Nonprofit Arts Gowanus is looking for local queer creators to take part in its annual Pride Month community exhibition.
In partnership with local organizations Brooklyn Pride and The Old Stone House, Arts Gowanus is seeking Brooklyn-based, queer artists to present works for its now-yearly showing.
Running for the second year in a row, the exhibition — this year, titled “Pride: All Day, Every Day” — will be held at The Old Stone House with artists able to submit work meant to represent what pride means to them or to Brooklyn’s LGBTQ+ community.
Arts Gowanus is accepting works of any artistic medium, and the chosen pieces will be printed on vinyl banners to be displayed on the fence lining the perimeter of the historic house and adjoining Washington Park. The banners will be printed on 36×36 inch vinyl and include a short description of the work. The original versions of the artworks will also be available for sale on the Art Gowanus website.
This year’s exhibition will span beyond Pride Month, beginning June 1 and ending Aug. 31.
Both emerging and established artists are encouraged to submit their works to be considered in the exhibition, with the application period running until April 30.
This year’s pride celebrations take place in the month of June, and are just as significant as last year’s as members of the LGBTQ+ community continue to experience violence and discrimination across the country.
According to the Human Rights Campaign, at least 32 transgender and gender-expansive people were killed by violence in 2023. Among those victims, 84% were people of color and 50% were Black transgender women. In another report, there were over 350 reported incidents of anti LGBTQ+ harassment, assault or vandalism across America from June 2022 through April 2023.
Members of the LGBTQ+ community have also been targeted by discriminatory laws, with the American Civil Liberties Union tracking 510 anti-LGBTQ+ bills introduced or adapted in the US in 2023.
As much remains unchanged for LGBTQ+ community members across the country, Arts Gowanus hopes that with this second group exhibition, both guests and artists alike will be able to express themselves while celebrating their identities.
“In a time fraught with uncertainty for so many members of the LGBTQIA+ community, we’re thrilled to be able to provide a platform for over 100 Queer artists to display their artwork proudly and publicly,” Emily Chiavelli, Program Director for Arts Gowanus told Brooklyn Paper on Wednesday. “We hope this exhibition not only brings attention to the complex experience of living as a Queer person, both now and historically, but also serves as a way to celebrate the immense joy, care, and incredible creativity that makes these artists such an indispensable part of the artistic community (and the community at large) here in Brooklyn.”
To learn more about the Arts Gowanus open art call or to apply, visit the organization’s website here.
Last updated to include more information on Feb. 28, 2024 3:15 p.m.
