Open Call: Dear Earth… Love, Uptown

Dear Earth…

              Love, Uptown

Curated by Niria Leyva-Gutiérrez & NoMAA

NoMAA Gallery is at 176 St and Broadway, inside the United Palace.

The earth is speaking to us through rising seas, disappearing forests, vanishing species. The systems that sustain life — clean air, fresh water, stable seasons — are buckling under the strain. These are no longer distant warnings; our planet is in crisis.

Dear Earth is conceived as a visual letter to our planet — an act of address, apology, gratitude, or promise. We invite artists to consider what it means to speak directly to the earth at this moment. Themes might include healing and art as a site of repair; the immediacy of the unfolding crisis; calls to action and appeals for planetary change; preservation and cultivation of indigenous lands; the fragility of the earth and our own; uncertainty or hope; the honoring of beauty and resilience; the artist as witness. We welcome a wide array of interpretations, including those that may be literal, abstract, quiet, hopeful, or confrontational.

Timeline: 
September 28, 2026 (11:59pm) – open call deadline  
October 1, 2026 – notification of accepted works 
October 5 – 15, 2026 – work drop off dates 
October 22, 2026 – Exhibition opening

Eligibility: Open to artists working or residing in Inwood, Washington Heights or West Harlem 

Artwork eligibility: 

Visual artworks  Each artist can submit up to 3 works. Wall-hung works in all fine art media and sculptural works that are freestanding or displayed on a pedestal will be considered. 

Please submit the following: 

– Up to three (3)  jpg or png images
– Resume  
– A short description of your pieces and how they align with the exhibition theme 

• Label images as follows:   Last Name_First Name_Title_Media_Size_Year_Price.jpg  (e.g.: Smith_Maria_Woman in Blue_Acrylic on canvas_12x12in_2020_100.jpg)  
• Image size should be at least 1mb (at least 2500 pixels on shortest side) 
• Wall-hung work must be under 90” in length or height and under 25 lbs.  
• All accepted artworks must be delivered a professional manner, including matting and framing of works on paper. 
• Images digitally printed on stretched canvas will not be considered. 
• Unframed works must be cradled, stretched or appropriately mounted (excluding textile, 3-D or odd-shaped works, which must include hanging hardware.)  
• All works must have hanging wire attached to the back (2-4” below top edge of work). 
• All work must be labeled on the back with the artist’s name and title.  
• All artwork must be available for the duration of the exhibition.  
• Sales of artworks are not conducted by NoMAA. However, a price list will be available, and artists will be contacted directly by interested buyers. We suggest a donating 15% of the sale price to NoMAA.  
• Images of the artwork may be used by NoMAA for promotion of the exhibit (for non-commercial purposes only), including on NoMAA’s Google Arts and Culture page.  
• Artists will sign a loan agreement provided by NoMAA at the time of notification.  
• Artists are strongly encouraged to participate in an artist talk. (Date TBD) 
• NoMAA has up to $2,500 of insurance for each work. Any additional insurance required is the artist’s responsibility.