Celebrating the Black Experience

Call for Artists

This exhibit celebrates African descendants through the visual arts, honors the legacy of Black artists’ rich contributions and achievements, and highlights the impact Black art has made in transforming our struggle against oppression and racism.

Art for consideration will reflect diverse environments and traditions that contribute to the fabric of the Black experience. Underrepresented imagery expressing joy, sorrow, love, creativity, and truth-telling are all up for exploration within the Black aesthetic.

Exhibition will run April 11 – June 19, 2025, in KCAAH’s Elmer Lucille Allen Gallery.

The Kentucky Arts Council and KCAAH have teamed up to provide even greater exposure for Celebrating the Black Experience. After its initial showing at KCAAH, the exhibit will travel throughout the state to several additional communities. During the application process, artists will have the opportunity to choose whether or not they would like their work to be included in the traveling exhibit.

Artists participating in the traveling show must bring their pieces wrapped in bubble wrap or foam and in a sturdy box adequate to withstand being transported to several venues. Do not use Styrofoam peanuts, shredded paper, or stretch film.

Application Deadline: January 26, 2025

Helpful Information for Submitting Artwork

Artist Statement (150 words)

Artist statements are written in 1st person, about your art, not about you. Write about the current direction of your work, not a history of how you got to where you are now. Think about the statement as what you would want someone to know about your work, in your absence. The statement should be short, concise, in conversational language, and from your perspective. Include the following:

Introduction/Description of the work

Personal reasons and motivation behind creation of the work
Process
Special techniques used
Meaning of the art
Inspiration behind your work
Medium you chose and why
Subject matter
Your relationship to your artwork

Artist Biography (Bio, 250 words)

Biographies are written in 3rd person, about you, outsider looking in, use pronouns he, she, they and include the following:

Where you were born?
Where you grew up?
Where you are currently based?
What is your inspiration and why?
Favorite medium/techniques
Formal education/apprenticeship/self-taught/mentored by
Career achievements
Exhibitions
Art in specific collections
Art organizations/affiliations
Honors/Awards/Grants for your work

Pricing your work:

Do not over or under-price your work. Think about the size, materials, framing cost and the time invested in the piece. Are you an emerging, mid-career, or established artist? Have you sold your work before and if so, for what price? Use that price as a starting point. KCAAH will receive a 40% commission which should also be taken into consideration.

Photographing your art:

Your photographs should be clear and faithful reproductions that are in focus, have high resolution/300 dpi, are true to color, and are cropped to the border of the image. Do not include anything else in the photograph. Make sure your art is not distorted and does not include any reflections. To photograph your art either hang it on the wall or place it flat on the floor or a table. Take photos in good light. You can use a light box, designed for product photographs, a ring light, a tabletop lighting kit, or flat natural light either outside or from a window.

*If you would like help with your bio, artist statement, or photographs, contact Julia Youngblood at julia@youngbloodharmonizingarts.com

RULES OF ENTRY:

Ages 18 and up
Work must be an original piece, not a reproduction of the work. NO REPRODUCTIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED.
All artwork must be available for display during the exhibition.
No entries will be accepted beyond the postmark deadline, January 26, 2025.
Up to 6 works may be submitted per artist, with 1-3 digital images for each two-dimensional or three-dimensional piece.
250-word limit for artist biography and 150-word artist statement must be included with entry.
Artists will submit entries through the file upload provided below.
All entries must provide an email address for the acceptance package to be sent.
Open to all, regardless of country. The Black experience is an International experience. We welcome submissions from all countries.

Please acknowledge the rules of entry, statements, and criteria above before proceeding. *Yes, I understand and agree

First Name *

Last Name *

Date of Birth *

Month

Day

Year

(Must be 18+ years of age to enter contest).

Email Address *

Phone Number *

Street Address *

City *

State *

ZIP Code *

List your Facebook handle:

List your Twitter handle:

List your Instagram handle:

List your LinkedIn handle:

List your Website URL:

Upload Requirements

All images must be high resolution - 300 dpi with image size between 3 and 10 MB. File names accepted are .JPG, .JPEG, .PNG, .PDF, or .TIFF Preferred is .JPG or .JPEG.
Artists will submit entries through the file upload provided below.
All images should be labeled in this format, last name (underscore) first name (underscore) piece number(example: “Smith_John_1”). If you are sending multiple images, each should end with a sequential letter (example: “Smith_John_1_a”, “Smith_John_1_b”, etc.).
Images must definitively reflect the artwork submitted.

Submission Guidelines

Up to 6 works may be submitted per artist with 1-3 digital image(s) for each piece.

Upload Artwork (Piece #1) - Full View + 1-2 Alternative Views if Needed - Please under 10MB per Image *

All images should be labeled in this format, last name (underscore) first name (underscore) piece number(example: “Smith_John_1”). If you are sending multiple images, each should end with a sequential letter (example: “Smith_John_1_a”, “Smith_John_1_b”, etc.).

Title of Piece #1 *

Medium of Piece #1 *

Dimensions of Piece #1 *INCHES

Value of Piece #1 *

Is this piece {#1) for sale? *YesNo

Upload Artwork (Piece #2)

Title of Piece #2

Medium of Piece #2

Dimensions of Piece #2

Value of Piece #2

Is this piece (#2) for sale?YesNo

Upload Artwork (Piece #3)

Title of Piece #3

Medium of Piece #3

Dimensions of Piece #3

Value of Piece #3

Is this piece (#3) for sale?YesNo

Upload Artwork (Piece #4)

Title of Piece #4

Medium of Piece #4

Dimensions of Piece #4

Value of Piece #4

Is this piece (#4) for sale?YesNo

Upload Artwork (Piece #5)

Title of Piece #5

Medium of Piece #5

Dimensions of Piece #5

Value of Piece #5

Is this piece (#5) for sale?YesNo

Title of Piece #5

Upload Artwork (Piece #6)

Title of Piece #6

Medium of Piece #6

Dimensions of Piece #6

Value of Piece #6

Is this piece (#6) for sale?YesNo

Would you like your pieces to travel to several venues around the state, providing work is not sold during the KCAAH exhibition dates? *YesNo

Artist's Bio *0 / 250

Artist's Statement *0 / 50

Acknowledgment of Terms and Conditions

By signing below and submitting an entry to the KCAAH Celebrating the Black Experience Art Exhibit, entrant acknowledges that he/she/they have read and accepted the below “Terms and Conditions” and that he/she/they is the artist and owns the rights to the work submitted. Entrant also acknowledges that all information on the registration and submission forms is true and correct to the best of his/her/their knowledge and understands that any incorrect or misrepresented information could result in submitted artwork being ruled ineligible.

Artists are responsible for roundtrip shipment of their artwork to and from KCAAH in Louisville, Kentucky. Return packing postage must arrive with artwork. Artists can make self-delivery by appointment during the art drop-off period. All artwork [Hand delivered or mailed] must be received no later than April 1, 2025. All artwork to be returned by shipping services must be pre-paid. Artists can schedule an appointment by contacting Julia Youngblood at 502-396-6784 or email julia@youngbloodharmonizingarts.com. Accepted works will be insured while on KCAAH premises throughout the exhibition.

• Works left past the pickup deadline will not be insured. KCAAH retains a 40% commission and charges 6% Kentucky Sales Tax on all work sold.

Eligibility: Celebrating the Black Experience Art Exhibition is open to all 18 years of age and older. Media: All entries must be 2-D in the disciplines of painting, printmaking, fiber art, photography, graphic design, drawings, and/or mixed media or 3-D. Number of Entries: Artists may submit up to 6 pieces for consideration as long as each piece meets the criteria for eligibility listed above. Size Limit: 2D entries must be no wider than 48 inches. 3D entries must weigh no more than 50 pounds. All art should be able to be installed on standard walls without specialized or heavy-duty hanging hardware. The Kentucky Center for African American Heritage reserves the right to reject oversized submissions. Artists who have specific questions about the size of their work may contact Julia Youngblood at 502-396-6784 or email julia@youngbloodharmonizingarts.com for more details. Date Restrictions: There is no restriction on the timeframe in which the work was created. Submitting Images: The Kentucky Center for African American Heritage will only accept submissions through still, digital images. All images should be high resolution .JPG, .JPEG, .PNG, .PDF, or .TIFF files around 300 dpi and less than 10MB. Artists will submit digital files by uploading them at the “Upload the following Here” on the online entry form. Jury and Exhibition: This exhibit will be juried by an anonymous, multi-member panel. Judging will be done using the submitted digital images. Artists do not need to submit physical artwork. Fees, Delivery, and Return of Work: There is no submission fee for artists wishing to enter work in this exhibition. However, if a work is selected for exhibition, all shipping or delivery costs to and from the exhibiting institution will be absorbed by the artist. The Kentucky Center for African American Heritage will contact artists with guidelines for delivery or shipping. Upon receipt of selected works, the Kentucky Center for African American Heritage expects finished works to be “ready to hang.” Framing or matting is not required for all entries, but works should be outfitted with appropriate hanging hardware (IE: wire, cleats, hooks, etc.) for easy installation. Pieces delivered without a means to hang may be omitted from the exhibition. Insurance: Artworks are not insured during transit. This will require the artist's personal policy or insurance purchased through the carrier. Accepted works will be insured while on KCAAH’s premises through the run of the exhibition. The Kentucky Center for African American Heritage will not be responsible for damage that may occur during shipping. An insurance value must be declared at the time of submission. In the event of a claim, the artist may be asked to provide proof of value. Sale: Artworks in the exhibition will be publicly listed for sale, or can be listed as Not for Sale. If Sold, The Kentucky Center for African American Heritage retains 40% commission and charges 6% Kentucky Sales Tax on all work sold. Publicity: Submission images and final, selected artworks will be used in any and all promotion of the Celebrating the Black Experience Art Exhibition. This includes, but is not limited to print and online media; local, regional, and national news broadcasts, and institutional print, digital, and social media promotion. Other than these uses, copyright remains with the artist.

Traveling Exhibition *YES, I would like my art to be part of the traveling exhibition, providing it is not sold during the showing at KCAAH.NO, I would not like my art to be part of the travelling exhibiton.

Checklist *All images should be labeled in this format, last name (underscore) first name (underscore) piece number(example: “Smith_John_1”). If you are sending multiple images, each should end with a sequential letter (example: “Smith_John_1_a”, “Smith_John_1_b”, etc.).All artwork must be original.All artwork must be available for display during the exhibition.250-word artist biography and 50-word artist statement must be included with entry.