Call for Artists: NOVE - An International Contemporary Art Exhibition at the Cultural Center in Milan

NOVE is a contemporary art collective exhibition co-presented by SPIRA9 ART and A4U, to be held at Centro Culturale di Milano, also known as Cultural Center in Milan (CMC), in Milan, Italy. As one of the most ambitious and largest group exhibitions at CMC in 2026, NOVE fosters dialogue around perception, structure, and cultural translation within contemporary artistic practice.

KEY DETAILS:

Exhibition Dates: May 2026
Physical Venue: Centro Culturale di Milano (CMC), Milan, Italy
Submission Deadlines:
First-round deadline*: 9 March 2026, 23:59 GMT
Final deadline: 9 April 2026, 23:59 GMT
*Please note: We strongly encourage early submissions, as space is limited and proposals are reviewed on a rolling basis. Due to the high volume of applications received, we are unable to provide individual feedback. Only selected artists will be contacted directly via email.
Submission Form: https://forms.gle/CZqpsaA7yDbNVZDr7

ABOUT CENTRO CULTURALE DI MILANO (CMC):

Founded in the 20th century, the Centro Culturale di Milano (CMC) is one of Italy’s most established cultural institutions, dedicated to fostering dialogue between art, thought, and public life. Located in the heart of Milan, CMC operates as an interdisciplinary cultural platform presenting contemporary exhibitions, research-based programmes, and public events.

Over the years, CMC has presented exhibitions featuring renowned figures in photography and contemporary art. Notably, the Centre hosted a major exhibition dedicated to the work of André Kertész, a master of modern photography whose work spans Europe and the Americas. In addition, CMC’s exhibition programme has included international collaborative projects such as Terra Senza Confini and Sinergie Multidimensionali, bringing together artists from diverse contexts in thematic group shows. 

CMC has collaborated with artists, curators, and institutions from across the world, addressing social, cultural, and philosophical questions through contemporary artistic practices. With a strong emphasis on both critical inquiry and public engagement, CMC plays a significant role in connecting international contemporary art with the local and European cultural context.

WE ARE SEEKING WORKS THAT:

We seek works that articulate a clear artistic position and demonstrate a rigorous engagement with material, form, and concept. Submissions may emerge from contemporary social or cultural contexts, personal or research-based inquiry, or experimental methodologies, and should reflect a strong sense of intention, authorship, and critical awareness.

All media and formats are welcome, including painting, sculpture, photography, moving image, sound, installation, performance, site-specific practices, text-based and archival projects, as well as digital and new media, generative and algorithmic art, interactive works, AR/VR/XR, AI-assisted practices, network-based and game-based works, and interdisciplinary or research-driven approaches. Artists are encouraged to consider how their work can meaningfully inhabit, activate, or respond to the architectural and conceptual conditions of the exhibition space.

In resonance with the conceptual framework of NOVE, we are particularly interested in practices that engage with ideas of thresholds, transition, structure, and transformation, whether formally, conceptually, or spatially. Works that operate within states of in-betweenness, between disciplines, cultures, systems, or modes of perception, are especially encouraged.

To support participating artists, local printing and production assistance will be provided where necessary, enabling works to be realised on site. This support aims to reduce logistical barriers while allowing greater flexibility in scale, materiality, and presentation.
 

Produced by SPIRA9 ART
For further inquiries or additional details, please contact us at: info@spira9.art