Open Call – Women in the Heights: Shade

Curated by Andrea Arroyo
NoMAA Gallery is at 176 St and Broadway, inside the United Palace.

application here

To mark the 17th anniversary of the beloved Women in the Heights exhibition, and in celebration of Women’s History Month (March), we invite artists to submit works that explore the many aspects of the subject of “Shade.”

Shade explores the intersections of light and shadow—literal, social, and emotional. In every culture and community, shade carries layered meanings: it can offer refuge or concealment, protection or defiance, acceptance, or rejection.

From throwing shade to sheltering in shade, from colorism in race to color range in art, shade speaks to power, presence, and the unseen forces that shape how we move through the world.

How does shade define visibility? How do we navigate the tension between exposure and cover, clarity and ambiguity, belonging and otherness?

This exhibition invites artists to reflect on shade as a physical, social, and personal realm—exploring the spaces where the hidden is revealed, identity becomes visible, and truth takes form.

Timeline:
January 5, 2026 (11:59pm) – open call deadline
January 9, 2026 – notification of accepted works
January 12-26, 2026 – work drop off dates
February 17, 2026 – opening 6-8pm
TBD – Artist Talk
April 21, 2026 – Exhibition ends

Eligibility: Open to self-identified women artists working or residing in El Barrio, Inwood, Washington Heights or Harlem. Above 110th Street on the West Side (west of 5th Ave) and above 96th Street on the East Side (east of 5th Ave).  

Artwork eligibility:

Visual artworks Each artist can submit up to 3 works. Wall-hung works in all fine art media will be considered. Framed work must have a wire hanger on the back.  All digital images submitted must be ready for inclusion in the online gallery on nomaanyc.org. For assistance, review NoMAA’s Practical Steps for Digital Image Preparation with Patricia Miranda on our YouTube channel HERE 

• Please submit up to three (3) jpg or png images, your artist statement and resume.
• 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. 
• Sculptural works that are freestanding or displayed on a pedstal will be considered.
• 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. 

Spoken word work must be submitted by text and video/audio and may be published or unpublished. Maximum of 3 minutes of video/audio and 250 words. Cell phone quality video is sufficient. NoMAA will print your text on a wall label with a QR code linking to your video/audio.  

• Upload to Vimeo as a public video and submit the link (example: https://vimeo.com/393999309). Vimeo tutorial “How to make a video on your phone” HERE 

APPLICATION