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Calls for artists
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Calls for artists |
Before We Were Happy
Deadline: May 30th, 2026
Who?: New York Mills Regional Cultural Center
The New York Mills Regional Cultural Center is pleased to announce its 2026 Annual Adult Regional Show Theme: “Before We Were Happy.”
As has become tradition in recent years, the Annual Regional Adult Show’s theme is inspired by the corresponding year’s Great American Think-Off question, encouraging artists to explore big ideas through creative expression. A special reception honoring both participating regional artists and the Think-Off finalists will be held on Friday, June 12, from 6:00–8:00 p.m. This free community event is open to all and offers an opportunity to celebrate art, ideas, and conversation in a welcoming setting.
Call for Artists!
All regional artists aged 18 and up are invited to submit up to two pieces of art. All mediums 2D and 3D will be accepted.
Exhibit Dates: May 26 – July 4, 2026
Reception: Friday, June 12, 2026, from 6-8 PM
Keep reading below for relevant dates, fees, and details.
Exhibition Theme
Before We Were Happy explores a persistent American idea: that happiness once came more easily, before modern ambition, speed, and pursuit culture. This exhibition interrogates nostalgia as both comfort and myth, asking whether the past truly held greater happiness—or whether that belief obscures exclusion, inequality, and selective memory.
This exhibition is a visual response to the 2026 Great American Think-Off question:Has the pursuit of happiness made Americans unhappy?
Artists are invited to respond to the tension between nostalgia and myth, examining how ideas of happiness are constructed, remembered, inherited, or resisted.
Conceptual Framework: This exhibition seeks work engaging with one or more of the following perspectives:
Affirmative Approaches (Questioning the Past):
Sepia-toned irony and aestheticized memory
Idealized histories revealed as incomplete, exclusionary, or false
Happiness portrayed as a privilege granted to some and denied to others
Domestic, cultural, or national myths unraveled
Counterpoint Approaches (Challenging Nostalgia):
Exposing nostalgia as emotional refuge or denial
Progress shown as expanding access to happiness and self-determination
Joy emerging through struggle, resistance, or social change
Reimagining happiness as dynamic rather than lost
Key Question for Artists: Was happiness something we lost—or something we were never all allowed to have?
All visual art forms are encouraged, including painting, drawing, photography, fiber art, sculpture, and mixed media.
Dates & Details
Exhibit Dates: May 26 – July 4, 2026
Location: New York Mills Regional Cultural Center, 24 N Main Ave, New York Mills, MN 56567
Opening Reception: Friday, June 12 | 6–8 p.m.
Celebrate with us! Enjoy refreshments, a cash bar, and a gathering of Think-Off finalists and participating regional artists.Gallery Hours:
Tue: 10 AM – 5 PM
Wed & Thurs: 10 AM – 7 PM
Fri: 10 AM – 5 PM
Sat: 10 AM – 3 PM
Or by appointment: contact megan@kulcher.org
Artist Submission Info
Who Can Submit: Open to all regional artists age 18+, all mediums
Submission Limit: Up to two pieces per artist
Eligibility: Work must be completed between 2016-2026
Entry Fees:
Members: $15 per entry
Non-members: $20 per entry
Sales: Artwork preferred to be for sale (30% commission to Cultural Center)
Delivery:
Drop-Off Dates: May 19–22 during regular open hours
Requirements:
Must be gallery-ready: framed, with hooks and wire (no sawtooth hangers)
Must label works on the back with name, title, and retail price
Optional but not required
Artist statement, up to 250 words
Artist bio, up to 100 words
Pick-Up: After July 4, 2026, during open hours or arrange with staff
Selection Criteria:
Conceptual engagement with the theme
Originality and clarity of vision
Emotional, historical, or critical depth
Craft and execution
This activity is made possible in part by the voters of Minnesota through a Minnesota State Arts Board Operating Support grant, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.
Are you seeking artists? Would you like a call for artists put out for your event?
Tell us about it! If you are seeking to find artists in our area, please let us know by filling out the form to the right. Please include any information about your call, when is the deadline, what is the call for, who specifically are you seeking, or any additional information you would like staff to know. Please include a link to your website or wherever you would like the submissions to go, thank you!
2nd Street Stage: Mae Simpsons Music
2nd Street Stage will celebrate summer with free concerts in Downtown Park Rapid from June 13th to August 15th. “People tell us they look forward all year long to these special nights that celebrate summer, time to reconnect with friends, and enjoy some great music. Just remember to bring a chair!” The beer garden opens at 5pm for a social hour, time to meet social hour sponsors and buy this year’s collectible button for $2 off of beverages at the beer garden. Social hour and band sponsors offer a variety of activities and give aways as well as a prize at the end of the evening to someone with a lucky ticket. Bands are chosen for their musicianship and stage presence, and to represent various musical genres including modern bluegrass, rock ‘n roll, soul, blues, Cajun, pop, and even classic country. Many of the bands have played at First Avenue and other venues in the Twin Cities and/or a part of the Duluth music scene. For more information about all of the bands, please visit www.parkrapidsdowntown.com/events