Hey, Phoenix Creatives! Check Out These Calls for Art

There's good news for creatives who want to get their work out there on public view. Several cities and cultural groups have issued calls for art, looking for everything from public art to writers tackling social justice issues.

Here's a sampling of open calls for creatives working in dance, film, literature, theater, and visual art. Deadlines loom, so don't delay if you want to throw your hat into the ring.

Phoenix/Guadalajara Exhibit

Due Sunday, October 29

Liga de Artistas y Creadoras in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico is organizing an exhibit that will be shown in Guadalajara and Phoenix. The exhibit will feature works by 11 artists in each city, with the option of collaborating. The exhibit is designed to break from traditional representations of creative women. Eligible works include artist books, creative writing, painting, performance, photography, performance, and sculpture. The Phoenix exhibit is scheduled for January 2020 at Palabras Bilingual Bookstore. For details email the curator at [email protected].

Chandler International Film Festival

Due Monday, October 21

Chandler International Film Festival organizers are seeking submissions for the 2020 festival, which is designed to raise social and cultural awareness through film. There are two online portals to submit your work. The 2020 festival takes place in downtown Chandler from January 17 to 20, in conjunction with the Chandler Multicultural Festival.

Traffic Signal Cabinets

Due Tuesday, October 22

The city of Goodyear is looking for West Valley artists to transform traffic signal control cabinets into works of art. Artists can submit proposals for digital designs on vinyl wraps or painted designs. The city plans to feature original art on up to 10 cabinets. Suggested themes include community, education, innovation, arts, family, history, transportation, environment, and growth. Artists will receive $1,000 to $1,800 per completed cabinet.

Painted Benches

Due Wednesday, October 23

The city of Glendale is seeking artists to paint 20 wooden benches located in the downtown district as part of a public art project called "Take a Seat, Glendale!" Anywhere from 10 to 20 artists will be selected, and receive a $1,000 budget for each bench.

Emerging Opera Singers

Due Friday, October 25

The Metropolitan Opera National Council is holding auditions to identify promising young opera singers who are between 20 and 30-years-old as part of its efforts to provide professional development for emerging opera artists. Phoenix auditions happen on Saturday, November 2, at the Musical Instrument Museum.

Latinx Playwriting

Due Friday, November 1

The Arizona Theatre Company is accepting submissions for its National Latinx Playwriting Award. Full-length and one-act plays on any subject that have not been published or professionally produced should be submitted. The winning play will be workshopped by ATC and the playwright will receive $1,000.

Public Art

Due Wednesday, November 13

The Avondale Municipal Art Committee has an open call for functional public art that will provide shade and seating for the outdoor courtyard of a new community resource center that will be located at 995 East Riley Drive in Avondale. Construction for the human services center is scheduled to begin in December.

Tiny Works

Due Friday, November 15

{9} The Gallery is accepting submissions for its "Tiny Works" exhibition, which will open on First Friday, December 6. The annual exhibit features small works created by diverse artists working in various mediums, from painting to sculpture.

Fiber Arts

Due Sunday, November 17

Scottsdale Arts is seeking artworks for its upcoming “Hugger-naught: Fiber Arts of Love” exhibit, which will open in early 2020 at the Civic Center Public Gallery located inside the Scottsdale Civic Center Library. The exhibit will feature small art quilts and other fiber works “addressing the warmth and comfort of love.”

Dance Films

Due February 2, 2020

Tempe Center for the Arts is looking for short dance films to screen during an event called Tour de Dance, which will happen during April 2020. Films should run less than five minutes, and be based on one of the following themes: water, the history of Tempe Town Lake, the Tempe community, or public artworks located around Tempe Town Lake.

Literary Publication

Open Deadline

The Revolution (Relaunch), a monthly print and online publication inspired by the weekly women’s rights newspaper founded by 19th-century suffragettes Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony, is seeking submissions. Editors are looking for literary/historical criticism, literary journalism, creative nonfiction, and poetry. Artists can submit up to three works of visual art. The publication focuses on first-person pieces addressing social justice issues in contemporary society.

Library Exhibits

Deadlines Vary

Burton Barr Central Library accepts online applications for its three gallery spaces, including its main gallery near the library entrance, a second-floor exhibition space that features exhibits by nonprofit organizations and community cultural groups, and a fifth-floor exhibition space in the northern portion of the building. Other Phoenix Public Library branches accept proposals for displays of student art. The library also accepts online proposals for programs focused on early literacy, education, entrepreneurship, empowerment, and engagement.