Open Call for Exhibitions
Image: This is Fantasyland, baby. Don’t let reality get you. (2024) Vanessa Aricco, Lauren Sanders, and Carolyn Weideman.
The Deadline for Proposals is Sunday, January 17, 2027.
Vulpes Bastille is an artist-run studio space and gallery that hosts monthly exhibitions through an open call to the community.
We are seeking proposals for exhibitions taking place between May 2027 and March 2028, opening on the First Friday of the month.
Proposals may be submitted by individual artists, groups of artists, or curators who are based in the Kansas City region.
New this year:
Main Gallery proposals must be group shows with two or more artists.
We also will not consider exhibitions that include works created by generative AI.
How To Apply
To apply, click the button below and fill out the application form. Then, upload a single proposal document with the items below.
The deadline for submissions is Sunday, January 17, 2027. Applicants will be notified of the gallery’s decision by March 1, 2027.
If you have any questions or need any accommodations, reach out to Caranne Camareña, Owner and Director, at vulpesbastille@gmail.com.
Your proposal document should include:
🦊 Your artist statement describing the exhibition’s unifying concept. This should describe your show’s larger theme: the idea that ties the work together. You are the curator, even if your show only includes own work.
🦊 Your proposal describing your goals, installation timeline, and plan for any potential events or programming. This should include roughly the number of artworks to be shown and names of participating artists. We would like to know why Vulpes Bastille is the right venue for your show.
🦊 Your CV/resume of past work including contact information with links to your website and/or social media (you can include multiple if applying as a group).
🦊 5-10 images of artwork to be shown and/or mock-ups of the intended exhibition. For group exhibitions, please include images from each artist. If all the artworks are not completed, please include work representative of what is to be shown.
CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT A PROPOSAL
Important Notes
Please keep in mind:
Only group proposals will be considered for the Main Gallery.
AI generated images, text, and other content is not allowed.
The open call is for proposals of complete exhibitions, not individual works of art or individual artist’s portfolios.
Artists are expected to be local(ish) to Kansas City and must be able to install and deinstall their show. Click here for the exact dates you are expected to be at the gallery for each exhibition slot.
Shows run for approximately three weeks from the First Friday to the Fourth Friday of the month, with deinstallation required by the next day. Shows may be closed earlier to allow for a longer deinstallation period.
The following are not permitted in the gallery:
No painting, writing, or drawing directly on the walls :(
No unapproved hanging materials (basic materials are provided by the gallery, other hanging materials are subject to gallery approval)
No live animals
No open flame
No weapons
Available Galleries
Two exhibition spaces are available: the Main Gallery and the Sub Gallery (see layouts below). Vulpes Bastille has an in-house inventory of basic installation supplies, pedestals, and gallery chairs for your use. Click here for the pedestal list.
Gallery Use
Artists are responsible for installation and deinstallation, with full access to the gallery for the duration of their exhibition.
Click here for the list of exact exhibition dates, including check in and check out dates.
Artists pay a non-refundable fee ($125 for the Main Gallery, $100 for the Sub Gallery) for the exhibition reservation along with signing a gallery contract.
Artists also pay a refundable $40 key and maintenance deposit. Only one fee and deposit is required per exhibition regardless of the number of artists participating.
Vulpes Bastille collects 25% commission on any works sold and paid events. Artists are not required to sell work or host paid events.
These fees help support the rising cost of maintaining and operating a historic building.
Evaluation Criteria
These are the criteria that go into the evaluation of exhibition proposals. Rather than hard-and-fast rules, they’re questions guided by our mission to provide gallery space for a diverse community of local and emerging artists in the Kansas City region.
We are looking for exhibition proposals that embody a distinct, engaging, and original idea, one that captures our attention and that we believe will capture the imagination of our community.
Artists have the unique opportunity not just to show their work, but to curate their work. This opportunity comes with a greater level of responsibility for the overall exhibition.
In reviewing submissions, we look for proposals that are well thought-out and include a timeline, mock-ups, and goals in relation to the exhibition concept.
Strong consideration is given to collaborations and group exhibitions, as opposed to submissions of a single artist’s portfolio.
Solo exhibitions will not be considered for the Main Gallery.
Exhibitions featuring works created by generative AI will be disqualified.