NOT AFRAID EXHIBITION CALL FOR ART

Exhibition dates: January 6 to February 28, 2026
Reception: January 9, 2026
Deadline to enter art: Tuesday, December 9, 2025.

West Windsor Arts and Art Against Racism, (both 501(c)(3) organizations), invite artists to submit artwork for Not Afraid, a juried exhibition of work that empowers artists to explore the intersection of identity and culture.

In a time of restlessness, fear, power imbalances, injustices, and acts of hate across the globe, there’s nothing more important than the power of community and the fearlessness to be true to who you are.

Not Afraid takes inspiration from black leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the artistic leadership of Passage Theater Company in Trenton to encourage artists to consider the strength and resilience of humanity and what it truly means to be bold, be brave, and be authentically yourself.

JUROR: Claudio Mir

Claudio Mir is a performance artist, photographer, musician, and writer. He received a Professional Actor Degree from La Escuela Nacional de Arte Dramatico, Palacio de Bellas Artes, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He studied theater direction at the International School of Latin American and Caribbean Theater (EITALC) in Bologna, Italy, and Havana, Cuba.  He received his bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from Mason Gross School of the Arts, New Brunswick, NJ, in 1999 and a Master’s in Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Rutgers University Graduate School, Newark, NJ, in 2012. Mir has participated in collective exhibitions in Aaron Davis Hall, New York, Mason Gross Galleries, New Jersey, the University of Puerto Rico, and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He is also the founder of Son de Aqui, Son de Alla, a group of Son Jarocho, music from the southern part of Veracruz, Mexico.

TIMELINE

Deadline to submit work: December 9, 2025
Notification of selections: December 16-17, 2025
Drop off/send work: January 2, 2026
Exhibition dates: January 2 to February 28, 2026
Reception: January 9, 2026 

ELIGIBILITY

  • Open to all artists 16 years of age and older. All art must be original and new to West Windsor Arts.
  • This will be a virtual and in gallery exhibition. There is no size limitation for art, however, size will be taken into consideration by the juror.
  • Works to be considered include works on paper/canvas, 3D works, digital media, videos, music compositions, text-based works, documentation of community actions, zines and performative actions/ their scripts, are all welcome.
  • All artwork must include meaningful human input. AI-generated pieces should be significantly shaped by the artist’s creativity and not solely produced by AI.

ARTWORK SPECIFICATIONS

  • A maximum of three pieces can be entered per artist.
  • Artwork must be in original form for the medium being submitted. Giclée or other reproductions of original work will not be accepted, unless the original is a photograph/print. Example: giclée of watercolor will not be accepted.
  • All artworks entered MUST include finished edges or be framed. Alternative presentations that are part of the artwork will be accepted however we must be able to hang or display the art. Typically all work must be wired across the back with picture hanging wire. Wire must be approximately 1/3 from top of frame. Saw-tooth hooks, ribbon, or easel back, etc. will NOT be accepted. All pieces should be labeled with the artist’s name and the title of the artwork.
  • For videos and other digital media, we will need a version that can be downloaded.

ENTRY FEE

  • $5 for each artwork, up to 3 artworks per artist.

TERMS FOR ACCEPTED ARTWORK

  • Entry of artwork and application for jury review constitutes an agreement between the artist and West Windsor Arts Council and Art Against Racism to the conditions set forth:

    1. Insurance coverage for accepted artwork begins upon completion of drop-off procedure on the designated date and time at West Windsor Arts and continues for the duration of the show.
    2. The juror, West Windsor Arts, and Art Against Racism reserve the right to reject any work submitted at their discretion. The exhibit will be hung in the gallery and foyer at WWA in a way that best showcases all the artists and art to be exhibited. Note: depending on size and space restrictions, not all work selected may be hung. Artists will be notified immediately following final installation of the exhibit if a selected work is not included or if any work submitted is not properly framed for hanging.
    3. Work not matching the digital images submitted will not be accepted.
    4. All artwork must remain in the show for the duration of the show.
    5. There will be set dates and times for drop off and pick up of accepted artwork. If you are shipping your art, prior arrangements must be made. Artwork must be sent with prepaid return postage and insurance coverage at the expense of the artist.
    6. Sale of Art
      1. West Windsor Arts will be responsible for processing and collecting the sale proceeds of art.
      2. West Windsor Arts/Art Against Racism will retain 30% of the retail price as commission and pay the balance of 70% of sale. Artist Level Members of WWA receive a preferred split on gallery sales (75/25).
      3. Payment for sold work will be made by check within 21 business days of close of the exhibit.
    7. West Windsor Arts and Art Against Racism retain the right to use the artist’s name and digital images of accepted artwork for communications and promotions.

    It may be helpful to have the following information ready before you begin the form:

    Artist information:
    Artist name and contact information
    Brief bio with highlights of artist career (no more than 150 words)
    Artist statement about overall works/practice

    For each artwork:
    Title, medium, year created, dimensions
    Artist statement about each piece of art
    Artwork connection to the theme
    Upload image (An image of each piece of artwork will need to be uploaded.  Make sure it is in focus and square to the frame.  Please rename the image file you are uploading to the following format: last name_first name_title of art.jpg.  Do not send us an image file name that is just a string of numbers.  If you need help to rename your image files, please call us.)

    HOW TO ENTER YOUR ARTWORK: 
    1) Fill out this form: 2026 Not Afraid Entry Form
    2) Pay the entry fee:  Entry Fee for Not Afraid Exhibition 2026