Call Description

Call for Artists 2026
Submissions are now open for the 2026 Black Creativity Juried Art Exhibition at Chicago’s Griffin Museum of Science and Industry (Museum). This annual show presents 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 56th 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
Alexandria Eregbu; Independent curator and interdisciplinary art practitioner
Akilah Halley; Executive Director, Marwen 
Norman Teague; Owner, Norman Teague Design Studio and professor

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 2026 Black Creativity Gala held at the Museum.
 

Application Requirements

Submission Specifications
1. Up to four (4) works, completed in the past three years (2023 or later), per artist.

2. Work must be submitted anonymously by the artist.
   a. Remove watermarks, video credits, etc. prior to submission.
   b. Artist statements are accepted but not required at time of submission. Artist’s name should not be included.
   c. Artists must submit for themselves with technical/additional support as needed. Teens may receive assistance from teachers/caregivers as needed.
   d. Collaborations may not include more than two artists. (For either General or Teen Category)

3. Work must be the artist’s original creation (no AI generated work), unsold and not have been selected for any previous Black Creativity Juried Art Exhibitions.

4. Object specs:
   a. 2D work may not exceed 84” in any direction.
   b. GENERAL CATEGORY: 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. 
   TEEN CATEGORY: 3D works may not exceed 30” in any direction. Installations will be reviewed per work as above.
   c. Work may not exceed 70 lbs.
   d. Monitors are provided for video work. The Museum is not able to install projected works. Videos must be ADA compliant (additional details, upon request).

Application Deadline
October 12, 2025 (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 as the ‘whole’ within one submission image and identified as such in the title. If a multi-piece work is submitted separately only the artwork in the submitted photo will be eligible for display.

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 work must be framed or otherwise in a finished state and must be ready for installation including hanging hardware as appropriate:
  • 2D work must be in a dry and finished state. It is strongly recommended that all 2D works have adequate framing and/or glazing (plexi or glass) for upmost protection. It is required for work on paper.
  • Textiles must include pockets, rods and/or hardware for installation if not standard.
  • 3D work 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 30” 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 uses 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 others may do so if they prefer.
 • In person: Artists are responsible for delivery and pickup of their work 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:

An optional workshop for accepted Teen Category artists is being planned for November 2025. More information will be provided at a later date.

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.