What we Saved: Femmage Revisited From Gallery of Contemporary Mosaics

‘What We Saved: Femmage Revisited’ is a juried exhibition that highlights collage as a uniquely feminine art form of saving, fragmenting, and mending to tell women’s stories. The exhibition is organized by The Gallery of Contemporary Mosaics and the Chicago Collage Community. Artists from the Chicago area are encouraged to submit work that explores themes of saving, collecting, and feminist narratives. This exhibition aims to honor collage and its history while inspiring contemporary collage artists to reconsider their work through the Femmage framework, which is both openly political and deeply personal.

"What We Saved: Femmage Revisited", will take place May 15 - July 9, 2026 at the Gallery of Contemporary Mosaics. Applications will be juried through a blind jury process by the curatorial board of The Chicago Mosaic School and the Chicago Collage Community.

For more information on Femmage, read Waste Not Want Not: An Inquiry into What Women Saved and Assembled—Femmage (1977-78)

Important Dates:

March 25, 2026: Submissions open online

April 20, 2026: Submission deadline

April 22, 2026: Jurying opens

April 24, 2026: Jurying closes

April 26, 2026: Notification emails sent out

May 9, 2026: All works must be received at CMS

May 15, 2026, Exhibition opens

July 19, 2026: Exhibition closes


Ready to apply?

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How to enter Art call, Video: https://help.artworkarchive.com/en/articles/10246083-how-to-apply-to-a-call-on-artwork-archive-using-a-submit-only-account#h_b7c9bf9d77

All Questions related to show rules or guidelines can be directed to our email at: [email protected]

For Tech questions, please contact [email protected] or call 720-900-5506 for any issues relating to creating a free submission only account or logging into the system. Select this icon for online live tech support in your submission only account  You will get live support during business hours. Any after hour questions will be addressed the following business day via email.

This call is open to all Chicagoland artists, working in analog collage, fiber arts, assemblage, mosaic and interdisciplinary works exploring themes of fragmentation and mending.

Please submit two (2) images of your work. One of the whole piece and one detail shot.

All work must be ready to hang/exhibit and framed/wired for hanging upon arrival. Work with saw-tooth hanger or wired inappropriately for the weight of the work will NOT be shown.

3D work must be stable and be able to be secured on a 12” square pedestal.

No artwork will be removed before the exhibition closing date.

Please Include full first and last name in your submission form. 

ART DELIVERY

- Artists are responsible for shipping and insuring accepted work in a sturdy, reusable box or crate.

- Return shipping and insurance MUST be prepaid, with labels and included with the work upon arrival.

- Absolutely NO packing peanuts whether packed by artist or packing service.

- Hand deliveries no later than May 9, 2026

- Shipping instructions will be included with acceptance notification.


SALES

 GoCM takes 40% commission for sales of artwork.

- Price listed as “Value” upon application submission will be the price listed in the gallery. Any changes to price when/if accepted to exhibit must be explicitly communicated to and approved by the GoCM team.

RIGHTS, RESPONSIBILITIES AND LIABILITY

- GoCM takes all reasonable care in handling and displaying entries. GoCM is not responsible for any loss, damage or deterioration of artwork while in its possession. Artists are responsible for appropriately insuring their artwork during the show and while in transit.

- Sending an entry to this show implies an agreement with all conditions set forth in the prospectus and grants the sponsors the right to reproduce any work for catalog and/or publicity.

- GoCM is not responsible for work not picked up 10 days after the show ends.

- GoCM reserves the right to reject any work that differs from the submitted image or that is deemed too dangerous or fragile to display.

Rules and Terms to Apply:

Artist grants permission for exhibit organizers to reproduce his/her/their name, information describing his/her/their work, representations of his/her/their work and any other information the artist has provided for the purpose of display, promotion and publicity either now or in the future.

Artist agrees to display, pack, transport and provide for the return of his/her/their artwork at his/her/their own risk and expense.

If Artist is not available on-site to display, re-pack or re-transport his/her/their work, they give permission to the exhibit organizers to do so on his/her/their behalf at his/her/their own risk and expense.

Release of Liability: The gallery shall not be liable for any injury to Artist, their personnel, agents or employees or for any damage or loss of Artist’s work, equipment or other personal property arising out of the above Art Exhibitions, the mounting and/or any other activities involved in the preparation and/or presentation of the Art Exhibitions. Artist agrees to assume all risk of damage to or loss of his/her/their own art from whatever cause.

Indemnification: Artist shall indemnify, save and hold harmless the Gallery of Contemporary Mosaics or The Chicago Mosaic School, its officers, directors, employees, volunteers and agents and the participating exhibition venues from any and all claims, demands, causes of action and judgments, losses, costs and expenses, including but not limited to reasonable attorney’s fees, arising due to the negligence of Artist, their employees, agents or other personnel hereunder, including but not limited to any representation, warranty, term and/or condition of this Agreement.

Insurance: Artist shall be solely and exclusively responsible to insure properly and adequately their work and property.