AN OPEN CALL FOR

“BIOPHILIA: The Love of Nature”

A NATIONAL JURIED ART SHOW NYC JUNE 7 – JUNE 29, 2025

BIOPHILIA: The Love of Nature

From the forests that surround us to the mycelium beneath our feet, nature’s wonders are woven into our world— leaves, needles, branches, sprouts, plants, trees, vegetables, and fruit.

BWAC invites artists to explore the beauty, mystery, and pleasure of nature in all its forms. Whether delicate or untamed, fleeting or enduring, organic life inspires and connects us.

We welcome all media, including digital, drawing, printmaking, painting, sculpture, collage, and photography. Original and framed work only.

Whatever appeals to you in nature, we want to see.

The Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition is an artist-run, 501(c)(3) nonprofit. With 25,000 sq. ft. of exhibition space set in a Civil War-era warehouse on the waterfront of Red Hook Brooklyn. BWAC provides exhibition opportunities to artists of various levels of experience as well as professional development and public engagement. Explore membership opportunities at bwac.org

CALL TO ARTISTS FOR SUBMISSIONS

• Submission Deadline: Final Application Deadline Friday, May 9, 2025
• Gallery Exhibition Dates:  Saturday, June 7 – Sunday, June 29, 2025 weekends 1‐6 P.M.
• Opening Reception: Saturday, June 7, 2025 from 1‐6 P.M.

ELIGIBILITY

This call for submission is open to all residents of the U.S. and its Territories, 18 years of age or older. The show will be curated by BWAC VP and ceramicist Sandy Forrest, and artist Janet Morgan., Entry is open to all artists working in all traditional and non‐traditional formats. All artwork must be original in concept, design and execution and framed for exhibition.

Note:

• Artwork must be available for sale. NFS or POR will not be considered
• Crafts, kit work or reproductions of original works in other media (such as giclee reproductions of oil paintings), unless used as part of a mixed media work, will not be considered

Oversize Work, exceeding 72” X 72”, and overweight work exceeding 30lbs, are welcome only at the discretion of BWAC staff, but must meet all other specifications and be delivered, installed and removed by the artist (or their agent) upon prior arrangement with BWAC. Any work not meeting these eligibility requirements can automatically be disqualified regardless of juror selection. Wearable art

SUBMISSIONS / FEES

• Submission fee of $35 for up to three (3) images ($5.00 for each additional image) is due by midnight of May 9, 2025.  All entry fees are non‐refundable.
• Artists are responsible for shipping fees and return labels. Shipping instructions will be provided in the acceptance letter.
  • Handling fees for Shipping- $30 Covers unpacking/repacking for return shipping as well as storage of original packaging or procurement of replacement packaging. This fee will be waived if shipped in an Airfloat box.
• BWAC will retain a 30% commission on all exhibition sold artwork

JUDGING 

The BWAC Exhibition Committee will jury the submissions, and the exhibition. All judging for the competition will be online and artwork is blind juried. Entries that differ significantly from their digital images may be rejected. Decision of the jurors/curators is final.

DIRECTIONS FOR ONLINE SUBMISSION

If you are new to Smarter Entry or used the system prior to August 27, 2012, follow directions to CREATE A NEW ACCOUNT. Profiles created in Smarter Entry after the date above have been saved in the system. Simply log in using your email as your username.

• Select “BIOPHILIA” to register (UNDER AVAILABLE SHOWS). You will be redirected to a secure page to pay the application fee and upload your work.
• Once you have paid your application fee, you can upload your images. Submit your images as JPG or PNG file with the shortest side being no less than 1,280 pixels, max file size 4MB.

NOTE:

• Your Submission is not complete and will not be valid if you do not upload an image even if you pay. Please do not skip this step.
• ONCE THE FINAL DEADLINE (5/9/2025) HAS PASSED, YOU WILL NO LONGER HAVE ACCESS TO YOUR SUBMISSION FORM.  PLEASE KEEP THE SIZES AND PRICES AND ANY OTHER INFORMATION YOU MIGHT NEED FROM YOUR SUBMITTED WORK.

CONTACT/QUESTIONS: Direct all questions to  shows@bwac.org.  The curator’s results will be emailed the week of May 11. If you have not received notification by May 14, please notify us at the email above. If accepted, your Acceptance Letter will include instructions to confirm participation, deadlines, and all the details needed to exhibit.

Drop-Offs and Installation will be last week of May and Pick-Ups will be Sunday June 29 after the show closes and June 30, 31 and July 1.

ENTRY AGREEMENT: With the submission of artwork into the “BIOPHILIA: The Love of Nature” BWAC Show, the artist agrees to all the terms and conditions set forth in this prospectus.

JUDGING

The BWAC Exhibition Committee & Brooklyn Mushroom will jury the submissions, and the exhibition. All judging for the competition will be online and artwork is blind juried. Entries that differ significantly from their digital images may be rejected. Decision of the jurors/curators is final.

DIRECTIONS FOR SUBMISSION

Follow the directions on the Site Login Page to create a profile if you are new to Smarter Entry or used the system prior to August 27, 2012. Profiles created in Smarter Entry after the date above have been saved in the system. Simply log in using your email as your username.

• Select “Fungi” to register (UNDER AVAILABLE SHOWS). You will be redirected to a secure page to pay the application fee and upload your work.
• Once you have paid your application fee, you can upload your images. Submit your images as JPG or PNG file with the shortest side being no less than 1,280 pixels, max file size 4MB.

NOTE:

• Your Submission is not complete and will not be counted if you do not upload an image, even if you pay. Please do not skip this step.
• Once the final deadline (05/05/2025) has passed, you will no longer have access to your submission form. Please keep the sizes and prices and any other information you might need from your submitted work.

CONTACT/QUESTIONS: Direct all questions to shows@bwac.org. The curator’s results will be emailed the week following the deadline. If you have not received notification by May 10, please notify us at the email above. If accepted, your Acceptance Letter will include instructions to confirm participation, deadlines, and all the details needed to exhibit.

Drop-Offs and Installation will be last week of May and Pick-Ups will be Sunday June 29 after the show closes. Specific dates will be listed in the Acceptance Letter.

ENTRY AGREEMENT: With the submission of artwork into the “Fungi” BWAC Show, the artist agrees to all the terms and conditions set forth in this prospectus.