OPEN CALL: Made Visible 2026 — “A Lion Speaks”
A Celebration of Black Artists
Curated by Shaunda Holloway
Presented by Creative Arts Workshop (CAW)
Exhibition Dates: February 1–29, 2026
Installation: Week of January 27, 2026
Location: Hilles Gallery at Creative Arts Workshop, 80 Audubon Street, New Haven, CT
Submission Guidelines
- Eligibility: Open to artists of the African diaspora in New Haven and the surrounding region.
- Medium: All visual art forms are welcome.
- Deadline: December 31, 2025
- Submission Form: [Click HERE]
About the Exhibition
Creative Arts Workshop invites artists of the African diaspora to submit work for Made Visible 2026: “A Lion Speaks”, our annual Black History Month exhibition celebrating local and regional Black and Brown artists.
Curated by longtime CAW printmaking faculty member and Hamden-based artist Shaunda Holloway, A Lion Speaks draws inspiration from the African proverb:
‘Until the lion learns how to write, every story will glorify the hunter.”
This exhibition calls on artists to reclaim their narratives—honoring the power of self-told stories, collective resistance, and cultural memory. Through painting, sculpture, photography, mixed media, or any chosen form, artists are encouraged to present work that gives voice to lived experiences, resilience, and the truth of their communities.
As Holloway explains, “Telling our stories for ourselves, sharing our resistance in all its facets, and encouraging others to continue preserving our stories in spite of systemic erasure is what A Lion Speaks is about.”
About Made Visible
Now in its seventh year, Made Visible is Creative Arts Workshop’s annual exhibition celebrating the creativity and vision of Black and Brown artists across our region. The series reflects CAW’s commitment to equity, inclusion, and amplifying underrepresented voices through the visual arts.