open air galleries across the world

The Unarchived

A box of prints, a laneway, and a little bit of glue.
The Unarchived is a global street art programme that puts the stories and artworks of underserved and under-heard communities where they belong: on walls, in laneways, in the places where real people live and move.

Ten hosts around the world are selected to receive a pack in the mail containing 30 printed artworks and stories from artists and storytellers across the Global South, submitted through an open callout and curated by the Micro Galleries team.

Each host transforms their corner of the world into a free, public gallery

We've spent 13 years helping people to stumble over art - that's when they begin to shift their perceptions and believe they should have access to it too. The Unarchived takes that instinct and multiplies it by ten cities, thirty forms of creative expression, and the accumulated weight of voices that have been waiting far too long to be noticed, and archived.
OPEN AIR GALLERIES IN THE LEAST EXPECTED PLACES
What is The Unarchived?
The Unarchived is our scrappiest, most radical, most joyful programme yet - and honestly? We think it might be one of the most important things we've ever done.

Across the world right now, artists and storytellers from underserved communities are making work that most of the world will never see. This is because the systems built to promote, collective, preserve, and celebrate creativity and narratives were never designed with them in mind.

We intend to change that in a small way.

Ten communities around the world will be selected to host The Unarchived. Each host will receive pack in the mail - 30 printed artworks and stories, submitted by artists and storytellers from under-served, under-heard, and resourced communities across the Global South, curated by MG and ready to go up on a wall.

Your job? Find a laneway, buy some glue and brushes, get a community together, put up the works, tell everyone about it.

That's it. That's a Micro Galleries open-air gallery.

Free for the public , getting new audiences for incredible artists, and a new understanding of creativity and stories from around the world for your community.
30 artworks and stories
What's In The Pack?
  • A minimum of 30 prints of artworks and stories
  • An artwork "label" - the description of the work, the artist, ways to learn more
  • Curatorial statement to frame the project
  • How To guides, including how to wheatpaste/install, materials list, digital press kit, community engagement documentation. Everything you need to make this happen for your community

If you are selected as one of our ten communities, the pack is free. It's on us!

You provide the glue, brushes, laneway and bring the people.
Who Should Apply to Host?
Anyone with a laneway and a passion for making art accessible.

  • A community organisation. A local arts collective. A school. A café with a big back wall and a great attitude. A neighbourhood association who's been waiting for an excuse. Previous event experience is not required. A willingness to make a little beautiful mess, absolutely is.
  • We're looking for 10 hosts in 10 different places across 2026/27. We want geographic spread. We want variety. We want the unexpected.
Who Should Submit Work?
Artists and storytellers from underserved communities anywhere in the Global South.
  • You are a practicing artist in any medium that can be reproduced as a print
  • Stories in any language, any length, any form - written, transcribed from oral telling, poetic, plain.
  • Collaborative works welcome
  • The brief is simply this: tell us something that the world outside your community doesn't know.
Make a note - this is happening
Important Dates
Applications Open: 4 January, 2027

Applications Close: 4 February, 2027

Notifications circulate: 15 February, 2027

Activations/Installations: March, 2027

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