2027 Black Creativity Juried Art Exhibition: General Category

Call for Artists 2027

Submissions are now open for the 2027 Black Creativity Juried Art Exhibition at Chicago’s Griffin Museum of Science and Industry. 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 57th annual Black Creativity Program.

We welcome you to submit your work for General Category and Teen Category!

Call for Artists 2027, General Category

Submissions are now open for the General Category of the 2027 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 57th annual Black Creativity Program.

We welcome you to submit your work for General Category here, or if a teen artist please follow this link for the Teen Category Call for Artists!
 

Eligibility for General Category
Black artists 18 years of age or older.

Medium
Contemporary works created in any visual medium.

Jurors
Eddie Chambers; Goldabelle McComb Finn Distinguished Professor in Art History, SAIC
Monica Haslip; Founder and Executive Director, Little Black Pearl
D.E. Simmons; Executive Director, Diaspora Rhythms

Fee (non-refundable)
General Category (over 18): $10
 

Awards for General Category
Best in Show: $4,000                                             
Second Place: $2,750                                    
Third Place: $1,500                                     

General Category award winners will also receive two complimentary tickets to the 2027 Black Creativity Gala held at the Museum.
 

Submission Specifications for General Category
1. Up to four (4) works, completed in 2024-2026, per artist.

2. Work must be submitted anonymously by the artist.
     a. Remove watermarks, video credits, etc. from images, remove your name from descriptions and statements.
     b. Collaborations may not include more than two artists.
     c. Artists must submit for themselves with technical/additional support as needed.

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 works may not exceed 84” in any direction.
     b. 3D, oversized/heavy and/or installation works will be reviewed per work. Pieces should generally not exceed 84” in any direction. Each work, including total size, will be assessed based on the Museum’s gallery, safety and physical installation capabilities. The Museum is not able to install works which hang from the ceiling.
     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 11, 2026 (full exhibition schedule below)
 

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 notify artists of discrepancies to ensure their submissions are complete and are eligible to be juried. Revisions must be completed by the call deadline. 

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 multi-piece/multi-part work(s)/series are submitted separately only the work in the submitted photo will be eligible for display.

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 for General Category:
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 utmost 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 and From the Museum for General Category: 
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 and Values
The Museum does not solicit sales of work. However, artists are welcome to sell works on display if they choose. All inquiries received by the Museum will be forwarded directly to the artist. No commission will be taken. Submitted work may not 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.

Values are used for insurance purposes and works for sale have this value included in the exhibition’s program guide provided to visitors. All values should reflect fair/current market value rather than intrinsic or personal value.  

Exhibition Schedule:

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@griffinmsi.org. The above call is only for the General Category of the 2027 Black Creativity Juried Art Exhibition. A separate Call for Artists for the Teen Category can be found here.