Calls for Artists
In the Shaira Ali Gallery
Welcome Home
Curated by Kenny Mascary, Chief of Staff, Boston Mayor's Office of Arts and Culture
Arlington Center for the Arts (ACA) seeks submissions to Welcome Home, an exhibition that captures the complexities of transition, relocation, identity, and community-making in our American culture and, more specifically, as it relates to the tapestry of our region. This exhibit calls upon artists upholding traditional art forms through their perspective as well as artists navigating their personal journeys through their unique approaches to expression. This dynamic exhibit is the curation of not only art, but perspectives- lenses and mirrors- in which to promote engaged learning, compassion, and action with our community members.
​
ACA welcomes all who self-identify as immigrants or first-generation artists living in the Greater Boston area to apply. This exhibition is presented with support from the Arlington Human Rights Commission, who has generously offered to cover the submission fees for the first 10 Arlington residents who submit work. More information on this is available in our submission form.
​
If you have questions or concerns, please contact Delia Tharnish, Education and Programs Director at delia@acarts.org or at 781-648-6220.
​
Image Credit: Journey by Nadege D. Tessono Okotie
Important Dates
Deadline to Submit: Friday, December 6, 2024
Announce Selected Art: Monday, December 16, 2024
Art Drop Off: Wednesday, January 8, 2025
Exhibition Opens: Thursday, January 16, 2025
Opening Reception: Thursday, January 30, 6pm-7:30 pm
Final Day of Exhibition: Wednesday, March 19, 2025
Art Pick up: Thursday, March 20, 2025
Submission Guidelines
-
Up to 3 works may be submitted per artist
-
There is a $30 submission fee (The Arlington Human Rights Commission has generously offered to cover the submission fees for the first 10 Arlington residents who submit work)
-
Written statement about your work is required
-
Creatives must be ages 16 and up
-
Work must be ready to hang, be installed, or be displayed. 2D works must be on canvas or framed with a wire in the back for hanging or it will not be accepted. Specific display needs must be specified and provided by the artist.
-
Site-specific proposals are welcome, but there is no guarantee we can accommodate. Please reach out to delia@acarts.org if you have any questions.
-
There are no size restrictions beyond the height of the gallery walls, which is 6 feet tall. There are limited opportunities for anything taller than 6 feet (see site-specific proposals).
-
Artwork shown at ACA in the past year will not be accepted.
About the Curator
Kenny Mascary (he/him) Originally from Haiti, Kenny first arrived in Boston for college in 2004. Kenny then cut his teeth at mission-driven organizations like the West End House Boys and Girls Club, Cambridge Youth Programs, the Cambridge Public Library and more recently, Now + There, before joining the Mayor's Office of Arts and Culture as Chief of Staff.
​
As a DJ, therapeutic mentor, film photographer, board certified basketball referee, and plant dad, Kenny is passionate about connecting with communities and individuals that share a passion and excitement around conversations and experiences that open minds and help co-create spaces to celebrate the creative diversity of Boston’s dynamic and ever-changing cultural fabric.
.jpg)
Offsite Exhibit Program
Interested in exhibiting your work at local businesses and venues around Arlington, MA? The Arlington Center for the Arts has well-established relationships with many local business owners and cultural partners who are looking to display locally-made artwork in their public spaces. The ACA Offsite Exhibit Program is an artist bank that the ACA manages and presents to our local partners annually, and arranges exhibitions of selected artists work in these spaces for 3-6 months at a time.
How It Works
Our exhibits team reviews the submissions on a rolling basis as requests are made from the community for local art.
-
Artists who are selected from this bank will be contacted by our Operations Manager, Pam Shanley who will review the opportunity for exhibition, and if accepted by the artist, will coordinate the artwork selection, installation, publicity, and reception for each artist.
-
Submitting to the Offsite Exhibit Program does not guarantee an exhibition opportunity.
-
Once an artist submits their work to the form, they are added permanently to the bank, but they are invited to reach out to ACA staff after a period of one (1) year if they have updates to their portfolio and have not yet been selected.
-
Opportunities for exhibition range from a few pieces of art by one artist, to a large-scale exhibition featuring multiple artists.
How to Submit
Please complete the form below and be prepared to provide between 5-10 images of your work.
-
Preference will be given to local artists.
-
Exhibit opportunities are available for a range of large (10’ and under) medium (48” and under) and small (12” and under) sizes, and price points. All types of 2-D work is acceptable (painting, printmaking, photography, drawings, etc) as well as 3-D work that can be installed on a wall (fiber art, ceramics, etc).
-
Unfortunately we cannot accommodate free-standing 3-D work at this time.
-
All exhibited work will need to be ready-to-hang (wired, no saw hooks) prior to installation.
-
The ACA takes a 30% commission and Artists will receive a 70% commission on all artwork sold during their placement.
Visit our Offsite Exhibits Page for more information. Any questions should be sent via email to ACA's Operations Director, Pam Shanley, at pam@acarts.org.
