Lawndale Announces Open Call for “The Big Show”

by Jessica Fuentes January 25, 2022

Due to a technical error which interfered with the submission process, Lawndale is reopening applications for “The Big Show.” The window to apply is from Friday, April 1 at 12 pm (CST) through Sunday, April 3 at 11:59 pm (CST). Applications can be submitted via Submittable

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Lawndale Art and Performance Center has announced an open call for The Big Show, an annual juried exhibition open to artists living within a 100-mile radius of the organization. The submission deadline is Monday, March 14, 2022 at 11:59 pm. 

The exhibition this year will be juried by Daisy Nam, Curator at Ballroom Marfa — a non-collecting contemporary art museum located in Far West Texas. A total of $5,000 in monetary prizes will be awarded to entrants at the discretion of Ms. Nam. The Big Show is slated to be on view from June 18 through August 13, 2022. 

Big Show exhibitions are traditionally juried by curators living outside of Houston. As such, past iterations of the show have been juried by Cecilia Fajardo-Hill, Evelyn C. Hankins, and George Scheer, among others. An exception to this rule was the 2017 show, which was juried by then-Houston-based curator Toby Kamps. The exhibition is important in that it is a true open call — anyone and everyone is encouraged to apply. Many now well-known artists have passed through the Big Show’s ranks and have been awarded its prize, including Emily Peacock, who won the show’s Juror’s Choice award in 2010, and Angel Oloshove, who won in 2012. 

Anna Walker, the Executive Director of Lawndale, spoke to Glasstire about the significance of this year’s open call and exhibition: “A beloved part of Lawndale’s history with a new juror every year, each iteration of The Big Show has a unique life of its own. This open call exhibition reflects a particular moment in time, a snapshot of creative work being made within the Houston region.”

Please note the following eligibility criteria, via The Big Show application:

– Each artist may submit up to 3 original artworks completed between January 2020 to present.
– Work must fit through the 6′ 9″ x 4′ 11″ entryway and cannot exceed 200 pounds in weight.
– Works previously exhibited in Houston will be disqualified.
– All works must be exhibition ready and include proper hanging hardware. Works that are not stable enough to endure the exhibition may not be eligible.
– All works must be available for the duration of the exhibition.

Learn more about the application requirements and apply at the Lawndale website.

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