Finding My Way (Call for Student Artists in Illinois)
This Call is open to undergraduate and graduate students currently enrolled in a university in Illinois, as well as students who have graduated in Spring 2025.
Woman Made Gallery invites artists to submit work for Finding My Way, an exhibition exploring the profound transformations that shape our lives—particularly the journey from childhood to adulthood. Through this theme, we seek artwork that captures the physical, emotional, and psychological changes that define these formative years.
How do we navigate the path of growing up? What moments of loss, growth, and self-discovery shape who we become? We encourage submissions that reflect on personal or collective experiences of transition, whether through memory, identity, relationships, or the challenges of finding one’s place in the world.
All mediums are welcome. We look forward to seeing how you interpret Finding My Way.
Calendar
First Entry Due Date: August 8, 2025, 11:59 PM
Extended Due Date: August 15, 11:59 PM
Exhibition Dates: October 11–November 8, 2025
Opening Reception: Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025 | 4–7 PM
Artist Walkthrough: Saturday, November 8, 2025 | 2–4 PM
Notification: August 29, 2025
Entry Fee
The entry fee is $20. Each entry requires a minimum of one artwork, though up to three artworks may be considered per submission. Entry fees are non-refundable.
About the Jurors:
Corinne Pompéy (b. 2000) is a fine art photographer based in Chicago, IL. She holds a Bachelor of Art in Photography from Columbia College Chicago. Her work explores themes of identity, feminist issues, and body image, with a particular focus on the intersectionality of womanhood and the Black experience. Through her photography and self-portraiture, Pompéy explores the complexity of social, cultural, and personal narratives, using visual storytelling to engage with broader societal issues. Pompéy’s work has been exhibited at EXPO Chicago (11th Edition), the Black Creativity Juried Art Exhibition in the Museum of Science and Industry, Bridgeport Art Center, and Woman Made Gallery. She is currently the Program Coordinator at Woman Made Gallery.
Diana Vallera is a faculty member in the Photography Department of Columbia College Chicago. her subjects are wide ranging including the exploration of body and form and work on the construction of ideal gender roles. Vallera's exhibition, "Women, Work, and Gender Roles", explores the history of these roles and how women have challenged the confines. She is an active supporter of labor and human rights.
