POSTCARDS FOR CATS

A postcard-sized art exhibition and charity auction at Open Institute, Wrexham.

21st November to 5th December 2026
Deadline for entries 17th November 2026

Artists are invited to create an original postcard-sized artwork, which will be exhibited physically at Open Institute and auctioned online to raise money for Cats Protection.

Painting, drawing, collage, print, photography and mixed media are all welcome.

Accepted postcard sizes include:

  • A6: 105 × 148 mm

  • Standard postcard / 4 × 6 in: approx. 102 × 152 mm

  • 100 × 150 mm

  • 5 × 7 in: approx. 127 × 178 mm

  • Square postcard: up to 148 × 148 mm

  • DL: 99 × 210 mm

Other postcard formats are also welcome, provided neither dimension exceeds 210 mm.

Your artwork does not have to be about cats.
This is an art exhibition raising money for cats, rather than an exhibition of cat-themed artwork.

If you do choose to make an image of a cat, we would prefer that it does not depict a cat in fancy dress or costume. Cats Protection and other animal welfare organisations have encouraged people to avoid dressing animals up, as costumes can cause distress, discomfort and, in some cases, pain. Although these images can appear funny or endearing, the experience may not be enjoyable for the animal.

We would therefore love to see images that celebrate cats without presenting them in situations that could cause unnecessary stress or discomfort.

Matthew Macaulay, Gallery Director at Open Institute, says:

“I’m probably more of a dog person these days, but I had a cat called Melody who was a huge part of my life. She wasn’t especially ambitious. She spent a lot of time lying around the house, purring, looking comfortable and generally doing very little — but somehow that was exactly the point. Her presence was calming, funny and deeply comforting.

Cats have this extraordinary ability to improve a room simply by being in it. Melody certainly did that for me, and I know how much comfort and companionship cats can bring into people’s lives. Postcards for Cats is a slightly odd, joyful way of saying thank you to them, and of using art to support the cats that still need looking after.”

HOW TO SUBMIT

Please send or deliver your postcard to:

Postcards for Cats
Open Institute Gallery
Unit 14B
Island Green Retail Park
Wrexham

You are welcome to send your work at any time from now until 17 November 2026.

Please make sure your name and contact details are included with your submission, along with the title of the work if it has one.

DONATING YOUR ARTWORK

By submitting a postcard to Postcards for Cats, you are agreeing to donate the artwork to the project for the purpose of raising money for charity.

Submitted works will be offered for sale through the online charity auction, with 100% of the money raised donated to Cats Protection.

If your artwork does not sell and you would like it returned to you, please include a Large Letter stamp with your submission. We will use this to post the work back to you after the exhibition.

If no return postage is provided, we will assume that you are happy for Open Institute to retain the artwork for future fundraising. Unsold works may then be included in the next Postcards for Cats exhibition and charity auction in 2028, giving the work another opportunity to raise money for cat welfare.

EXHIBITION & AUCTION

The exhibition will open at Open Institute on:

Saturday 21 November 2026
5:00–8:00 pm

The online auction will begin on 21 November and close on 22 November 2026.

The physical exhibition will remain at Open Institute after the auction, with the exhibition ending on 3 December 2026.

FOR BUYERS

Successful bidders will be able to collect their purchased artworks from Open Institute from 4 December 2026, the day after the exhibition closes.

Further details about the online auction and collection arrangements will be published before the opening.

This will be the first Postcards for Cats, and we hope to establish it as a continuing Open Institute event, bringing artists together to raise money for cat welfare through art.

100% of money raised through the auction will be donated to Cats Protection.

ART FOR CATS. CATS FOR ART.