Call Description

CSU Spur invites artists of all backgrounds and experience levels to submit artworks for a juried exhibition celebrating the intersection of community, sustainability, and innovation. We seek compelling works that explore ideas of environmental stewardship, scientific curiosity, and the power of local storytelling through art. The theme for this year’s exhibition is Together on Earth: Celebrating the bonds between humans and the creatures we live among. Artworks should focus on the connection between humans and animals. Submissions will be due by 11:59pm MT on Sunday, June 29th.  

ABOUT CSU SPUR:

CSU Spur is a public-facing campus dedicated to education, sustainability, and community engagement. Through this exhibition, we aim to foster dialogue between artists, scientists, and the public to inspire meaningful connections around our shared environment. 

DATES TO REMEMBER: 

• Applications due: 11:59pm, Sunday, June 29th
• Artists Notified: Friday, July 11th
• Artwork Drop-off: Thursday, July 17th and Friday, July 18th
• Exhibition Dates: August 4th – February 9th 2026
• Artwork Pick-up: Thursday, February 19th and Friday, February 20th
• Location: CSU Spur Campus, Denver, CO

JURY PROCESS: 

A panel of 3-5 artists, scientists, and/or community members will review submissions. Selected artists will be notified by Friday, July 11th. Artworks must be dropped off in person to the CSU Spur campus Thursday, July 17th and Friday, July 18th.  

For questions, please contact Lauren Bína at lauren.bina@colostate.edu. We look forward to showcasing your creative vision at CSU Spur! 

Application Requirements

HOW TO APPLY: 

Submit the following materials. The artist statement, artist bio, and contact information must be submitted in a single PDF. 

• High-quality images of submitted artwork. You may submit up to 3 images or video files.
• Artwork details (title, medium, dimensions, year created).
• Artist statement (max. 250 words) explaining how your work connects to the theme.
• Artist bio (max. 150 words).
• Contact information (name, email, phone, website/social media if applicable).
• Resume or CV (File should be no larger than 2mb, and txt, pdf, doc, docx, xls, xlsx, or jpg format only.) 

Eligibility Criteria

ELIGIBILITY & SUBMISSION GUIDELINES: 

• Open to artists working in any medium, including but not limited to painting, sculpture, photography, digital art, fiber arts, and mixed media.
• Artworks will be in a public space. Staff presence is not guaranteed in the exhibition space, and you must be okay with your artwork being left unattended.
• Artworks should align with the exhibition theme of Together on Earth: Celebrating the bonds between humans and the creatures we live among. 
• Artworks must be ready to be hung on a wall. Framed artworks require security hardware. If your artwork arrives without security hardware, it will be added for you.
• If selected, works must be dropped off in person to CSU Spur in Denver, CO on Thursday, July 17th and Friday, July 18th. Upon drop-off work must be ready to be displayed (unmounted works on paper will not be accepted).
• All works must be original and created within the past five years.
• Both emerging and established artists are encouraged to apply.
• Residents of the 80216-zip code are encouraged to apply.
• CSU Spur will provide promotional materials and may choose to host an opening reception featuring artist talks and interactive programming.