Creativity and COVID: Art-Making During the Pandemic

Photo of hand with pen drawing a sign that says Creativity and COVID: Art-making During the Pandemic

The Call

Mad in America is seeking submissions for an online Art Exhibit titled Creativity and COVID: Art-Making During the Pandemic that will feature art created in the last year in response to the emotional impact of the pandemic. The call is open to all those who identify as having struggled, in some manner or another, with mental distress. The first 100 entries that follow guidelines will be exhibited. Several artists will be chosen to be interviewed via Zoom and the recordings shared on Mad in America’s social media networks and website. Eligible entries will also be shared on Mad in America’s homepage.The call will be open for one month, starting February 15.

Click here to read more about the exhibit and curator Karin Jervert’s lived experience with mental distress and the healing power of art.

The Guidelines

Criteria for Eligibility:

  • Call for art is open to all those with lived experience with mental distress.
  • All submissions must be made through the online form.
  • Artists can upload one (1) piece of visual art created in the last year in response to the emotional impact of the pandemic, or artwork that served to help them cope with its impact.
  • Artwork must be original to the artist.
  • Artists must upload hi-res (300dpi) .jpeg images of their work with a file size no greater than 3MB.
  • Artists must include a short biography (not to exceed 100 words) and a statement about how art-making helped them this past year (not to exceed 300 words).
  • Submission must abide by our community guidelines: The artwork content must NOT include illegal material, profanity, hate speech, discrimination based on identity or occupation, or calls for violence against any people. This website intentionally brings together individuals with varying backgrounds and values. We believe in civil, inclusive dialogue.
  • Artwork politicizing issues such as vaccination should be avoided. We are looking for work that reflects your emotional experience. 
  • The artwork must be relevant to the topic of the exhibition which is the emotional impact of the pandemic. Off-topic artwork will not be included.
  • The first 100 submissions that meet these guidelines will be displayed in our online exhibition.
  • Artists will be notified of acceptance in March.

Artist Benefits

  • Inclusion in online exhibition hosted on madinamerica.com.
  • Display on the homepage of madinamerica.com.
  • Potential inclusion in interview series.
  • Potential inclusion in promotional materials for the exhibit (including Mad in America social media and email promotions).

This call for art is now closed. For questions and concerns please contact Karin Jervert at kjervert[@]madinamerica.com