New Rochelle Issues Call For Original Juneteenth Works Of Art

NEW ROCHELLE, NY — The New Rochelle Council on the Arts has issued a call for artists to submit original artwork for an installation celebrating Juneteenth.

The Juneteenth “A Narrative of Freedom” exhibit will run from June 1-30 in the rotunda at New Rochelle City Hall. The installation is planned as both a virtual and in-person presentation with artwork available for viewing online or at the rotunda gallery under the most up-to-date coronavirus protocols in place on opening night.

Submitted works will be accepted in any medium, but the gallery space is limited. Sculptures will be considered only for the virtual presentations, with the exception of a few freestanding pieces suitable to be exhibited in small glass display cases.

The exhibition wiil commemorate Juneteenth, the African American holiday that marks the end of slavery in Texas on June 19, 1865.

All of the works of art submitted should have a strong Juneteenth theme with a special focus on freedom delayed in a country divided between North and the South and the ways those fractures persist to this day. Event organizers say the theme will be not solely about injustice, but also about looking forward to a future of possibilities.

Original works of art will be considered for the special installation until midnight May 20. Artists whose work is accepted for the exhibit will be notified on May 24.

The Juneteenth “A Narrative of Freedom” exhibit is part of the upcoming city-wide celebration “Juneteenth Passion and Perseverance.” Events will be organized by The Lincoln Park Conservancy and the City of New Rochelle.

More information about the exhibit and details about how to request an application packet are available from the New Rochelle Council on the Arts.