Lanesboro Arts is excited to invite Minnesotan artists in any stage of their career to submit work for the upcoming exhibition: Our Bright Unfolding. The jury will prioritize applicants from Minnesota who identify as LGBTQIA+, Two-Spirit, BIPOC, and/or disabled as well as rurally located artists (including those in southeast Minnesota). The theme of this exhibition embodies interconnectedness in motion, a much needed light uplifting the power of artistic expression as a tool of practice for societal change. Our Bright Unfolding seeks artwork reflective of personal and collective growth, resilience, radical acts of joy, and the power of unapologetic existence. In a time of profound upheaval when marginalized communities are increasingly under threat, this exhibition seeks to serve as a necessary reminder to lean on community, roots of resistance, and visions for change.
Artists are invited to bring the present moment, lived experiences, cultural histories, and collective movements to the forefront of their work as a means of provoking thought, inspiring action, and inching toward personal and collective empowerment through the creative process.
Submissions can include, but are not limited to, visual art, sculpture, multimedia works, and interactive art. Direct representations as well as more abstract expressions are welcome and encouraged.
This exhibition will be curated by an advisory committee made up of LGBTQIA+, Two Spirit, BIPOC, and disabled artists involved in the Gallery Equitable Systems Change Program. Lanesboro Arts launched the Gallery Equitable Systems Change Program as a commitment to a thorough review and change of current systems and processes, with the goal of further aligning practices with equity values and more deeply serving marginalized artists.
To apply, artists may complete the online application available on the Lanesboro Arts website. From the homepage of lanesboroarts.org, click on ‘Artist Opportunities’ on the sidebar, and then on ‘Our Bright Unfolding Application’. To complete the application, artists are asked to submit images via Google Drive or Dropbox. All visual arts media are eligible – both 2-D and 3-D. For those who prefer, you may submit a video application to gallery@lanesboroarts.org, with the subject line “Our Bright Unfolding Application”.
Wall pieces chosen will need to be framed and include a hanging wire in the back; all work in the exhibition will be for sale as per consignment agreement (40% gallery, 60% artist). This show will include up to ten artists and each accepted artist will receive a $500 stipend for exhibition costs. Transporting the work to and from Lanesboro will be the responsibility of the artist; however, for this show, we are able to offer a mileage/shipping stipend for those who request it up to $250. The deadline for work delivery will be May 30, 2025.
Our Bright Unfolding will open on Saturday, June 7, 2025, with an artist reception from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Lanesboro Arts Gallery. The organization provides year-round arts programming and serves as a regional catalyst for artistic excellence and educational development, by providing diverse art experiences for people of all ages. The Lanesboro Arts Gallery is located at 103 Parkway Ave. N. in Lanesboro, Minnesota. For more information, visit www.lanesboroarts.org.
