Call for Artists 2025
Submissions are now open for the 2025 Black Creativity Juried Art Exhibition at Chicago’s Griffin Museum of Science and Industry (Museum). This annual show presents 100 works of art from professional and emerging Black artists from across the United States, as well as works by Black teen artists from the Chicagoland area, all as part of the Museum’s 55th annual Black Creativity Program.

We welcome you to submit your work!

Eligibility
General Category: Black artists 18 years of age or older.
Teen Category: Black teen artists in the Chicagoland area (within 100 miles of the Museum) currently enrolled in secondary education, grades 9-12 or equivalent.

Medium
Contemporary works created in any visual medium.

Jurors
Amina Dickerson; President, Dickerson Global Advisors
Thomas Lucas; Founder, Hummingbird Press Editions; Chair, Department of Art and Design, and Curator, University Galleries, Chicago State University
Asha Iman Veal; Associate Curator, Museum of Contemporary Photography; Associate Professor, School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Fee (non-refundable)
General Category (over 18): $10
Teen Category (under 18): none

Awards
General Category                                  Teen Category
Best in Show:  $4,000                               Best in Show:   $600
Second Place: $2,750                               Second Place:  $375
Third Place:     $1,500                               Third Place:      $250

General Category award winners will also receive two complimentary tickets to the 2025 Black Creativity Gala held at the Museum.
 

Application Requirements

Submission Specifications
1. Work must have been completed in the past three years (2022 or later).
2. Work must be submitted anonymously by the artist.
  a. Artists must submit for themselves with technical/additional support as needed. Teens may receive assistance from teachers/caregivers as needed.
  b. Collaborations should include no more than two artists. (For either General or Teen Category)
  c. Remove watermarks, video credits, etc. prior to submission.
  d. Artist statements are accepted but not required at time of submission. Artist’s name should not be included.
3. Work must be original, unsold, and not have been selected for any previous Black Creativity Juried Art Exhibitions.
4. Object specs:
  a. 2D hard sided works (stretched canvas/framed) may not exceed 96” in any direction.
  b. 2D soft works (unframed textile) may not exceed 104” in any direction.
  c. 3D, oversized/heavy, and/or installation works will be reviewed per work, based on the Museum’s gallery, safety, and physical installation capabilities. The Museum is not able to install works which hang from the ceiling.
  d. Work may not exceed 70 lbs.
  e. Monitors are provided for video works. The Museum is not able to install projected works. Videos must be ADA compliant (additional details, upon request).

Application Deadline
October 13, 2024 (full exhibition schedule below)
 

Eligibility Criteria

How to Apply
Jurying will be from digital assets only, with submissions only accepted via CaFE (How to Apply Help).

The Museum reserves the right to decline submissions which are incomplete, do not meet specifications detailed in this call, or are of poor image quality. When possible, the Museum will work with artists to ensure their submissions are complete and will be juried.

Each entry will be judged as a work’s entirety; works which are 3D, diptych, tryptic or a series should be presented in one submission image and identified as such in the title and dimensions.

Values should represent the sale price, or, if not for sale, the insurance value; $0 is not an acceptable value. Dimensions should represent the full and complete dimensions of the work, including frame.

Media files used for the application must comply with CaFE specifications:
IMAGE: JPEG or JPG. 1200 pixels or greater on the longest side. The file size may not exceed 5MB.
VIDEO: MOV, MP4, WMV, 3GP, AVI, ASF, MPG, M2T, MKV, M2TS. File size under 100MB with a min resolution of 640 x 480/max 1920 x 1080; min 12 fps/recommended 30 fps or YouTube or Vimeo URL. Linked videos must be public.

Requirements for Accepted Artwork:
Additional information will be shared with accepted artists. The following is a general overview of participation expectations. 

Installation: All accepted works must be framed or otherwise in a finished state and must be ready for installation including hanging hardware as appropriate:
  • 2D works and works on paper must have adequate framing and/or glazing (plexi or glass) protection.
  • Paintings must be in a dry and finished state.
  • Textiles must include pockets, rods and/or hardware for installation if not standard.
  • 3D works must be stable and able to ‘stand’ on their own. Casework, plinths, stanchions, etc., are provided at the Museum’s discretion. Casework with full enclosure (ie vitrine top) is regularly planned for the small 3D works. Casework may be used but is not guaranteed for 3D works larger than 26” in any direction.
  • Works that adhere directly to gallery walls (i.e. the use of pins, nails, Velcro, magnets or tape) are not preferred. However, the Museum will work with artists to find an acceptable compromise. The Museum cannot be responsible for damage to work which use this installation method.
  • Generic AV equipment is provided by the Museum for videos, but specific types/sizes are not guaranteed. 

To & From the Museum:  Artists in the area (within 100 miles of the Museum) are expected to deliver work in person, all are welcome to. 
  • In person: Artists are responsible for delivery and pickup of their works on the dates specified in the schedule below. Work delivered in person is not eligible for return shipping.
  • Shipping: Artists are responsible for all costs of inbound shipping. Work may not be shipped without prior approval from the Museum, and must be packed in sturdy, reusable container(s). See the Rules & Terms tab on CaFE call for additional shipping conditions. The Museum will not offer return shipping for works within Chicagoland.

Sale of Artwork
All sales inquiries received by the Museum will be forwarded directly to the artist. No commission will be taken. Submitted work does not have to be for sale to be juried but cannot have already been sold to a third party. If an accepted work is sold prior to the exhibition opening or during the exhibition, the artists must notify the Museum.

Exhibition Schedule:

For more information
For technical support with the online submission application, visit the Help For Artists page or contact CaFE support via cafehelp@wearecreativewest.org or 303-629-1166. 

For all other questions, contact the Museum at juriedart@msichicago.org.

The 2025 Black Creativity Program is sponsored by The Allstate Insurance Company and Ardmore Roderick.