Open call for artwork:
Our Sun Is Rising — Our Sun Is Setting
Submissions due: July 5, 2026
The Delaware Contemporary is participating in Delaware’s 250th anniversary with a group exhibition of Delaware-based artists. Our Sun Is Rising — Our Sun Is Setting is a balanced look at our place in a very complex Union. We are taught a story in which, shortly after signing the new Constitution in 1787, Benjamin Franklin asks George Washington if the carved half sun on his wooden chair was rising, or setting. For the new republic, if we could keep it, it was still uncertain.
We ask artists living and working in Delaware, the first state, to submit their work that does one, or more, of the following:
Addresses hope for our nation in times of uncertainty
Addresses concern for our nation’s contemporary issues
Looks to a storied, though complex past
Looks toward a brighter future, even when hard-faught
Your work does not have to be political to be relevant to our country’s story. In fact, the more personal your story is, the better, as it highlights the threads that weaves together our tapestry.
Eligibility:
You must be 18 years of age or older
You muse permanently reside in, or have a studio in, the state of Delaware
You must create an ArtSource account to submit to the call (see below for fee waivers)
All media is accepted
To apply to this open call, follow the three-step process.
Fill out this submission form, this is to gather your contact information.
Create an ArtSource account* if you haven't already. Click the “submit” button and sign up/log in. Then upload your artist statement, bio, and portfolio of artwork.
Click on “portfolio” in your dashboard, then click the “Curated Shows” tab to the far right and search for “Our Sun Is Rising — Our Sun Is Setting”. The link to submit your artwork will be on this page.
*ArtSource charges an annual fee of $35 that helps us pay for the web developers who designed and maintain the site. We believe our fees should provide a service that extends beyond the open call that brought you here. You will have a full year of access to ArtSource where curators at TDC and elsewhere seek out talents like you.
Fee Waiver:
We are able to waive the fee for any artist who finds it a barrier to submission. Please email mhamilton@decontemporary.org if you need the fee waived prior to signing up for ArtSource. This was made possible by generous funding from the DE250 commission.
If you have questions or issues with any step of this process, please contact Dr. Morgan Hamilton, mhamilton@decontemporary.org
