Capping off three years of exhibitions that pursued dialogues on the meaning and practice of liberty today, the National Liberty Museum (NLM) is looking to the future in 2023. By inviting artists, community leaders, and a growing panel of thought leaders and advisors to share their diverse perspectives, the NLM will develop four exhibitions that explore our collective futures, both real and imagined. To kick-off the 2023 season, the NLM announces this call-to-artist for our winter exhibition Imagined Futures [working title], scheduled to open Friday, January 20, 2023.
Imagined Futures will showcase a small, diverse group of artists whose work looks toward the future, with an eye to the hopeful, fantastical, and dreamlike. Selected artists should present visions and imaginations of our collective futures where anything is possible, while examining historic and contemporary movements in achieving liberty for all. These works should strive to disengage from real-world conventions and restraints and hold a mirror to societal issues, presenting idealistic stories which call us to civic action and inspire real change.
Artists and collaborative groups who are interested in applying should be working within the themes of sci-fi, fantasy, and magical realism, looking at socially conscious movements such as Afro-futurism and eco-futurism, and asking the question “What if?” in regard to speculative fiction and alternate histories.
Artwork of all mediums will be accepted, and multi-media and installation artists are encouraged to apply. We are looking for a cohesive body of work from individual artists or collaborative groups, whose artwork and artistic practice follow the goals of the exhibition and the mission of the NLM, creating a conversation with diverse voices, and interactive and reflective experiences. Participating artists will be selected through this open call-to-artist and an in-house committee at the NLM.
Complete applications are due no later than Sunday, October 16, 2022, at 11:59EST. For more details about the application requirements and to apply online, please visit the Imagined Futures call-to-artist webpage here.
Please follow the National Liberty Museum on social media @nationallibertymuseum for up-to-date information on more opportunities for artists throughout the year.
