Open Call for Exhibition Proposals

Second Street Gallery (SSG) invites artists and curators to submit exhibition proposals for consideration for upcoming exhibitions in either the Main Gallery or Dové Gallery. Selected proposals will be considered for SSG’s exhibition calendar beginning October 2027 through January 2029.

Exhibition Open Call | 2027–2029

Second Street Gallery (SSG) invites artists and curators to submit exhibition proposals for consideration for upcoming exhibitions in either the Main Gallery or Dové Gallery. Selected proposals will be considered for SSG’s exhibition calendar beginning October 2027 through January 2029.

Founded in 1973, Second Street Gallery is the oldest nonprofit 501(c)(3) contemporary art space in Central Virginia. Our primary mission is to enliven Virginia through access to the best in contemporary art and artists and to inspire new ways of thinking, seeing, and doing through the presentation of 10–14 separate exhibitions each year, with a full calendar of related programming.

Second Street Gallery is committed to presenting contemporary art; supporting artists at varying stages of their careers through exhibitions, public programs, and professional development opportunities; and creating meaningful opportunities for audiences to engage directly with artists and their work.

ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY

This is a rolling open call, and proposals will be reviewed periodically by SSG’s Executive Director & Chief Curator as she develops SSG’s upcoming exhibition calendar.

Artists may submit proposals for solo, two-person, or group exhibitions. Curators may also submit proposals for group exhibitions.

Selected exhibitions will be presented in either SSG’s Main Gallery or Dové Gallery. Artists should submit work and exhibition concepts that reflect their current practice. In general, artwork proposed for exhibition should have been completed within five years of the scheduled exhibition date, unless the proposal is specifically for a retrospective or includes earlier work for a clear curatorial reason.

GALLERY + EXHIBITION PERIOD PREFERENCES

As part of the application, artists and curators will be required to indicate which SSG gallery space they would like their proposal to be considered for:

• Main Gallery
• Dové Gallery
• Either Main Gallery or Dové Gallery

Applicants should consider the scale, scope, and installation requirements of their proposed exhibition when selecting a gallery. SSG does not accept proposals for exhibitions utilizing both the Main Gallery and Dové Gallery simultaneously.

Gallery preference will be taken into consideration; however, final gallery placement will be determined by SSG based on curatorial fit, exhibition requirements, scheduling, and the overall balance of the exhibition calendar.

Applicants will also be required to indicate all exhibition periods for which they are available:

• October–November 2027
• December 2027–January 2028
• February–March 2028
• October–November 2028
• December 2028–January 2029

Applicants should only select periods during which they can reasonably commit to attending the exhibition opening in Charlottesville and fulfilling the required public programming commitment. Availability for multiple exhibition periods is encouraged and provides SSG with greater flexibility when developing the exhibition calendar.

ARTIST HONORARIUM

Selected exhibitions will receive a $1,000 honorarium in support of expenses associated with participation in the exhibition, including expenses related to artwork production and preparation, packing and shipping, transportation, travel, and lodging.

For collaborative, two-person, or group exhibitions, the $1,000 honorarium is awarded per exhibition, not per participating artist, and will be divided among participating artists and/or curators as agreed upon with SSG.

Artists are responsible for arranging and covering the cost of shipping or transporting their work to and from Second Street Gallery. Artists living outside of Charlottesville are welcome and encouraged to apply but should take transportation, shipping, travel, and related expenses into consideration when developing their proposal.

Public programming is compensated separately. Programming honoraria are determined based on the program format and number of participating artists.

ARTWORK SALES

At least 75% of the artwork included in a selected exhibition must be available for sale, unless otherwise agreed upon with SSG. Installation, video, performance, site-specific, time-based, and other non-object-based works may be exempt from this requirement when appropriate.

SSG retains a 50% commission on all artwork sales, with the remaining 50% paid to the artist.

PARTICIPATION REQUIREMENTS

If selected, artists must attend the exhibition’s opening reception in Charlottesville and participate in at least one public or community engagement program presented in conjunction with the exhibition.

Artists are also expected to work collaboratively with SSG staff throughout the planning, installation, promotion, programming, and presentation of the exhibition.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Community engagement is an important part of Second Street Gallery’s mission and exhibition program. As part of the application, artists will be asked to describe one or more public programs they could envision developing in conjunction with their proposed exhibition.

Programs might include an artist talk, conversation, hands-on workshop, performance, demonstration, screening, gallery tour, participatory project, community art-making activity, or another format appropriate to the artist’s practice and exhibition. Applicants do not need to have a fully developed program at the time of submission. Final programming will be developed collaboratively with SSG staff.

GENERATIVE AI POLICY

Second Street Gallery does not accept exhibition proposals featuring artwork created or substantially generated using generative artificial intelligence (AI). Please review SSG’s complete Rules & Terms to Apply for additional information regarding this policy.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

Second Street Gallery welcomes ambitious, thoughtful proposals representing a broad range of contemporary artistic practices, media, perspectives, and approaches.

We are particularly interested in proposals that demonstrate:

• A clear and compelling artistic or curatorial vision
• A cohesive body of work or exhibition concept
• Strong contemporary relevance
• Thoughtful consideration of how the work might engage SSG’s gallery spaces and audiences
• Potential for meaningful public programming and community engagement
• A body of work that is exhibition-ready or demonstrates a clear trajectory toward completion by the proposed exhibition period

Proposals for new or site-responsive projects are welcome, provided applicants can clearly demonstrate how the project will be realized within the available timeframe and resources.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

This is a rolling open call. SSG will begin reviewing applications approximately one month after the open call launches and will continue reviewing proposals as we build the 2027–2029 exhibition calendar. The open call will close once all available exhibition opportunities have been filled.

Applicants are encouraged to submit their proposals early. While proposals are not selected on a first-come, first-served basis, fewer exhibition dates and gallery placements will remain available as the calendar is filled. Artists interested in the broadest range of scheduling opportunities should not delay in submitting their proposals.

Submission of a proposal does not guarantee an exhibition. SSG receives more proposals than can be accommodated within its exhibition calendar, and selections are made based on artistic merit, curatorial fit, available space, scheduling, budget, feasibility, and the overall balance of each exhibition season.

Because this is a rolling call, proposals may remain under consideration as SSG develops its exhibition calendar. Selected applicants will be contacted directly by Second Street Gallery.

We look forward to learning more about your work, your ideas, and the exhibitions you would like to bring to Second Street Gallery.

Member Entry Fee: Please select the member entry fee only if you are a current member of Second Street Gallery. Submissions using the discounted member rate without an active membership will not be considered for the exhibition.

If you are not currently a member but would like to join and take advantage of the discounted entry fee, you may become a member through our website [HERE] before submitting your application.

Before submitting an application, applicants must review SSG’s complete Rules & Terms to Apply. Submission of an application indicates acknowledgment and acceptance of these terms.

Applicants should be prepared to submit:

• Exhibition Proposal: A concise description of the proposed exhibition, including its central ideas, themes, and the work you envision presenting.
• Gallery Preference: Applicants must indicate whether they would like their proposal to be considered for the Main Gallery, Dové Gallery, or either gallery.
• Exhibition Period Availability: Applicants must select all exhibition periods for which they are available:

1. October–November 2027
2. December 2027–January 2028
3. February–March 2028
4. October–November 2028
5. December 2028–January 2029

• Artist or Curatorial Statement: Information providing context for your broader practice and approach.
• 7–15 Images: Recent examples of work representative of the proposed exhibition. The works pictured do not necessarily need to be the exact works ultimately included in the exhibition.
• Image List: Artist name, artwork title, date, medium, dimensions, and other relevant information for each submitted work.
• CV/Résumé, Biography: For each primary participating artist and/or curator.
• Estimated Scope: Approximate number, dimensions, and types of works anticipated for the exhibition.
• Installation Requirements: Any anticipated technical, fabrication, equipment, electrical, audiovisual, maintenance, or specialized installation needs. Applicants proposing video, film, digital, sound, time-based, site-responsive, or technically complex work should clearly identify the equipment and installation requirements associated with the proposal.
• Public Programming Ideas: A brief description of one or more public or community engagement programs you could envision presenting in conjunction with the exhibition.
• Links to Time-Based Work: Applicants submitting film, video, sound, digital, performance documentation, or other time-based media should provide accessible links to representative work.

Applicants will also be asked to respond briefly to the following:

Why are you interested in presenting this exhibition at Second Street Gallery, and how do you see the project connecting with SSG’s audiences and mission?

We encourage thoughtful, specific responses. We want to understand not only what you would like to exhibit, but why Second Street Gallery is an appropriate context for the project.

• Applicants must be 18 years of age or older.
• Artists working at all stages of their professional careers are encouraged to apply.
• Full-time students are not eligible to apply for solo exhibitions. Full-time students may be considered as participants in group exhibitions.
• Artists do not need to live in Charlottesville or Virginia to apply.
• Proposals may be submitted by individual artists, collaborating artists, or curators.
• Proposals may be for solo, two-person, or group exhibitions.
• Artists previously exhibited at Second Street Gallery may apply with a substantially new body of work or exhibition concept.