A Sense of Play – Open Call for Art

Location
Union Street Gallery, Chicago Heights, IL

Open to
Artists working in all media and from all locations. Submissions may be solo or collaborative and can reflect traditional or experimental interpretations of play. Intercultural and interactive works welcome. No size restrictions.

Submission Fee
$30 (nonrefundable, supports nonprofit gallery operations)

What’s Provided

• Exhibition of selected works across two gallery floors

• Public reception and promotion through Union Street Gallery’s network

• Awards for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place, plus two honorable mentions

What the artist/applicant must cover

• Shipping costs (to/from gallery)

• Installation-ready presentation (frames, wires, hanging hardware, etc.)

• Insurance (artworks are not insured by the gallery)

• Return shipping label for unsold work

Duration
Exhibition Dates: October 16 – November 8, 2025
Reception: October 25, 2025 (11 AM – 4 PM)
Notification of Acceptance: Between September 26 and October 3, 2025
Delivery Deadline: October 9, 2025

Awards

• 1st Place: $300

• 2nd Place: $150

• 3rd Place: $75

• Two Honorable Mentions

Submission Guidelines

• 1–5 works may be submitted; up to 3 may be selected

• Submit 1 full and 1 detail image per artwork

• Image format: JPG, PNG, or TIF

• Max size: 2500px longest side

• File resolution: 72–300 ppi

• Video submissions max 400 MB

• All works must be labeled and arrive ready to hang or display

• Union Street Gallery takes 30% commission on sales

Additional Notes

• Interactive work must indicate whether it is “Do play with it” or “Don’t touch”

• Fragile, wet, or unstable work will not be included

• Union Street Gallery reserves the right to exclude work not meeting quality or display standards

• Unsold work pickup is Nov 13–15, 2025

Contact
Julian Graham, Gallery Director
Email: director@unionstreetgallery.org
Website: UnionStreetGallery.org