Exhibition Dates: June 5th - August 3rd 
Opening Reception: Thursday, June 14th, 2025 
Submission Deadline: Friday, May 9th, 2025 at 5pm 

Curated by Zachary Frater

Artists have used storytelling to fill gaps in history, reframe present-day narratives, and imagine alternative futures. This June, Flushing Town Hall invites artists to submit artwork that embraces storytelling and speculative narration as creative tools to address gaps in history and misunderstood identities. Referencing the liberation stories behind Juneteenth and Pride as potential starting points, we encourage artists to deeply examine these and other historical narratives to unearth stories that remain unsung. 

Submissions can consist of paintings, drawings, photographs, mixed media, video and other visual art mediums. Queens-based artists are encouraged to apply, but participation is open to all NYC artists. 

To guide your creative exploration, we offer the following prompts to inspire your submissions: 

• What are some personal stories and narratives that you believe need to be told? 

• How do you use storytelling as a means to confront, break down, or reinterpret misunderstandings about your community history or personal identity? 

• What liberation narratives do you believe have been forgotten and/or deserve better recognition?  

• What are some misunderstandings and falsehoods that people have about you and/or community that you’d like to address?  

• What fantasies or dreams do you have of the future?  

• Does your artwork present new narratives or alternative solutions to issues you care about? 
   

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Artists are invited to submit one artwork to be included in the exhibition. There will be a limit to accepted artwork based on available space and size of accepted pieces. Artists will be able to have work up for sale. 

Please include an artist’s statement explaining your work and its connection to the theme. Describe your inspiration and the significance of this topic in your art. Selected artists will sign an art loan agreement. Notifications will be sent with instructions for delivering work to Flushing Town Hall. 

There is no fee for applying to this exhibition open call. Applicants will be notified of the status of their applications in May 2025. 

There will be a private opening reception for Flushing Town Hall members one hour before the exhibition is open to the public. 

Artwork Specifications:

• Please select up to ONE work (preferably made in the past 5 years) for the exhibition which will be installed salon style in Flushing Town Hall’s Main gallery.  Works must be delivered and picked up on the dates indicated above. All work must be original and created by the submitting artist. 
• Please note that we cannot accept floor-installed 3-dimensional works at this time. 3D works must be properly wall mounted and below 75 lbs. Works must be 36 inches or under at its longest side. 
• 2D works must be 36 inches or under at its longest side including frame (if applicable). 
• For framed works, the use of Plexiglass is strongly suggested.  Hanging hardware must be attached to the back of submitted work.  
• For any video submissions, videos may be up to 3 minutes long and must be accessible to view on YouTube.com or Vimeo.com until June 2025. Videos must be at a minimum resolution of 1080p. 
• PLEASE NOTE Any work submitted without hanging hardware will be refused.  
• Works which are inherently fragile or not suitable for exhibition will be rejected. While all reasonable care and precautions will be taken in handling, storage and installation of the works and photographs or slides submitted for this exhibition, Flushing Town Hall and its employees or representatives will not be responsible for loss or damage to any entry. 

 

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Photo by Anthony Artis

Zachary Frater is a curator, writer and library worker from New York City. He has organized art exhibitions, comic conventions, and performing arts events at City College of New York, Project Reach, La MaMa, The Poetry Project, and Jamaica Center for Arts & Learning, among others. Zachary’s hobbies include gaming, karaoke, and keeping long lists of speculative fiction novels he eventually intends to read.