To celebrate Pride Month, Arts Gowanus is once again partnering with Brooklyn Pride and The Old Stone House & Washington Park to present an outdoor art exhibit featuring works by Brooklyn-based LGBTQIA+ artists. We are currently accepting submissions for Rooted in Pride.

Brooklyn-based LGBTQIA+ artists are invited to submit artwork for consideration for this group exhibition. Artwork included in this exhibition should represent and celebrate what PRIDE means to the artist and/or Brooklyn's LGBTQIA+ community. Accepted artworks will be printed on vinyl banners and displayed on the fence surrounding The Old Stone House and Washington Park from June 1 – August 31, 2025.

This call is open to both emerging and established artists who work in any style or medium. This exhibition will also take place online, with the original version of each work available for sale on the Arts Gowanus website.

The banners displaying the artwork will be 36 x 36 inches and will include a short description of the artwork.  

 

APPLICATION DEADLINE:
ALL SUBMISSIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY APRIL 30, 2025, 11:59:59pm EST.

EXHIBITION DATES:
June 1st – August 31st, 2024

LOCATION: 
Fence surrounding The Old Stone House (336 3rd Street, Park Slope) and Washington Park/J.J. Byrne Playground. 

ELIGIBILITY:
This exhibition is open to LGBTQIA+ artists who live and/or work in Brooklyn.

*Submission does not guarantee acceptance into the outdoor exhibition. All entrants will be notified on May 10th, 2025.

RULES:

Guidelines
Since this exhibition will be on public display surrounding a children's playground, no artwork depicting sexual content/nudity or profanities will be accepted. We do not want to censor anyone's artistic vision, but all submitted work must be approved by the NYC Parks Department.

Sales commission
Original works depicted on the banners can be for sale and will be listed on the Arts Gowanus website. All inquiries made for original artworks will be forwarded directly to the artist. Artists will be responsible for all aspects of the sale. Arts Gowanus does not collect a commission for works sold, however a donation of 20% of the sale is suggested. 

Copyright
The submitting Artist retains the ownership of the copyright for their work and permits Arts Gowanus to make a single printed copy of the artwork for the outdoor banner display and use the image or artwork for advertising and promotion of the exhibition.

Banners
Arts Gowanus will cover all costs related to the printing and installation of the banners. After the exhibition ends each artist banner will be given to the participant. Due to the nature of this outdoor exhibition, Arts Gowanus cannot guarantee the safety of the banners and may not be able to protect them from theft or vandalization. Banners not collected will be donated to be recycled

Contact
For questions, please email emily@artsgowanus.org.

*Submission does not guarantee acceptance into the exhibition. All entrants will be notified by May 10, 2025.

We're so excited to announce the jurors for Rooted in Pride:

Gayah Imani Gillson is a BIPOC, QTPOC, TwoSpirit Brooklyn-based/ International Artist, Healer, Visionary Activist, and Spiritual Worker. She is the founder and artistic director of Theater of the Liberated, a performance community in Gowanus, Brooklyn - and soon to launch, Artist Temple, a multi-media online company.

Jeremy Martin is a Brooklyn based artist whose boundary-pushing work spans drawing, painting, sculpture, and jewelry-making. Jeremy completed his Master’s in Art Therapy from Pratt Institute in 2018; he subsequently was the recipient of the 2019 Pratt Rising Star Award.

Katie Bishop is a fierce, independent, queer woman, the founder and owner of Principles GI Coffee House in Gowanus. A marine corps veteran, community board member, and dedicated numismatist, she has created a rabblerousing haven where top-notch coffee, bicyclists of all stripes, and genuine community overlap and mingle in a distinctly Gowanusian manner. From after hours play parties to free cups of joe for unhoused neighbors, from fishy local musicals to zealous bike lane advocacy, Principles fosters multitudes with Katie at the helm. As a vegan, sober, no tips, trans-forward, composting establishment with a dedicated denizenry of regulars, Principles often prompts Katie to comment on film and in print about her vision of the good life in coffee shop form. Stop by the shop and you will likely find her listening to - or away attending the shows of - her favorite band, Pool Kids. She lives not far from the coffee shop with her partner Tracey, her energetic pup Nellie, and some cuddly kitties.

Michael Thayer is the proud owner of Sandy Jack’s in Park Slope. Sandy Jack’s is a gay owned, inclusive bar that continuously provides a space for all of the LGBTQIA+ community. Along with owning Sandy Jack’s, Michael is also a teacher for the New York City Department of Education. Michael has made it a personal priority to engage in the LGBTQIA+ community whenever possible.

Artwork Upload

Please upload all information accurately

• Please upload JPG or PNG 
• Please ensure filenames are labeled: First name Last
  name_Title of the piece_Medium_Height x Width in inches.jpg (Jane Doe_Self-Portrait_Oil_32x40in.JPG).
• Upload one image per artwork. This will be the image displayed on the banner.

*If work is accepted the image you submit will be printed on banner. Please provide a clear image of fairly decent resolution. The image "should" have a minimum of 3000 pixels on the longest side and a minimum of 150 dpi for printing. That being said, we have reproduced photos that had a slightly lower resolution and it looked fine. A good photo from most newer phones should work....