Make/Shift: the art of material transformation

MAKE/SHIFT
The art of material transformation. 

Make/Shift asks artists to explore the space where material, process, and intention converge. Artists are invited to submit work grounded in techniques and materials traditionally associated with functional craft—ceramics, fiber, glass, wood, basketry, and other hand-based practices—reimagined through a fine art lens. This exhibition considers what happens when utility gives way to concept and transformation. Make/Shift highlights works that stretch, disrupt, and redefine the boundaries between function and form.

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MAKE/SHIFT
The art of material transformation. 

Make/Shift asks artists to explore the space where material, process, and intention converge. Artists are invited to submit work grounded in techniques and materials traditionally associated with functional craft—ceramics, fiber, glass, wood, basketry, and other hand-based practices—reimagined through a fine art lens. This exhibition considers what happens when utility gives way to concept and transformation. Make/Shift highlights works that stretch, disrupt, and redefine the boundaries between function and form.

Artwork must be made using the techniques or the materials traditionally associated with craft, including but not limited to: quilting, knitting and crochet, weaving, spinning, felting, wood carving, wood turning, glass craft, beading, pottery and ceramics, basketry, leather craft, jewelry, book arts, paper making, stone craft, metal craft, marbling, etc.

About Metro Art Studios:

Metro Art Studios is a non-profit arts organization located in the South End of Bridgeport, CT. The three-story renovated corset factory houses 38 loft studios for professional musicians and visual artists, as well as Crown Gallery, a large for-profit gallery space on the ground floor. Crown Gallery hosts 6-7 exhibitions a year, a mix of juried and invitational curated shows. Metro supports local, regional, and national artists with professional development workshops and panels, and provides inclusive cultural experiences and diverse opportunities to the Greater Bridgeport area and beyond. 

About the Juror:

RHONDA BROWN and TOM GROTTA 

Tom and Rhonda have showcased modern fiber art since the 1980s, championing fiber art’s evolution and future. Representing over 100 artists from 25 countries, browngrotta arts gallery’s exhibitions, art fairs, and partnerships with museums have placed works in prestigious collections like the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Smithsonian’s Renwick Gallery. Tom, a Rochester Institute of Technology graduate, is renowned for his photography of fiber art and knowledge of contemporary textiles. Rhonda’s background as a lawyer and writer informs her editorial leadership at browngrotta arts. Rhonda oversees the gallery’s catalogs, blog, and social media, ensuring its continued influence in fiber art

Calendar:

Entries Due: July 14, 2026

Notification: July 21, 2026

Artwork Drop Off or Arrive By: August 1, 2026

Dates of Show: August 9 to September 19, 2026

Reception: Sunday, August 9, 2026, 1 - 3 PM

Delivery of Accepted Work: Shipped work must arrive at Metro Art Studios no later than August 1, 2026. Artists are responsible for paying shipping costs, including any insurance, with the carrier of their choice to and from Metro Art Studios. Reusable packing materials will be retained by Metro Art Studios for return shipping. Metro Art Studios will not be responsible for damage due to incorrect packing materials or insufficient container when returning artwork as it was originally shipped. Artists must provide a pre-paid shipping label for return of artwork.

Drop off of Accepted Work: For local artists, accepted works can be dropped off in person at Metro Art Studio on August 1, 2026 from 1-3 pm, unless other arrangements are made in advance in writing.

Sales:

A commission of 40% will be retained by Metro Art Studios on all sales. A sale or retail price must be indicated for all work. Artists will be paid for works sold within 30 days after the closing date of the exhibition and the collection of the sales proceeds.

Questions:

Please contact us with any questions. Jane Davila, Executive Director, Metro Art Studios & Crown Gallery, jane@metroartstudios.org 

Entry Requirements:

Artists must enter online at callforentry.org. One $35 entry fee covers up to three entries. Only one image must be submitted for each entry. Entry fees are non-refundable. Metro Art Studios reserves the right to refuse a work which has been significantly misrepresented by its entry.

Metro Art Studios is committed to providing opportunity to fine artists, while being highly aware that entry fees can be a financial barrier to entering exhibits. Therefore, our call for entry includes a small number of entries available at no cost. If you would like to be considered for a no cost entry, please send us an email with your request and we will do our best to honor it. No cost entries are paid for by an anonymous donor and are based on financial need. Contact Jane Davila, Executive Director, at jane@metroartstudios.org for more information.

Eligibility:

All artists aged 18 years and older may apply. Open to work made using the techniques or the materials traditionally associated with craft. We are not able to exhibit works made with video and sound. We do not have the capability at this time to include these mediums. Entries must be original, entirely the work of the entrant, and made without the supervision of an instructor. Copies of existing artworks or those based on copyrighted artworks by others are not eligible. 

There is no maximum or minimum size for submitted work, although it must fit through a standard doorway. 20” x 20” x 36” pedestals are available. If selected, work must arrive ready for hanging or display. Framed works will only be accepted with plexiglass - absolutely no glass. It is highly encouraged that work be for sale. 

Early pick up of accepted artwork is not permitted. Work purchased during the exhibit must remain on exhibit until the end of the show. Metro Art Studios reserves the right to refuse to hang or display any accepted work with insufficient hanging hardware, at its discretion.