Artspace

2833-A Hathaway Rd., Richmond, VA 23225 in the Stratford Hills Shopping Center

804.232.6464 phone | www.artspacegallery.org

artspaceexhibitions@gmail.com

Rules of Entry

Enter It's About the Hustle, a Juried Exhibition, for a chance to exhibit your artwork at Artspace's gallery located at 2833-A Hathaway Rd., Richmond, VA 23225.

Artspace Gallery is a non-profit organization that prides itself on support and development of artists from all backgrounds. In 2025, the national theme for Black History Month is, “Black Americans and Labor.” In recognition of this theme, Artspace is hosting an exhibition entitled, It’s About the Hustle.

It’s About the Hustle explores the stories of African Americans and their labors in the United States. Work, in its vast iterations, is central to Black history and culture. From unfree labor based in agriculture that is the foundation of this country, through the second industrial revolution, and into the hustle of the 20th and 21st centuries. The pieces in this exhibition will explore the intersectional history of creativity, ingenuity, and innovation that has supported Black communities' resilience. They depict accounts of victories and struggles for social and economic justice, higher education opportunities, individual expression in sports, fine arts, fashion and entertainment, as well as building and maintaining family. Narratives of survival and thriving, of feeling whole and of simply being.

Juror: Franchell Mack Brown (born 1962 in Washington, D.C.) employs an amalgam of materials in her practice. From the pliancy of crocheted ribbon and industrial cording to the solidity of welding and fused glass, she juxtaposes soft and hard, exploring the dualities of being.

Brown grew up in a creative family that instilled in her a reverence for honoring the artistic impulse and awe for ingenious problem-solving. She jumped at the chance to attend Duke Ellington School of the Arts in a cohort of creative kindreds spending their high school years balancing academic rigor and collegiate-level immersion in the visual arts.

After high school, she continued to hone her craft. in Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, Tokyo, Atlanta and Wilmington,   

Mack Brown entered the New River Community College welding program in 2014. She spent her after-work hours in the campus welding lab, creating armatures and improving her welding skills. In 2015, as a certified welder, she accepted a position on a crew for a project that took a prototype truck cab to production for Volvo Trucks.

Seeking offers elsewhere, she accepted a lucrative, non-welding creative position in Richmond, VA, where she resides today with her daughter and son. Mack Brown has been expanding her art practice since arriving in Richmond, Va in 2018. She is a VMFA Fellow, (2021-22). Her work continues to gain momentum as a cohort of Interlude Residency in Hudson, NY (2022), Monson Arts Residency, Monson ME (2023), and The Visual Arts Center of Richmond, Richmond, VA (2023-24).

Prizes:

• 1st Place: $300, plus a solo exhibition at Artspace.
• 2nd Place: $200.
• 3rd Place $100.
• Also, at the discretion of the juror, up to three honorable mentions.

Entries & Fees:

All entries must be submitted through CaFÉ. 

$35 non-refundable proposal fee required. Proposals will not be reviewed before finalized payment is received thru CaFÉ unless the fee presents a hardship for the proposer. Please contact the exhibition committee prior to submitting your proposal if you need to request an exemption from the fee at: artspaceexhibitions@gmail.com

IMPORTANT DATES

Exhibition Dates: January 24 - February 22, 2025

Submission Deadline: Friday, December 6, 2024, 11:59 pm, Mountain Time.

Estimated Notification of Acceptance: Friday, December 20.

Accepted Work Received: Wednesday January 15 - Saturday January 18, 2025 (Closed Monday and Tuesday, January 13 and 14) Deliveries accepted during gallery hours, noon to 4pm

Installation of Work: January 21- January 23

Opening Reception and Awards Presentation: January 24, 6:00 - 8:00pm. Juror Talk: 6:30pm

Show Closes: Saturday February 22 @ 4pm

Pick up Work:  Saturday February 22,  4:00 – 6:00pm or Sunday, February 23,  noon – 2:00pm.

Return of Shipped Work: by Friday March 14

Application Requirements

• 1 to 3 images
• An Artist Statement
• For video entries, artists must provide display equipment if work is selected.
• Artwork size: All work must be able to get through our door, 33 inches width by 82 3/4 inches height with a diagonal of 88 inches. The height of gallery walls is 96 inches.

Eligibility Criteria

• It's About the Hustle is open to artists 18 years and above.
• Submissions are open to artwork in all genres, 2D and 3D.
• Artwork creation date must be 2021 or later.
• Only selected artwork will be included in the exhibition. No substitutions allowed.
• Selections will be made without regard to race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, age, or national origin. Every reasonable effort within the capacity of Artspace will be made to accommodate artists with disabilities or accessibility needs.