Radical Reverie // Raging Revolt

Open Call: Radical Reverie//Raging Revolt

Curated By: The Jean McDonough Arts Center in Worcester, MA

**This exhibition is happening in conjunction with THT Rep's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream

Step into a dreamscape where glitter meets grit, fairies wear leather, and moonlight glows neon. Radical Reverie//Raging Revolt is an upcoming group exhibition that reimagines the enchanted forest of A Midsummer Night’s Dream as a punk queer nightclub called The Wood.

We’re calling artists to explore the tension between fantasy and rebellion — the dreamy and the defiant. Think whimsical chaos, lush romance with a snarl, a scene clashing with electric color, and the magic of romance, intimacy, and passion fused with underground attitude.

We’re looking for works that are revolutionary, queer, funky and/or punky — a visual collision of romantic enchantment and a grungy edge.

All mediums welcome! Painting, sculpture, mixed media, digital art, fashion, photography, sound, performance, or installation. Surprise us!

Themes to consider:

• Rebellion as transformation

• Love and anarchy

• Enchanted nights in urban landscapes

• The collision of beauty and chaos

• Dreams and desire

• Imagination, identity and escape

“Love looks not with the eyes but with the mind.”

“The lunatic, the lover, and the poet are of imagination, all compact.”

Exhibition Location: Jean McDonough Arts Center (JMAC) 20 Franklin St. Worcester, MA

Submission Deadline: Sunday December 21, 2025 @11:59PM EST

Art Drop Off Dates: January 25th & 26th 2026

Exhibition Dates: January 28th – February 14th 2026

Opening Reception: January 31st 2026

Closing Reception & Valentine’s Celebration: February 14th 2026

Art Pick Up Dates: February 15th & 16th 2026

Let’s turn the fairy forest into a rocking casbah — where dreams snarl, magic misbehaves, and art refuses to play nice.