We are pleased to announce our third Yellow online Art Competition for the month of May 2025. The theme may feature any artwork showcasing the color “Yellow” or its various shades, including beige, lemon yellow, canary yellow, and golden yellow. All visual art mediums are allowed. In addition to the selected artists, the jury will select award winners in the following art categories: painting, photography, sculpture. All selected artists will receive a digital award certificate. An article about each artist will be displayed alongside the best of show and three winners. The best of show will be displayed on the poster of the exhibition. Judging the artwork will be based on the following criteria: creativity, originality and quality of art, overall design, demonstration of artistic ability, and usage of medium. The jury will not consider artworks with pornographic or satanic content. Entry fees are $20 for two pieces of artwork. You may submit more than two images; there is no limit to the number of images an artist may submit. The application deadline is April 30, 2025.
Multidisciplinary
Red Art Contest
Grey Cube Gallery proudly presents the first “Red” online art contest for the month of May 2025. In this competition, artists are encouraged to push their creative limits and present their unique vision and interpretation of the color red. Submissions can span a range of styles—from realism to surrealism to abstraction—and all forms of media are welcome. Best of Show artwork will be on the poster of the show. Winning artists (Merit Award & Honorable Mention) will receive a digital award certificate. The deadline to submit entries is the May 01, 2025.
International Art Competition Landscapes
Contemporary Art Room Gallery is proud to announce their 6th “Landscapes” Online Art Competition for the month of April 2025. The gallery invites artists and photographers from around the world to submit ther best best representational and non-representational art related to the Landscapes theme. The Landscapes theme is considered to be any art with interpretation of natural elements such as mountains, hills, valleys, deserts, forests, farmland, trees, rivers, lakes, polar regions, rainforests, islands and tropical landscapes. All visual art mediums are acceptable (painting, drawing, photography, sculpture, digital, prints, fiber art, collage or installation art) except sound and video art. Winning artwork (First place) will be on the poster of the show. Depending on the number and quality of all submissions received, Merit awards and Honorable Mention awards may also be presented. The deadline to apply to this art competition is April 03, 2025.
Call for Curatorial Proposals
Invitation To Submit a Curatorial Proposal
Descanso Gardens invites curators, artists, collectives, cultural producers, and thinkers of all kinds to submit preliminary proposals for exhibitions and programs. Descanso Gardens is committed to giving emerging, mid-career, and established curators and artists the opportunity to expand their portfolios. Applicants must review the requirements below and submit their preliminary proposal by May 16, 2025.
About Descanso Gardens
Descanso Gardens is a unique Southern California landscape distinguished by its specialized botanic collections, historical significance, and rare natural beauty. We are an urban retreat located 20 minutes from downtown Los Angeles, with principal collections including California native plants and oak woodlands; one of the largest collections of camellias in the Western Hemisphere; a rose garden with specimens from all corners of the globe; and significant presentations of lilacs, maple trees, cherry trees, and iris. Descanso Gardens has been designated an International Camellia Garden of Excellence by the International Camellia Society. Accredited by the American Alliance of Museums as a museum of living collections, Descanso Gardens welcomes more than 950,000 visitors annually. The Gardens are operated by the Descanso Gardens Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, in a public-private partnership with Los Angeles County.
At Descanso Gardens, we connect people with nature and one another. Our mission is to practice exemplary stewardship of Descanso’s distinctive character and assets; offer people an experience close to nature; and cultivate an understanding of the natural world and people’s place in it through inspiration, education and example.
Curatorial Proposal Guidelines
Descanso Gardens presents a variety of exhibitions and programs each year including solo, group, traveling, and guest-curated displays. These are intended to broaden the education programs by presenting art, science, and relevant historical material to support the mission of Descanso Gardens “connecting people with nature and one another.” Through our exhibitions and programs, we strive to deepen our impact in our community, strengthen engagement with members and visitors, and create experiences of discovery and connection.
Descanso Gardens seeks curatorial proposals for the 2026-2028 calendar that will address the following requirements and selection criteria:
· Theme: Water. We are looking for exhibitions and cultural programs that are inspired by careful study of water history, policy, culture, science, and art. Water is the lifeblood of Descanso Gardens. It is reflected in our future planning, wellness practices, and storytelling. Locally and around the world, water is a symbol of wellness and abundance, but also scarcity and disruption. What is the past, present, and future of water? How can we celebrate water? What can we learn from other cultures, both indigenous and around the world? How does it connect us and protect us, and how do we shape and protect it? What hidden stories can be revealed about water?
· Curatorial Concept: The exhibition/ program concept must closely align with the mission of Descanso Gardens to connect people with nature and one another, reflect the latest knowledge on the subject matter, foster innovation, as well as inspire discoveries and creative contributions that respond to Descanso Gardens’ botanic collections. As an organization located in Los Angeles County, Descanso Gardens prioritizes the inclusion of diverse viewpoints, backgrounds, experiences, and community connections.
· Interdisciplinary Approach: Descanso Gardens seeks proposals that utilize a creative blending of disciplines, media, and diverse points of view;
· Media: The proposal may use any media type (visual art, digital art, outdoor installations, performances, music, projections, virtual reality, text, etc.). The exhibitions and programs must be appropriate in scale material, form, and content for the cultural and physical environment in which they are to be presented. The proposed works, displays, and programs don’t need to be new and may have been presented before. New commissions are encouraged provided that their cost is within the exhibition’s budget.
· Scope: The exhibition will utilize the indoor spaces of the Sturt Haaga Gallery and/ or the Boddy House. Outdoor use of the botanical gardens is welcome.
· Collaborative partnerships: Proposals that establish partnerships with other cultural organizations, educational and botanical institutions, community members, and Descanso Gardens visitors are preferred.
· Audience: Descanso’s visitorship has been growing over the past few years and the Gardens attract an audience that is more diverse in race or ethnicity than many other museums and gardens[1]. Many attendees may be first-time visitors to the Sturt Haaga Gallery or the Boddy House, and exhibitions and programs in these spaces should consider ways to engage “first-time visitors” as well as people who are already familiar with the Garden’s gallery spaces and exhibitions.
· Accessibility and Engagement: Descanso Gardens strives to expand access, engagement, and education opportunities for a broader public. Preference will be given to proposals that prioritize opportunities for visitor participation, hands-on activity or response, as well as engaging diverse programming that reaches out to traditionally underserved groups. At Descanso, there is an opportunity and need to attract more visitors who identify as Hispanic or Latino/Latina/Latinx, Asian or Asian American, African American, and other minority groups, so that visitorship reflects more closely the diversity of surrounding areas and Los Angeles County.
· Budget: Descanso Gardens rely on a range of budgets typically within $40,000-$60,000. Budgets must include curator fees, artist/ collaborator stipends, collateral design and copy writing, installation and de-installation, framing if needed, equipment rental, shipping, travel, reproduction rights, etc. Please note that insurance, installation, collateral design, and photography services are provided by Descanso Gardens. Curator fees should not exceed 20% of the total exhibition budget. Proposals exceeding $40,000-$60,000 budget range must be discussed in advance. Fundraising for exhibitions is management by Descanso’s development team, however, applicants may suggest potential funding sources, such as grants or sponsorships.
· Group Applications: Curators are discouraged from submitting or including their own artwork; artistic collectives may be included within curatorial proposals but should not submit their work without a specific curator.
How to Apply
Please submit your preliminary curatorial proposal to Descanso Gardens by May 16, 2025, by including the following information:
– The completed preliminary curatorial proposal form (available on the website)
– CVs of curators, artists, and other key collaborators
– 5-10 images with captions (no more than 10 MB)
– Any other information that may be relevant to your proposal (essays, articles, etc.)
More information
For more information about the Call for Curatorial Proposals and how to apply, please visit Descanso Gardens website.
Contact
If you have any questions about the Descanso Gardens’ Call for Curatorial Proposals, please contact Marina Erfle, Director of Exhibitions, at merfle@descansogardens.org.
“Abstraction” International Open Call to Artists and Writers—Deadline April 30, 2025
The artist’s and writer’s call for the ArtAscent Art & Literature Journal ABSTRACTION issue is now open.
Abstraction empowers creators and viewers to explore new dimensions of meaning through colours, shapes, and forms. It encourages us to challenge our perceptions and discover deeper truths often missed in direct expression. By embracing abstraction in visual art and literature, we enrich our understanding and ignite our imaginations, breaking free from traditional confines. Share your reflections on ABSTRACTION—through images, words, or any 2D medium that conveys the unexpected or evokes a sense of freedom in interpretation.
ArtAscent is a theme-based publication and online exhibition that showcases artists and writers from around the world practising a broad range of skills, including painting, illustration, photography, mixed media, ceramics, sculpture, textile, jewelry, printmaking, digital graphics, fashion, film, video, installation, performance, story writing and poetry writing.
The selected artists and writers, up to 40, will be published in our print and digital magazine and the two-year online exhibition, as well as receive a free digital copy of the magazine. Four will also receive a feature section with a profile written about them. All benefit from professional portfolio presentation to art lovers and engage our readers through our social media, website, and print and digital issues. ArtAscent provides the opportunity for the voices and visions of writers and artists to be shared in a professional and accessible platform.
ArtAscent presents up to 100 high-level designed pages printed on premium-quality paper. This magazine issue is curated editorial content with no outside commercial ads.
Entries may include all art mediums that can be represented in 2D and written explorations of up to 1,800 words. We love diversity. Submissions must be the original work of the applicant(s). Creatives featured in the past can apply again with other works not previously published in ArtAscent. HOW TO APPLY: Apply using the online application form on our website. Application fees help cover costs such as design, writing, administration and artist promotion. NOTIFICATION: Notification is made by email to subscribers of the ArtAscent newsletter.
New Terminal 1 Inaugural Exhibition – Call for Exhibitors
San Diego International Airport’s Arts Program invites cultural, community, and educational organizations, as well as curators, collectives, and artists, to submit proposals for the inaugural exhibition, Snapshot San Diego, to mark the opening of New Terminal 1. We are seeking collections that tell authentic, accessible and focused stories of the region. Whether it’s the legacy of Kumeyaay culture, the colorful energy of Mexican-American mural art, the powerful histories within our LGBTQ+ communities, or the artistic pioneers and sports legends that have left their mark, we want to showcase the multifaceted identity of San Diego and those who steward and live in service of those stories.
Selected artwork and collections representing the theme will be displayed throughout the airport for approximately 12 months. 16 to 20 exhibitors will be selected for this inaugural exhibition in two groups staged over a period of two years. Each exhibitor will be offered a stipend of $1,250, as well as design, fabrication, and installation support. Proposals must focus on pre-existing collections.
For more information on how to apply, please see the Call for Exhibitors here.
There will be two online information sessions covering a general overview about the exhibition, the application process, and a Q&A:
