International Day of the Girl Child Call to Artists

Ends on Friday, Aug 15, 2025 11:59 PM

Call for Artists
Gallery Exhibition | October 2025 | ACGBR Gallery

In celebration of International Day of the Girl Child, Network of Women NOW, in collaboration with the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge and the Everett G. Powers Award for Creativity, invites youth, emerging, and professional artists to submit work for a bold and moving gallery exhibition opening October 2025 at the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge Gallery.

This year’s theme, “Digital Generation. Our Generation,” explores the intersection of technology, equity, and empowerment in the lives of girls around the world. Selected pieces will be featured in the public exhibit from October 3 – November 1, with an opening reception during the Louisiana Art Summit on October 8, 2025.

Submission Themes

Artists are encouraged to submit work that reflects the mission of Network of Women NOW and honors global observances in October. Submissions may explore the following themes:

1. Digital Empowerment
   How technology is transforming education, advocacy, and identity for girls globally.
2. Menstrual Equity
   Artwork promoting dignity, access to hygiene, and education as fundamental rights.
3. Girls’ Rights & Gender Equality
   Visualizations of a world where girls thrive in leadership, health, and education.
4. Youth Activism
   Celebrating young voices shaping cultural, political, and environmental change.
5. Mental Wellness & Self-Discovery
   Artistic reflections on inner strength, healing, and identity formation.
6. Global Sisterhood
   Expressions of unity, solidarity, and collective empowerment across cultures.

Submission Guidelines

• Eligibility: Open to youth, students, emerging, and professional artists of all backgrounds.
• Mediums Accepted: Painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, digital art, textile, and mixed media. A.I. art will not be accepted.
• Submission Limit: Up to three pieces per artist.
• File Format: JPEG or PNG, minimum 300 dpi.
• File Naming Format: ArtistName_Title_Medium_Size.jpg
• Artist Statement: A short paragraph (max 300 words) describing each artwork’s connection to the theme.

How to Submit

All submissions must be uploaded through the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge’s Submittable portal.

📍Visit: www.networkofwomennow.org
(The submission portal link will be updated and posted regularly.)

Required with your submission:

• Full name and contact information
• Title, medium, and dimensions of each piece
• Artist statement for each submitted work

The Baton Rouge Arts Market (Arts Market) is an open-air market and cultural event held on the first Saturday of each month (some exceptions apply) and the first 3 Saturdays in December.  The Market is open to the public from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and located at 5th and Main Streets in downtown Baton Rouge.  The Baton Rouge Arts Market is a program of the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge and is held in conjunction with the weekly Red Stick Farmers Market.

Objectives

• To provide entrepreneurial opportunities to artists
• To encourage economic development
• To create a sense of community by allowing artists to sell directly to the public
• To encourage the production of high-quality, handmade objects of art/craft

Eligibility

• The Arts Market is a producer-only event (artists must create what they sell). Eligible items include, but are not limited to: jewelry, painting, pottery, quilts, stained and blown glass, heritage crafts, photography, woodwork, sculpture, and mixed media.
•  Offset printing, to include reproductions such as giclee, digital reproductions, postcards, calendars, and posters of the Artist Vendor’s originals must comprise 30% or less of the artwork in the booth and must be clearly identified as such.
• Photography must be from original negatives or original digital images and produced or supervised by the photographer. The photographs must be archival quality.
•  Printed works must be produced from hand manipulated screens, plates, or stones by the Artist Vendor.
• Two artists may apply together only if both artists collectively produce the artwork. Include a clear description of each artist’s involvement.
• Ineligible items include: Arts/crafts made from store-bought kits or molds, manufactured items that have been assembled, work of other artists/craftsmen. At this time the Baton Rouge Arts Market does not accept applications for food or spices.
• One application per medium. You can submit up to 3 applications. 

Artist Vendor Responsibilities

• Respond to monthly confirmation emails to reserve and pay for a booth space. If you do not reserve in advance, you are not guaranteed a space at the market. Any Artist Vendor arriving at the Arts Market without a reservation may be turned away.  
•  Should circumstances arise that interfere with your ability to attend the market, you are required to contact the market manager to give notice of your absence so that necessary changes may be made to the market map.
•  Communicate directly with the market director if you experience any complications with the Arts Market.
•  Artist Vendors who prefer to share a booth with another Artist Vendor may request it with the Arts Market manager. Each Artist Vendor must still pay the $30.00 booth fee.
•  Artist Vendors must comply with all Federal, State, and Local laws and ordinances. It is the Artist Vendor’s responsibility to be aware of such laws and ordinances. The Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge shall have the authority to warn, suspend, or expel an Artist Vendor based on unlawful activity or violation of the Artist Vendor Agreement.
• Artist Vendors will operate as individual entities and will be responsible for collecting their own city and state sales taxes.
•  Artist Vendors may not sell work that was not submitted and juried into the Arts Market, work that belongs to another artist, or commercially manufactured/retail items.
• Any Artist Vendor perceived as exhibiting rude behavior and/or creating a hostile environment will be required to leave the market and forfeit their membership in the Arts Market program.
• Custom orders or commissions are the sole responsibility of the Artist Vendor.
• Artist Vendors are required to participate at least three (3) times per calendar year. Consistent inactivity in the Arts Market may result in removal from the program. The artist may reapply through the jury process.
• New Items/Mediums: A substantial change in items or medium requires re-application to the Arts Market before new items may be sold. In order to ensure quality, integrity, and the proper mix of artistic mediums, artists are only permitted to sell those items that the jury has approved. 

Arts Market Guidelines and Procedures

• Artist Vendors must enter the St. Joseph Cathedral parking lot from North Street and exit at Main Street.
• Set up may begin at 6:00am on the day of the Market. Artist Vendors may set up in assigned locations only.
• During load-in, Artist Vendors must unpack vehicle completely and park the vehicle off site before booth set up begins. All vehicles must be off the lot by 7:30am.
•  Booths and displays must be completely ready for patronage by 8:00am.
• Artist Vendors will provide their own white 10’ x 10’ tent, and all necessary display materials to properly showcase their work.
•  Artist Vendors will remain open to the public for the duration of the Arts Market, and promptly begin taking down and packing all art and display materials at noon.
•  Breakdown and pack all items before bringing your vehicle onto the lot to load it.
•  Artist Vendors are responsible for disposing all trash in their area.
• The following items are prohibited: amplified music, megaphones, pets (except assistance dogs), firearms, alcoholic beverages.
• Booth assignments are first come first serve, and chosen by the Artist Vendor at the time of purchase. Requests are accepted, but there is no guarantee that the space will be available.
• The jury may reevaluate accepted artwork as they attend the Arts Market or on recommendation by Arts Council Staff. Reevaluation may be based on observations made at the Arts Market. The reevaluation process further requires adherence by Arts Market artists to the minimum participation rule. ALL Market Vendors will be required to re-jury every 3 years.
• The Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge reserves the right to alter the guidelines of the Arts Market at any time.

Application and Jury Process

Complete the online application process.  Accepted applications will be reviewed every second week of the month.

You will be instructed to upload the following materials during this process:

• 5 (five) Images of work, and 1 (one) image of your booth as it will be presented at a festival; for a total of 6 (six) images. - Images should be JPGs of high quality, but not to exceed 150 dpi. Each image must be labeled in the following format: Lastname_Firstname_Title_number To rename a file, right or control click on the title choose "Rename" from the menu that appears.
• (example) Loveland_William_Title_01.jpg 
• Artist Process description - Describe the process involved in creating your artwork, including what materials are used, how much of your artwork is handmade, what parts are manufactured. Please be specific. You may include links to process videos in your descriptions. (One page limit)
• Artist Resume - Should include training, education, awards, and employment specific to your work as an artist. Include your website and social media links. (One page limit)
• Application Fee of $10 
• The Arts Market jury meets month to review and evaluate artist applications. The jury bases its decisions on the best interests of the Arts Market in accordance with the guidelines. Jurors may exclude artists or makers in order to regulate the size of the Arts Market and to ensure the proper mix of mediums. In the event that an artist is not accepted into the Arts Market, reapplication may occur following application time or as otherwise directed by the jury. The decisions of the jury are final as upheld by the Arts Council Board of Directors.
• You MAY be asked for a physical sample of your work, especially if your work is scented, or is difficult to judge based on digital photograph alone. This will be determined close to the jury date. 
• You MUST agree to all Terms and Conditions of the BRAM.

*Incomplete applications will not be considered. If your application is considered incomplete you may not get notification. If you do, it will likely not occur until the applications are gathered during the jury process, and thus will likely not be able to be corrected in time for the current application cycle. For this reason we strongly encourage you to read the guidelines and requests carefully to ensure your application is complete AND your images are sized and labelled appropriately. Image labelling is a part of the application process and is considered in assessing application completion.

If you have any questions, please contact:

Luke Lognion, Arts Market Manager
luke@brassbr.com // (337) 513-5526

ArtSpaces is designed to empower local organizations and individuals by providing free access to the Cary Saurage Community Arts Center for hosting programming, workshops, or events. This initiative fosters creativity, collaboration, and community engagement, aligning with the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge’s mission to promote creativity and well-being for all.

Please review the following guidelines before completing your application:

1. Eligibility
   • Open to local organizations and individuals in the Greater Baton Rouge area.
   • Applicants must propose programming, workshops, or events that enrich the local community and align with the Arts Council’s mission.
2. Venue Use Details
   • Applicants may request up to 18 hours of venue use, subject to availability and funding.
   • Hours can be allocated flexibly (e.g., daily workshops, weekly classes, monthly gatherings).
   • The program schedule must be outlined in the application to ensure proper coordination.
3. Application Requirements
   • Applications must be submitted at least six weeks before the proposed program or event.
   • Applicants must provide a clear program description, measurable objectives, and a plan to evaluate success.
4. Commitments
   • Selected applicants must agree to:
     • Abide by all rules and regulations of the Cary Saurage Community Arts Center.
     • Provide adequate supervision for program participants.
     • Maintain liability insurance for the program or event.
     • Include the Arts Council’s logo in all promotional materials.
     • Submit a program report, including participant metrics, within two weeks of the program's conclusion.
5. Evaluation Criteria
   • Programs will be evaluated based on alignment with the Arts Council’s mission, community impact, and feasibility.
6. Additional Information
   • Applicants are encouraged to provide supplemental materials (e.g., program flyers, organizational brochures) to strengthen their application.

For any questions or additional guidance, please contact Brianna Jeansonne at bjeansonne@artsbr.org.

We look forward to reviewing your application and supporting your creative endeavors!

The Cary Saurage Community Arts Center (CSCAC) offers gallery space (“Shell Gallery”) for the exhibition of artwork and the installation of art pieces—all exhibits are free and open to the public. 

Exhibitions at the CSCAC aim to advance the mission of the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge by enriching the intellectual and creative lives of the greater Baton Rouge public. Exhibitions create a forum for critical inquiry-- promoting visual thinking and advancing knowledge of the arts across the capital region. Please understand that our exhibitions are planned 12-18 months in advance-- upon your application submission, please be aware that there most likely will be an extended period of time before your proposed exhibition might be executed.

Any artist who proposes an exhibition in the Shell Gallery must adhere to the guiding principles below-- failure to do so will result in your application being denied.

Guiding Principles:

Artistic Excellence – Exhibitions in the Shell Gallery are comprised of significant works of art that demonstrate a high level of aesthetic quality. Artistic excellence, artistic significance, and artistic merit are the primary criteria guiding the selection and evaluation of the CSCAC’s exhibitions.

Audience—Exhibitions in the Shell Gallery focus on clearly defined audiences. Each exhibition takes into consideration the strategic goals of the Arts Council and is informed by research documenting the needs and interests of our parishes served.

Community Engagement—Exhibitions in the Shell Gallery strive to engage the greater capital region with the services and amenities offered by the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge. Exhibitions in the Shell Gallery foster community collaborations whenever possible. Exhibitions with The Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge includes a commitment to exhibit and interpret the work of both established and upcoming artists living and/or working in the greater Baton Rouge area.

Design—Each exhibition in the Shell Gallery integrates high-quality exhibition design that is visually pleasing, effectively communicates the exhibition’s message, and that facilitates meaningful aesthetic experiences for all Gallery visitors.

Learning—The Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge strives to offer some type of educational publication or programming (gallery guide, catalogue, workshop, etc.) with exhibitions. 

Planning—Exhibitions in the Shell Gallery are planned twelve (12) to eighteen (18) months in advance. However, the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge builds flexibility into its schedule so that it may be flexible and responsive to contemporary concerns and/or unforeseen opportunities.

Evaluation—Each exhibition is informed by clearly articulated curatorial goals and learning outcomes. Those goals and outcomes are measured with appropriate evaluation protocols. 

Social Concerns & Balance—The CSCAC presents a balanced portfolio of exhibitions, demonstrating diversity in artists represented (local, regional, national, gender, ethnicity, contemporary, historic) and types of exhibitions (traveling, juried, Museum/Gallery-originated, collection-based, etc.) The Shell Gallery’s exhibition portfolio includes exhibitions relating to contemporary, local, regional, national, and international social concerns.

I look forward to reviewing any and all exhibition proposals!