Art That Matters to the Planet: Dark Skies

The Roger Tory Peterson Institute in Jamestown, NY, invites artists to submit work for our sixth annual juried exhibition of Art That Matters to the Planet. Art That Matters to the Planet explores the ways in which art and artists matter – by drawing us into a deeper relationship with nature, opening hearts and minds to the critical challenges of our time and inspiring us to the solutions we need to address those challenges.

Each year, this exhibition draws inspiration from the work of Roger Tory Peterson. Our 2027 theme, inspired by A Field Guide to the Stars and Planets, is titled Art That Matters to the Planet: Dark Skies. This exhibition will explore the night skies and what they mean to us. Artists are invited to turn their attention upwards, and explore who uses the night skies—birds that navigate in the darkness, animals that awaken when dusk settles, the effects of space pollution (orbital debris or “space junk”)—and what lies beyond the Earth’s atmosphere.

Art That Matters to the Planet: Dark Skies 
January 29th – May 30th, 2027

Note: This year, we have a few changes! Artists should please note that the call is going out three months earlier than usual—August instead of October—to match our updated 2027 exhibition schedule. In order to be more in-line with other juried exhibition calls, shipping costs will be the responsibility of the exhibiting artist. However, this goes along with another new development: for the first time ever, the Roger Tory Peterson Institute will be awarding prizes for First, Second, and Third places in this exhibition ($1,000, $500, and $250, respectively.) Winners will be announced at the exhibition opening on January 29th, 2027.

The Roger Tory Peterson Institute in Jamestown, NY, invites artists to submit work for our sixth annual juried exhibition of Art that Matters to the Planet. Art that Matters to the Planet explores the ways in which art and artists matter – by drawing us into a deeper relationship with nature, opening hearts and minds to the critical challenges of our time and inspiring us to the solutions we need to address those challenges.

Each year, the theme for this exhibition draws inspiration from the work of Roger Tory Peterson, typically his series of field guides. Our 2027 theme, inspired by A Field Guide to the Stars and Planets, is titled Art That Matters to the Planet: Dark Skies. This exhibition will explore the night skies (both immediately within view and farther into the cosmos) and what they mean to us. Artists are invited to turn their attention upwards, and explore who uses the night skies—birds that navigate in the darkness, animals that awaken when dusk settles, the effects of space pollution (orbital debris or “space junk”)—and what lies beyond the Earth’s atmosphere.

This year, we are pleased to announce that Jon Lomberg will be serving as guest juror. Lomberg is one of the world’s most celebrated astronomical artists. He was Carl Sagan's principal artistic collaborator for over two decades. Jon Lomberg was also the Design Director for NASA's Voyager Golden Record: 2027 celebrates the fifty-year anniversary of its launch. A photograph by Jay Pasachoff—the author of A Field Guide to the Stars and Planets —was included on the Golden Record.

With Art That Matters to the Planet: Dark Skies, we will consider three main themes:

• Advocacy. More than depicting a night sky (or a map of the cosmos), we encourage submissions from artists who incorporate investigations of, knowledge about, and advocacy for the creatures that make the night skies their own, and for the health of our night sky itself.
• Species/Location-based artworks. What do you see, when you look to the night skies? What catches your focus—the living creatures nearby, or a certain constellation? The night sky looks unique to each and every one of us, and we hope to see artworks that home in on artist-specific concerns or adorations. Roger Tory Peterson was known for saying, “The more you look, the more you will see.” Artists are invited to go beyond generalities and to instead help us to see the night sky with fresh eyes.
• Environmental impact. With this exhibition, we hope to learn more about the night sky, the stars, and our planetary systems. What do you see? How can art help us see and feel what is happening, and connect us to something so very far away?

Artists will be judged based on three criteria:

1)    Originality: artwork that explores dynamic ways to communicate, and demonstrates the persuasive role that artists can play in advocating for the preservation of our earth and skies.

2)    Personal voice or vision: artwork with an authentic and unique point of view and style, especially in regard to the artist’s understanding of/research about their subject(s).

3)    Technical skill: artwork that uses technique to advance an original perspective or a personal vision or voice, and shows skills being utilized to create something unique, powerful, and innovative.

We are especially interested in interdisciplinary projects which have demonstrable environmental impact, and which creatively combine art and science in order to reflect on the relationship between society and nature. In a world of exceptional natural beauty and overwhelming environmental challenges, help us to make a case that art is indispensable to create a better world.

ABOUT A FIELD GUIDE TO THE STARS AND PLANETS

A Field Guide to the Stars and Planets, with an introduction by Roger Tory Peterson, was originally published in 1964 with Donald H Menzel serving as the author. Menzel was one of the first theoretical astronomers and astrophysicists in the United States and discovered the physical properties of the Sun’s atmosphere, the chemistry of stars, the atmosphere of Mars, and the nature of gaseous nebulae. After a time, astronomer Jay Pasachoff updated the guide and Dutch celestial cartographer Wil Tiron created monthly star maps and atlas charts. This guide, like all the others in the Peterson Field Guide Series, is meant to be taken outside. It is small enough to fit in a coat pocket, and guides the reader in spotting and identifying celestial bodies, how to safely observe the sun, and even how to adjust one’s eyes to a darkened environment. It promises in the introduction that, “if you make your way through this book, you will have made friends with the sun in the morning and with the stars at night”.

ABOUT GUEST JUROR JON LOMBERG

Jon Lomberg is one of the world’s foremost interpreters of astronomy in art. His 25-year partnership with Carl Sagan produced some of the most important science-inspired media of our time. Jon Lomberg was also the Design Director for NASA's Voyager Golden Record, designing the image and sound sequences on that legendary project.

Lomberg’s other achievements include Project Director for Visions of Mars, a DVD now on Mars on a NASA lander, co-designer of the Mars sundials aboard three NASA rovers on Mars, EMMY Award winner as Chief Artist for the TV series COSMOS, Designer of the animated opening of the movie CONTACT (selected as one of the 100 Best Movie Openings of All Time), and creator of the Galaxy Garden in Hawaii. Earth’s first large-scale walk-through model of the Milky Way Galaxy is based on Lomberg’s Portrait of the Milky Way mural for the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC.

ABOUT THE ROGER TORY PETERSON INSTITUTE

Roger Tory Peterson was born in Jamestown, New York, in 1908. He grew up on Bowen Street, just a couple of streets away from where the Roger Tory Peterson Institute now stands. He designed what is now known as the modern field guide—a book on bird identification that points out “field marks” or special markings that differentiate bird species from one another in an easy-to-understand way. This visual aid made it so anyone could learn about birds, and could easily fit into a pocket or bag to be taken outside. Trained as an artist, Peterson understood the power of art to illuminate the natural world. Throughout his multifaceted career as artist and educator, he demonstrated that each and every one of us can make a difference in protecting the earth’s diversity of plants and animals.

The Roger Tory Peterson Institute is a living embodiment of the field guide. We nurture the next generation of nature artists and explore dynamic new ways of experiencing the beauty of the natural world, the environmental challenges we face, and the opportunities for recovery.

APPLICATION INFORMATION:

Artists should focus on a specific series or project which aligns with the exhibition themes. Artists may submit any combination of materials that provide a picture of their overall artistic practice. In addition to images of finished artwork and an artist statement, submitted materials may include images of sketches, journal entries, photographs, published writing, videos, or other relevant materials. All submitted materials must be available for inclusion in the exhibition.

Include information for individual artworks, including title, date, processes, materials, dimensions, insurance value, and brief description. Artists may also include whether they would be interested in presenting talks, workshops, or demonstrations, should scheduling allow.

It should also be noted that artists’ number of entries will be capped at 4 submissions. This makes it so guest jurors do not have to wade through a large selection of submissions that do not thematically match the call.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: All entries must be submitted online via CaFÉ by Saturday, November 7, 2026, 11:59 pm, MDT. Due to the expected volume of submissions, we will be unable to respond to inquiries about the application requirements or process. For assistance with your application, please refer to: https://www.callforentry.org/artist-help-cafe/how-to-apply-artists/#apply

EXHIBITION DATES: January 29th – May 30th, 2027

LOAN DATES: January 15 – June 13, 2027

LOCATION: The Roger Tory Peterson Institute, 311 Curtis Street, Jamestown, NY 14701

ACCEPTABLE MEDIA CATEGORIES: All categories of art are welcome.

SPECIFICATIONS: 

• For crated works, crate dimensions shall not exceed: 78” H x 78” L x 36” W and shall not exceed 150 pounds.
• All work must be original to the submitting artist.
• Recent works (created since 2020) will be given preference.

NOTIFICATION:

• All submitting artists will be notified by email upon the receipt of their submissions, and will be notified regarding exhibition selection by December 11, 2026.
• Artwork packing and shipping instructions will be sent with selection notification.

ARTIST RESPONSIBILITIES:

Artists selected for Art that Matters to the Planet exhibition are responsible for the following:

• Packing costs
• All costs associated with shipping
• Works which are ready for display
• Publication quality images of works selected for the exhibition

RTPI RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Roger Tory Peterson Institute is responsible for the following:

• Insurance of the artworks while in transit and onsite at RTPI
• All costs associated with installation of artworks

TIMELINE

• August 1, 2026 – Call for entries opens
• November 7, 2026 – Submission deadline
• November 8 – December 5, 2026 – Exhibition jurying
• December 11, 2026 – Selected artists notified
• January 1, 2027 – Deadline for receipt of loan agreement
• January 15, 2027 – Deadline for art to arrive at RTPI
• January 29, 2027 – Exhibition opening reception, winners announced
• January 30, 2027 – Exhibition open to the public
• May 30, 2027 – Exhibition closes

APPLICATION INFORMATION:

Artists should focus on a specific series or project which aligns with the exhibition themes. Artists may submit any combination of materials that provide a picture of their overall artistic practice. In addition to images of finished artwork and an artist statement, submitted materials may include images of sketches, journal entries, photographs, published writing, videos, or other relevant materials. All submitted materials must be available for inclusion in the exhibition.

Include information for individual artworks, including title, date, processes, materials, dimensions, insurance value, and brief description. Artists may also include whether they would be interested in presenting talks, workshops, or demonstrations, should scheduling allow.

It should also be noted that artists’ number of entries will be capped at 4 submissions. This makes it so guest jurors do not have to wade through a large selection of submissions that do not thematically match the call.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: All entries must be submitted online via CaFÉ by Saturday, November 7, 2026, 11:59 pm, MDT. Due to the expected volume of submissions, we will be unable to respond to inquiries about the application requirements or process. For assistance with your application, please refer to: https://www.callforentry.org/artist-help-cafe/how-to-apply-artists/#apply
 

Emerging, mid-career, and established artists are eligible and encouraged to apply.