Unfinished Business
The fight for civil rights and activism didn’t end with a single victory — it’s a continuous struggle. Unfinished Business asks artists to confront the ongoing work still needed in our communities. What issues remain unresolved? Whose voices are still being ignored? How does activism evolve, and what role does art play in keeping the fight alive?

Why This Showcase Matters:

The Artivism Showcase isn’t just an event — it’s a platform. It’s a space where creativity fuels conversation and art becomes a catalyst for change. By participating, you’re not only sharing your work — you’re helping build a movement, inspiring others to see the world not just as it is, but as it could be.

Houston’s art community has always been bold, vibrant, and unafraid to speak out. Let’s come together — not just as artists, but as advocates. Your art has a voice. Let’s make sure it’s heard.

Interested in submitting your art? Here’s what to know:

• Deadline: July 18, 2025

• Location: To be announced

• Submissions: Artists are encouraged to submit multiple pieces (up to three) aligned with one or both themes.

• How to Apply: Fill out the submission form at the end of this post, there is no charge to apply.

• Incomplete or late submissions cannot be accepted.

Categories:

All art mediums are welcome at Artivism, and we’re eager to provide a platform for you to display your work. All submitted works will be considered for final display, but due to venue capacity limitations and curatorial considerations, we cannot guarantee all pieces submitted will be accepted.

While we recognize there are hundreds of mediums our artists work in- all works will be categorized into the broad following categories as appropriate: 

• Drawing

• Painting

• Printmaking

• Sculpture

• Textile-Art

• Photography

• Collage & Mixed Media

• Found/Recycled Art

• Sound/Music-Based Art

• Written Word

Submission Materials:

• Artist statement (up to 1000 characters) - what inspired this piece? Any reasons behind some of your artistic choices? Tell us about how this piece came to be.

• Artists may enter up to three pieces of work. Artists should submit (1) digital image per work. All submitted images must be in a high resolution .jpeg or .png file format (meaning at least 4 x 6 inches at 300 dpi).

• All submission questions must be answered. Incomplete submissions will not be accepted.

• Written works: We love you! For purposes of our display, we are only able to accept works that are no more than 200 words in length to maximize efficiency and display capabilities within the gallery.

• Written works: Handwritten pieces must be easily legible and scanned in at a resolution of 300 dpi in either a .png or .jpeg format. Digital written works (originally created in a word processing software) should also consider font size and legibility, and be saved in a PDF format to avoid font and/or styling changes.

Art Piece Preparation:

• All mediums of a more delicate nature (i.e. drawings, paintings, linocut-prints, photography etc) MUST have a protective coating or fixative applied before they are publicly displayed to prevent damage/smudging from handling.

• Written Works: It is recommended that you print out your work and display it in a frame.

• All final accepted works must be artist-prepared for final display. Any frames, special considerations needed for display (such as a projector or a block for a piece to rest upon) will need to be arranged by you. For framed works and stretched canvas, this includes proper hanging hardware such as D-rings or a wire. For anything that requires specific design of the space or electricity, please detail your requests in the form and staff can work with you.

• Work must be available for the full duration of the show and may not be withdrawn from the exhibit prior to the closing date.

• All artwork must be yours. By entering this piece, you certify that you own the rights to this artwork.

Accepted Artworks:

• Notification of Acceptance will be either on or before August 15, 2025.

• Directions for accepted work will be emailed to you after your acceptance.

• Transportation of your artwork(s) to and from the venue must be arranged by you. Packaging and artworks must be in good condition and able to withstand the strains of transportation.

• OCA-Greater Houston and Artivism reserves the right to photograph and distribute any images of work in the exhibition for educational or promotional purposes. Please ensure your submitted digital images of your artwork are of high quality, ensuring good lighting, focus and have printing resolution dpi of 300.

Selling your Artwork:

• If you would like to list your artworks for sale at the showing, we are happy to accommodate listing the price with your piece. Please indicate your interest in the submission form and we will be in touch! All artists keep 100% of the profits of their artworks. 

• As a disclaimer, all payments must be conducted between you and the purchaser without involvement from Artivism or OCA-Greater Houston, and arrangement of handing off the piece must be arranged privately. If any dispute should arise from the purchase of the piece, you absolve OCA-Greater Houston and Artivism from any and all responsibility thereof.

Submission Forms will open on Sunday, April 20, 2025,