken part in and experienced the Biennial over the years to submit their work and bring their artistic research into an exhibition project that will travel across Europe.
STRIKE is a unique opportunity to connect traditional craftsmanship with contemporary research, engage with international artists and institutions, and contribute to the discussion about the future of blacksmithing art.
Full information, participation requirements and Open Call documentation are available here:
Find out more about the Iron Notes project: