Exhibition Open Call
(10/20/23 Update): We are now accepting proposals on a rolling deadline
The 2024—2025 Lawndale Art Center Exhibition Program focuses on presenting exhibitions proposed by artists and curators from within the Houston and Gulf Coast region. To best support this work, we are in the process of rethinking our current exhibition open call and working towards an incubator model. However, this transition will take time and future planning. In the interim, Lawndale is opening a call for exhibitions for 2024 through 2025. Proposals will be reviewed on a rolling basis (in December 2023, April 2024, and August 2024) by our Executive Director, Anna Walker; Operations and Exhibitions Manager, Jeremy Johnson; and Advisory Board made up of artists, curators, and scholars from Houston or with ties to the region.
Please Note: All submissions should be sent to [email protected] ; see “Submissions” section below for details. (In the past, we had used Submittable.com.)
Review Process & Criteria▼
Proposed exhibitions should align with Lawndale’s mission as a multidisciplinary contemporary art center that engages Houston communities with exhibitions and programs exploring the aesthetic, critical, and social issues of our time.
Lawndale encourages proposals in all artistic disciplines, including visual arts, performing arts, and writing. Applicants can request a space (3 different indoor galleries and an outdoor sculpture garden) that best suits their proposal, to ultimately be decided upon based on availability and in conversation with Lawndale staff. More information about Lawndale’s galleries and exhibition spaces can be found on our website here (scroll to bottom of the linked page).
Proposals should be exhibitions not previously shown in Houston. Artists who are accepted into the 2023/2024 Lawndale Artist Studio Program are not eligible for the 2024 exhibition season (and vice versa).
After reviewing submissions, Lawndale will reach out to those proposals of interest. Unfortunately we won’t be able to respond to applicants who were not selected at this time.
Submissions▼
Submission via Email
(In the past, we have used Submittable, but are now only accepting submissions through email.)
Please email to [email protected]:
- About (one (1) page, attached as .PDF or .DocX): Please include…
- Short bios for artists involved
- Brief project description, including its contemporary relevance
- Desired gallery space and reason (if applicable)
- Two (2) references (include name, contact information, and relationship to applicant (note: these are not letters. Lawndale will notify you before contacting references, if applicable.)
- Work samples (attached as .JPF, .PDF, and/or .MOV, OR provide a link with access to Google Drive or Dropbox): Please include…
- 5 to 10 images, either for this project or related works
- Artwork descriptions (include title, year, media, dimensions, and any other critical descriptors (as applicable)
Honoraria & Support▼
Lawndale is W.A.G.E. certified and offers the following honoraria options:
- $1,250/artist or curator (1-person exhibition)
- $625/artist or curator (two-person exhibition)
- $315/artist or curator (group exhibition featuring 3-5 artists)
- $190/artist or curator (group exhibition, 6+ artists)
- $500 Performance of Existing Work (divided equally among participating artists/performers)
- $1,000 Performance, Commission of New Work (divided equally among participating artists/performers)
In addition to an honorarium, Lawndale works with each artist, curator, or artist group to develop a budget and provide additional support towards expenses related to shipping, materials, exhibition design, and public programs. When developing exhibitions, Lawndale supports documentation and writing on shows by commissioning essays, designing brochures or catalogs, and printing these materials.