Unraveling the Narrative (AKA Everything they ever told me…)

The stories we are told about who we are—and who we should be—often act as a blueprint for a house we were never meant to live in. We are taught to prioritize certain milestones, perform specific roles, and silence the parts of ourselves and cram ourselves into a set script.

"Everything they told me was a lie: and other stories about accepting my Queer & BIPOC identity" is an exploration of the moment the facade breaks. This exhibition seeks to showcase the messy, beautiful, and radical act of unlearning inherited truths to make room for authentic queer selfhood.

The Vision
We are looking for work that investigates the friction between external expectations and internal reality. Whether your journey was a slow burn of realization or a sudden lightning strike of clarity, we want to see how you navigated the "lies" of heteronormativity, gender binaries, and societal "shoulds."

We invite submissions that touch upon:

The Deconstruction: Dismantling the myths of "normalcy."
The Reckoning: The emotional weight of realizing a lifelong narrative was false.
The Reclamation: Rebuilding a sense of self on your own terms.
The Joy of Truth: The liberation found in living outside the prescribed lines.
Submission Categories
We are accepting a wide range of media, including but not limited to:

Visual Arts: Painting, photography, digital art, sculpture, and mixed media.
Performance Arts: Drag, Fashion, Music, Theatric.
Literary Arts: Poetry, flash fiction, and personal essays (max 1,000 words).
Multimedia: Short film, audio soundscapes, and performance art documentation.

Important Dates
Submissions Open: March 23, 2026
Deadline for Entry: May 1, 2026
Artist Notification: May 15, 2026
Exhibition Opening: June 5, 2026 (Pride Month Kickoff)

How to Apply

Please send a digital portfolio or high-resolution images of your work to our jotform. Include a brief artist statement (250 words max) explaining how your piece relates to the theme of unlearning and acceptance.

Note: This call is specifically for creators who identify within the QTLGB+ & BIPOC spectrum. We prioritize voices from intersections that are often marginalized even within the queer community.

Important Dates:

• Submissions Open: March 23, 2026
• Deadline for Entry: May 1, 2026
• Artist Notification: May 15, 2026
• Exhibition Opening: June 5, 2026 (Pride Month Kickoff)

Terms Agreement:

The Fishbowl keeps 40% of all art sales; the remaining 60% goes to the artist.
All art must be dropped off to this Fishbowl within 2 weeks of the show opening, any works not presented within the required timeframe is subject to not be displayed. Exceptions may be made for extenuating circumstances, along with clear and consistent communication with the Fishbowl team.

Art that arrives with little to no protective packaging runs the risk of potential damage. For best results in ensuring art remains intact, please take the time to wrap your art, and we will endeavor to make sure it is returned the way it arrived at the gallery.

After the close of the show, ALL art must be retrieved by the artist. Art that has not been picked up by the artist after 30 days of closing reception will be subject to be relinquished over to the property of the Fishbowl. Please indicate that you understand and accept this arrangement. 

Our Limited Liability Policy:

The Fishbowl will not be responsible for any loss or damage to a vendor/artist’s property, injury to, or bodily harm of the vendor/artist (or its employees, representatives, and contractors), or vendor/artist sales. By participating in any Fishbowl Event, vendor/artist expressly assumes all risks of loss, damage, liability, injury, or destruction resulting from any cause whatsoever, including but not limited to acts or omissions by Vendor, Artist, The Fishbowl, or acts of nature, and hereby releases and waives any claims against The Fishbowl(and its employees, representatives, and contractors) related to such loss, damage, liability, injury, and/or destruction.

 

By clicking Submit below I acknowledge and agree to the above terms