CALL FOR ART: "Staycation" Public Exhibition on the Lower East Side

DEADLINE for submissions: September 5, 2025

Fee to apply: $20 (non-refundable)

Amos Eno Gallery is seeking high-res images of 2D work depicting "destinations, real or imagined" for an upcoming public art exhibition, Staycation, on the Lower East Side. Eligible artists must currently live or maintain a studio or regular work practice on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. This Open Call may select up to five LES artists to be included in the presentation.

Staycation is a public art exhibition designed for the exterior of NYC Health + Hospitals/Gouverneur. The exhibition route spans Henry, Clinton, Madison, and Jefferson Streets, encircling the Gouverneur facility. The exhibition will feature large-scale vinyl banners (example) displaying artwork by Amos Eno Gallery artists, Lower East Side community artists, and nursing home residents—created in partnership with Arts in Medicine.

Inspired by medical facility staff who shared the need for easy outdoor excursions for residents with limited mobility, curator Ellen Sturm Niz, Director of Amos Eno Gallery, envisioned a sidewalk-facing exhibition that brings the world to those who may not be able to travel far. Staff can accompany nursing home residents around the block they live on—encountering vistas and imagined scenes from across the globe, all without ever needing to cross the street.

Participants can journey to places known and unknown, real and imagined: San Francisco, Istanbul, the landscapes of New England, celestial bodies, futuristic worlds, and remembrances of the past. 

Mock-ups for reference:

TO APPLY

To apply, complete the form below and upload one image of a 2D artwork that reflects the exhibition’s theme. The image must meet the following requirements:

● JPEG format
● Maximum file size: 1 MB
● Name your file using this format: LastName_TitleOfWork.jpeg (Smith_BlueSea.jpeg)

IMPORTANT NOTE: 
Selected artists must be able to provide a high-resolution version of the submitted image (minimum 300 dpi at final size, which may be as large as 4 x 6 feet) suitable for large-scale printing. Please review the "Specs and Templates" details at the bottom the Vistaprint vinyl banners webpage for requirements and ensure you can submit the necessary file if selected. 

Submission deadline: September 5, 2025

For questions or more information, please contact amosenogallerysubmissions@gmail.com.

FEE TO APPLY: $20 (non-refundable)

The submission fee goes to supporting gallery operations and printing the vinyl banners for this exhibition.

You may submit one work for the $20 submission fee. IMPORTANT: Submissions without a paid $20 fee will not be reviewed.

Please submit your $20 fee to Ellen Sturm Niz via one of the following:
• Venmo: @Ellen-Niz
• PayPal: Ellen Niz
• Zelle: Ellen Sturm Niz
• CashApp: $EllenNiz

Please include your name in the payment notes so we can match your fee to your application.

AMOS ENO GALLERY
191 Henry St.
New York, NY 10002
(347) 670-3310
amoseno.org

Amos Eno Gallery serves as an alternative, artist-run space for emerging and professional artists in a variety of media, giving precedence to artistic expression freed from commercial restraints. By presenting a rich schedule of public exhibitions, participatory events, and educational programming, we help promote the cultural growth of our artist community and the local New York City community.

Founded in 1974 in Soho by a collective of art students who wanted to show their work as they desired, with the independence that commercial galleries did not allow, Amos Eno Gallery today still does not set boundaries according to the commercial value, style, gender, or background of the artist, for example. Quality counts the most, and the camaraderie among the artists and the community is prioritized.

Amos Eno Gallery's programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.