GALLERY | Art Gallery Studios is a Dab Art Co. gallery in Colonia Juárez, Mexico City. This densely populated and culturally significant neighborhood is a mecca for the city’s art community. Though the original colonial style architecture is still prominent throughout the space, Art Gallery Studios has also been retrofitted with display walls that are more synonymous with contemporary U.S. galleries. Housed in a 2 story old world style former residence, with a total combined exhibition space of 900 sqft, Art Gallery Studios is curated exclusively by Dab Art Co. curator Micheal Swank.

CURATOR | Micheal Swank graduated from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago with a BFA - Printmaking and Design in 1998. In his design career he has been Art Director for California Tan (packaging), San Francisco Examiner (Hearst), Miller Huber Marketing, Joie de Vivre Hotels, S.F. Business Times, Disney, Dance Magazine, Pasadena Weekly, and others. Micheal began to teach Graphic and Web Design in 2001 and decided to pursue teaching as a full time profession. In 2006, he completed his Masters in Technology from Pepperdine University, Malibu, CA. He led within the design education community as Academic Department Director, Graphic Design and Web Design Interactive Medias at the Art Institute of California Inland Empire, Art Institute of California San Francisco, and Associate Dean of Academics Art Institute of Houston - North. In January 2012, after a significant car accident caused him to reflect on his dreams to pursue his art, he left his position as Dean to live abroad, travel, learn, create, and reignite his passion for art. He has since lived in China, Mexico City DF; after spending two years focussing his practice in Ventura, CA Micheal relocated to Mexico City permanently in 2018. 

ACCEPTED ARTWORK | Painting, Printmaking, Sculpture, Glass, Fiber, Functional, Digital, Photography, Installation, mixed media and New Genres. Proposals may include multiple disciplines.

CALL FEES | Basic media fee is $35 for 3 images. Additional media may be added, the cost is $5 per image. No more than 20 images can be added. 

OPTIONAL CONSULTATION | If you would like to discuss your submission in detail, you may consider selecting our optional consultation with the gallery curator at checkout. The curator will discuss your submission in-depth, reviewing your website, social media accounts, written biography, artist statements, and any additional images the artist may provide. The curator will also discuss any professional goals or questions about our industry from the gallery's perspective. This consultation is designed to help improve your overall online presence and increase exhibition invitations through critical and constructive feedback. The fee for our optional consultation with the curator is $75.00 (USD). Consultation times vary based on the artist's needs and information provided, but are limited to 1 hour maximum. Each consultation is conducted and recorded via Zoom and artists are provided with a copy of the recorded consultation. The gallery curator will confirm that your consultation fee has been paid through CaFE prior to your appointment. You will have 90 days to schedule your consultation, the scheduling link is provided in the question portion of this submission. Please note that regardless of your invitation status at the close of the call, consultations are non-refundable. Our consultations are completely optional, offered with the intention of helping artists improve their online submissions, and have absolutely no bearing on final selections. 

CONSIDERATIONS | Entries on or before 10/31/2023 are for upcoming exhibition consideration at Art Gallery Studios. Entries are reviewed weekly.

NOTIFICATIONS | Notifications are sent via email within 2 weeks after the close of each calendar month. Artists selected for exhibition will receive a notification of status.  

FAQ's | Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why is there a call fee?

A: Fees are re-distributed in various ways depending on the call; time spent reviewing portfolios for consideration, submission consultations, exhibition publications, artist stipends, juror honorariums, incremental shipping costs, gallery interns and a plethora of other expenses that go into planning, marketing and executing all the facets of a large scale exhibition program such as ours.          

Q: How many artists are selected per call?

A: Selections are made based on curatorial discretion, exhibition concepts and market demands. On average each gallery selects 10-20 artists each month for solo exhibitions and group shows (online & in gallery). Since opening our first gallery in 2011, we have grown our exhibition program steadily with each passing year.

Q: Why have monthly calls?

A: Our mission is to discover, exhibit and highlight contemporary working artists at the moment. Monthly calls allow us the freedom to find and exhibit the very latest happening in the contemporary art world. The market demand for new art of all genres and mediums is overwhelming by our gallery visitors and online sales viewership. Monthly calls allow us the opportunity to select new artists and meet the demands of both our gallery audience and online sales platform. Bottom line; we are always looking for quality art for exhibition and for sale.

SPECIFICATIONS | All work must be original, unsold work, & the artist must own the sole copyright to art. Frames, mats & wiring must be professional quality & in good condition. No saw- tooth hangers. Wiring must be securely fashioned & support weight of the artwork. All accepted work must remain for the duration of the exhibit. 2D Artwork selected for exhibition MUST BE READY TO HANG. Unframed or improperly mounted work will not be accepted. The number of pieces varies depending on the artist’s medium, sizes and shapes of selected work and available wall space. Every artist will be able to exhibit a sizable body of work so that they are well represented in the exhibition. The number of pieces can vary considerably.

SHIPPING (READ CAREFULLY) | Absolutely no packing peanuts. Crates, boxes, even small packages containing packing peanuts will be resealed & immediately shipped back to you, no exceptions. Artists are responsible for round-trip shipping & insurance (during shipping) of artworks. All shipments must include a prepaid UPS OR FED EX return label & be shipped in a container suitable to re-use for return shipping. Customs fees and other expenses related to delivery of the work and return are the full responsibility of the artist. We can provide you advice based on experiences with previous shows, but do not accept responsibility for the outcomes of your chosen shipper or changes.

COMMISSION | Gallery retains a 50% commission on all exhibition sales in gallery & online. Artwork and artists selected for exhibition will be listed on the Dab Art Co.'s sales platform, Artsy. Our partnership with Artsy has greatly expanded our collector visibility, elevating the sales experience and volume. You can view our Artsy page HERE.

SALES | All sales remittances are paid by the Dab Art Co. Remittances are sent after the close of the exhibition. Payment to the Artist will be provided within 60 days after the exhibit concludes and receipt of full payment from the Buyer to Dab Art Co.

QUESTIONS | Please email mxc@dabart.me for all inquiries regarding this call (questions about your status, late entries, additional entries, consultation appointments, etc.) Be sure to include the name on your CAFE account and date of submission. 

ABOUT DAB ART CO. | In 2011 Yessíca Torres opened H Gallery + Studios in Ventura, California. As co-owner and chief curator of H Gallery, Yessíca’s contemporary and modern program was a clear break from the conventional art scene that surrounded her. With the revelation that art exposure should not be limited by physical location, Yessíca independently established Dabster Arts Inc. (Dab Art Co.) in 2014. This distinctive art company is dedicated to enhancing the contemporary art experience for artists, collectors, and viewers in and outside the gallery setting. Since its initial launch, the Dab Art Co. has expanded from simple gallery exhibitions to art publications, artist talks, panel discussions, video profiles, exhibition videos, and documentary filmmaking; examining the process and identity of artists. Heading into her 12th year, Yessíca has galleries in Ventura, Los Angeles, Mexico City, and Austin and opening soon in Miami (2023).

FOR MORE INFORMATION | Visit www.dabart.me to find out more about the Dab Art Co and Project Gallery for specifics about our programming. View our Exhibition Program, Artist Index, Curators, Venues, and Films. We look forward to seeing your work!

Application Requirements

All work must be original, unsold work, & the artist must own the sole copyright to art. Frames, mats & wiring must be professional quality & in good condition. No saw- tooth hangers. Wiring must be securely fashioned & support weight of the artwork. All accepted work must remain for the duration of the exhibit. 2D Artwork selected for exhibition MUST BE READY TO HANG. Unframed or improperly mounted work will not be accepted. The number of pieces varies depending on the artist’s medium, sizes and shapes of selected work and available wall space. Every artist will be able to exhibit a sizable body of work so that they are well represented in the exhibition. The number of pieces can vary considerably.

Eligibility Criteria

MEDIUMS | Artists of all mediums and genres are encouraged to apply. (Painting, Printmaking, Sculpture, Glass, Fiber, Functional, Digital, Photography, Installation, Mixed Media, New Genres)