OPEN CALLS FOR ARTISTS AND CURATORS

CUE’s annual open call provides emerging and underrepresented artists and curators the opportunity and resources to present an exhibition at CUE’s ground floor gallery space on West 25th Street in Manhattan, New York City.

Each year, the open call awards three opportunities to artists for solo exhibitions and one opportunity to a curator to organize a group exhibition at CUE. Awardees are each paired with a mentor, an established artist or curator who offers professional guidance on their practice and exhibition plans. CUE provides a generous honorarium to each awardee, as well as a modest budget for transport of artwork and a budget for materials needed for on-site installation of the works in the show. CUE staff also provides guidance on project conceptualization and exhibition design in our space, communication and outreach support, identity and graphic design development, photography and visual assets, professional development assistance, and more.

Additionally, for each show, CUE produces an accompanying exhibition catalogue with a long-form essay commissioned through our Art Critic Mentorship Program, written by an independent emerging writer. The catalogue also contains artist and mentor statements, bios, and images of the work.

ABOUT CUE’S EXHIBITION PROGRAM

CUE is a small nonprofit organization that aims to present new and exceptionally strong work by emerging and underrepresented artists who live and work in the United States. We are committed to exhibiting work of all disciplines and mediums, and to building a varied program that is representative of the diversity of the contemporary arts landscape.

CUE’s exhibition selection process consists of two models. The first model is via our annual open call, through which the majority of shows at CUE are organized. The second model is via direct nominations. For this, we invite established artists and curators to propose artists they think are deserving and ready for an exhibition opportunity. Generally, CUE presents three or four open call shows and one or two direct nomination shows each year. The program prioritizes those who have not had major opportunities to present their work to the public.

In line with CUE’s commitment to providing substantive professional development opportunities to artists and arts workers, each exhibiting artist or curator receives  support in the form of a generous honorarium, as well as a mentorship relationship and guidance from CUE’s staff throughout the process of planning, organizing, and promoting their exhibition.