Call for QUEER artists: Smash the Cis-tem Art Exhibit

Call for Queer Artists: Smash the Cis-tem

The Adler Arts Center is excited to announce a call for queer artists for our upcoming exhibition, "Smash the Cis-tem". We’re seeking bold, boundary-pushing work that challenges norms, celebrates LGBTQIA+ identities, and sparks conversation about gender, sexuality, and societal systems.

This exhibition will take place in Libertyville, a community with deep histories of privilege. We believe it’s especially important to bring art that disrupts and provokes dialogue into spaces where queer voices and perspectives are often underrepresented.

Who can apply:

• Queer artists of all ages, mediums, and practices.

What we’re looking for:

• Work that disrupts, questions, or reimagines the structures around gender and identity.
• Art that is visually, conceptually, or experientially engaging.
• Mediums are open—painting, sculpture, mixed media, installation, and beyond.

Submission Details:

• Deadline: Friday, September 19, 2025
• Submit: Up to 5 images of your work, an artist statement, a short bio, and website/social media links to ellen@adlercenter.org.
• Selected artists will receive exhibition support and promotion through Adler Arts Center channels.

Why participate:
This is your space to smash the cis-tem, share your vision, and bring queer art into a community that rarely sees it. Let’s push boundaries together.