2025 Outlook Gallery Call
Ends on
Minnesota Center for Book Arts open call for book related installation art in the Outlook Gallery on Washington Avenue for the 2026-2027 exhibition cycle.
Application deadline:
March 31 at 11:59 CST Application cycle: February 21 - March 31, 2025
About MCBA:
Minnesota Center for Book Arts (MCBA) is a nonprofit visual arts organization that supports creative expression through traditional and contemporary book arts, including papermaking, bookbinding, and letterpress printing. MCBA’s philosophy and artistic vision challenges its artist community to think beyond the traditional notion of the “book.” Today, books can be bound and unbound, fabricated into sculptures, interpreted as metaphor, experienced as installation or performance, and interacted with virtually. What unites this varied work is a focus on the interdisciplinary expression of narrative.
The Outlook Gallery: Minnesota Center for Book Arts’ Outlook Gallery is a unique window gallery space at the front of the Open Book Building, designed to engage and delight pedestrians, commuters, and cyclists along Washington Avenue. It is visible day and night to hundreds of passersby in a vibrant area of Downtown Minneapolis, close to the Stone Arch Bridge, Guthrie Theater, Mill City Museum, the University of Minnesota, Light Rail Station, and US Bank Stadium.
The Outlook Gallery measures 14’ tall by 4.5’ w x 6’ d with a large backdrop wall. Moveable clamp lights are attached to the ceiling and there are fluorescent lights vertically installed lining both sides of the window. The gallery space is also accessible through the Shop at MCBA, which offers an inspirational collection of handmade artists’ books, prints, cards, and art supplies. The Outlook Gallery fosters community engagement through artwork to inspire an appreciation for creativity, curiosity, and place.
Follow this link to view past Outlook Gallery exhibitions.
Selected artists will receive an approximately two-month exhibition and exposure through MCBA’s Newsletter and a special feature on MCBA’s website and social media platforms. Artists are responsible for artwork installation (MCBA will provide assistance), art materials, and shipping/handling of artwork to and from MCBA. Artists applying outside of Minneapolis must provide detailed installation instructions, all materials, and sketches for MCBA’s installation team. MCBA does not support travel for artists exhibiting outside of Minneapolis.
Applications are submitted through the online platform Submittable. To begin you will create a new account. Once you have created a new account you will be able to fill out the application form, upload images, resume, and project proposal. You can return to the application site as many times as you like until you complete your submission. Once you hit submit you will no longer be able to log in and make any changes to your submission.
Info Session
There will be a virtual info session for application support on Wednesday, March 12th at 7 pm CT. Please see our website for registration information.
Project Proposal and Timeline:
1. Applicants must submit a realistic proposal and timeline that demonstrates applicants’ vision and how they will utilize MCBA’s Outlook Gallery. Strong project proposals make a clear connection between work samples, artist’s current practice, and a connection to book art (paper, print, text, type, book binding, sequence, narrative, poetry, etc). Timeline: Artists will have four days to install their artwork and will coordinate with the Director of Exhibitions and Artist Programs on shipping and installation schedules.
2. Applicants must include a sketch, illustration, or diagram of proposed installation.
Images:
Applicants may include up to 6 work samples as digital images. Full images and detail images acceptable. Image files should be saved in JPEG format (the filename will end with .jpg) at 72 ppi and 1920 pixels at the longest side, and no larger than 4 MB.
Image Description:
Applicants must provide the following information for each work sample submitted: the title of the work; medium or media; dimensions of the actual image or object; and the date (year) of creation.
Résumé:
Applicants must submit a current artist résumé (any length). Examples of professional artist résumés are available at the College Art Association website: collegeart.org/guidelines/resume.
A Note to Artists Applying as a Collaborative Team:
Applicants applying as a collaborative team must provide one resume for each applicant member of the team.
Selection Process:
Submissions will be reviewed by the MCBA Leadership Team which includes MCBA staff who are themselves practicing artists. Applicants will be notified of selection in May 2025.
Please email Anika Schneider, Director of Exhibitions and Artist Programs at aschneider@mnbookarts.org with any questions regarding the application.