Calling all LGBTQ+ artists in the Philadelphia region: apply to the William Way LGBT Community Center’s 21st Annual Juried Art Exhibition at Space 1026!
Deadline: Sunday, November 15th, 2026
Now announcing our open call for the William Way LGBT Community Center’s 21st Annual Juried Art Exhibition, which will be held January 15th to February 20th, 2027 at Space 1026!
About the Juried Exhibition: The William Way LGBT Community Center’s Annual Juried Art Exhibition is the longest running annual LGBTQ+ art exhibition in the region. This opportunity is open to Philadelphia-area artists (in Philadelphia, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, or Bucks Counties in Pennsylvania; Camden, Gloucester, or Burlington Counties in New Jersey, or New Castle County in Delaware) who are 18 and over who identify as LGBTQIA+.
Our Venue: Space 1026 will serve as the host of the 21st Annual Juried Art Exhibition. Founded in 1997, Space 1026 is headquarters for a network of artists who want to do it their own way, together. Their new home at 844 North Broad Street hosts a gallery for exhibitions and performances, member studios, print facilities, a woodshop, and a garden.
Juror: This year we are excited to have Qualeasha Wood serve as juror. Qualeasha Wood (b. 1996, Long Branch, NJ), is a Philadelphia-based interdisciplinary artist whose work contemplates realities around black female ontology that do and might exist. Inspired by a familial relationship to textiles, queer craft, Microsoft Paint and internet avatars Wood's tufted and tapestry pieces mesh traditional craft and contemporary technological materials.
Awards: The exhibition is free to apply to and participate in, and there is $1,200 in awards, including 3 recipients of our Juror Award, receiving $300 each, and 3 recipients of our Arts Committee Award, receiving $100 each.
Our Juror Award recipients will also be included in a curated group exhibition at Luster Gallery + Studio in Fall 2027. Luster Gallery + Studio, located in the Crane Arts Building (1400 N. American Street, Philadelphia) was established in 2025 by visual artist and curator Chelsey Luster as a community-centered space dedicated to uplifting underrepresented voices in contemporary art, especially artists of color, queer, and womxn artists.
Dates:
Submission Deadline: Sunday, Nov 15th, 2026, 11:59PM
Exhibition Dates: Jan 15 - Feb 20, 2027
Opening Reception: Friday, Jan 15th, 2027, 6-8PM
Artwork Requirements:
All forms of visual art are eligible including collage, drawing, painting, photography, prints, multimedia, sculpture, and video. Photography and digital artwork must be printed by the artist. Video work will be installed by Exhibitions Manager with our own screens and headphones (captions are required for accessibility). Artworks should be no larger than 42 inches in any dimension, weight restricted to 40 pounds. 2D artwork must be wired and ready to hang. Artwork made with or using AI is prohibited.
Location Requirement:
Artists must have an address in Philadelphia, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, or Bucks Counties in Pennsylvania; Camden, Gloucester, or Burlington Counties in New Jersey, or New Castle County in Delaware.
Submission Guidelines:
On the following form you will be asked to include your name and contact information; a brief bio (100 words max) and artist statement (250 words max); and submit high resolution images of 1-5 artwork(s), plus full descriptive information on each work (title, year created, medium, dimensions/length, and price if for sale). For videos, please include a word or PDF document with a shareable link to a video sample (on cloud storage, youtube, vimeo or other site) with the required descriptive information. Video samples should be 5 minutes max, even if work is longer. Please be sure that the video settings allow for us to view the work, or provide a password if needed.
Sales:
Artists included in the exhibition may make their works available for sale. Sales of artworks will be handled by William Way LGBT Community Center. Artists will receive 65% of all sales, with 35% going to the Center to support its Arts & Culture Programs. Artists should price their works accordingly.
Questions? Email us at arts@waygay.org