Dairy Arts Center Annual Call for Art 2026

The Dairy Arts Center is proud to announce our annual Call for Art Exhibitions in 2026! We invite artists working in all visual art mediums to apply for consideration. Selected applicants will collaborate with Curator of Visual Arts, Stella Witcher, to develop and participate in exhibitions scheduled in 2026.

We welcome exhibition proposals and artist submissions that align with our mission to foster thought-provoking, culturally resonant, and community-driven art experiences. Our gallery is dedicated to showcasing innovative work across various mediums, providing a platform for artists whose practices engage with critical ideas, storytelling, and social dialogue.

Artists, curators, and collectives are invited to submit proposals for solo or group exhibitions that explore compelling themes, challenge perspectives, and inspire meaningful conversations. Whether your work engages with personal narratives, cultural identity, environmental concerns, or experimental techniques, we encourage you to share your vision with us.

Applicants may apply to participate in one of our programmed themed exhibitions for 2026 or submit a general exhibition inquiry. Please review the exhibition themes and schedule, indicating your preference in your application, or specify that it is a general inquiry.

2026 EXHIBITIONS

Black Futures in Art: February 19 – March 29

Black Futures in Art is a yearly exhibition dedicated to celebrating the voices of Black artists from Colorado and across the United States. Held in honor of Black History Month, it serves as a space for creative visionaries shaping new narratives and forging dynamic paths for the future of Black communities and intersectional communities of color. This exhibition will highlight the power of art to envision and construct futures where Black identity, culture, and experience are centered and uplifted.

We invite artists whose work challenges, reimagines, and celebrates the evolving story of Black life, joy, struggle, and triumph. Whether through painting, sculpture, photography, mixed media, or new media, participating artists will contribute to a forward-looking exploration of possibility, resilience, and transformation.

Set the Table: May 15 - Aug 2

Set the Table is an exploration of food as a cultural and artistic practice that unites us all. This exhibition will feature a series of dinner table installations and associated artworks examining the shared experience of meals and the rich stories they tell. By centering on the universal ritual of dining, Set the Table will invite Boulder’s community to connect deeply with the traditions that define us.

We invite artists to explore food’s cultural, ecological, and economic significance, using the dinner table as a symbol of home, heritage, and identity. Set the Table will weave together personal histories, ancestral knowledge, and the bonds that tie us to our communities. We also encourage artists to examine how the table reflects pressing sociocultural issues—cultures of consumption, food scarcity, environmental sustainability, and the rising cost of living.

This exhibition will highlight Colorado’s rich farming heritage and deep culinary traditions by integrating perspectives from local artists, farmers, and restaurants. Set the Table will reflect on how meals bind us together, offering powerful commentary on the ways meals shape our personal, familial, spiritual, and environmental relationships.

Off the Page: Aug 14 - Nov 1 

Off the Page will explore the intersection of literature and visual art, highlighting how these two powerful mediums inspire one another and serve as vessels for storytelling and reflection. This exhibition will examine the ways poetry, fiction, and narrative shape artistic expression, while also celebrating the physicality of books, type, and paper as integral materials in contemporary art.

We invite artists to reflect on the transformative power of storytelling—how it fosters innovation, deepens cultural understanding, and strengthens community. Off the Page will be a space to consider the significance of literature in today’s society, from the joy of reading to the urgency of banned books and literary censorship.

Artists working in all mediums are encouraged to engage with the themes of language, books, and the written word—whether through direct inspiration from literature or by integrating text, book forms, and paper into their artistic practice. Off the Page will celebrate the enduring influence of stories, honoring literature’s ability to challenge, inspire, and connect us all.

General Inquiry: All Year

Have a collection of artwork or an exhibition idea that doesn’t fit within the above exhibitions? We welcome general exhibition applications from individual artists, artist collectives, or curators interested in presenting solo or group exhibitions. We invite exhibition proposals that explore compelling themes, challenge perspectives, and inspire meaningful conversations.

If submitting a general inquiry, please indicate your preferred exhibition timeline or available months for consideration.

Application Requirements

Artist Biography: A brief bio about yourself.

Artist Statement: A short statement describing your application concept and the relation of your works to the exhibition you are applying for

Work Samples: Submit at least 2 and up to 10 work samples (any media accepted, including a combination of video, audio, and images).

Exhibition preference selection: Please state which exhibition you are applying for, or general enquiry if applicable. You may only apply to ONE exhibition or general enquiry per application.

Eligibility Criteria

All mediums are welcome, and artists at all career stages are encouraged to apply.

Artists over 18 years of age are eligible to apply (younger artists may apply with parental permission, please reach out to stella@thedairy.org for more details)

Works must be original, no prints or recreations will be considered (unless conceptually grounded within exhibition)

Artists must live and be able to mail/transport artwork from within in the United States