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Call for Artists: NEW HORIZONS

Authenticity, Resilience and Renewal | Matera 2026

Dr. Carmela Loiacono, Art Historian & Independent Curator   /   Deadline: 03/06/26

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Dr. Carmela Loiacono, Art Historian & Independent Curator is proud to present the open call for the international art exhibition NEW HORIZONS – Authenticity, Resilience and Renewal, that invites artists and collectives to take part in an art exhibition that explores transformation, rebirth, and authenticity.

NEW HORIZONS – Authenticity, Resilience and Renewal explores the human capacity to transform, rebuild, and redefine one's identity beyond visible boundaries. The collective exhibition invites artists and audiences to open up to new possibilities, to look beyond what is already known, and to cross the thresholds that separate falling and rebirth, fragility and inner strength. It is a journey towards new perspectives, both personal and collective, where art becomes a guide, a companion, and a tool for renewal.

In a time when individuals are often at risk of isolation and alienation, NEW HORIZONS – Authenticity, Resilience and Renewal presents itself as a space for connection and introspection: a place where artists assert their authenticity, consolidating that unique voice capable of resisting pressures of conformity. Each artwork becomes a gesture of truth and courage, demonstrating that vulnerability can transform into creative strength, and that change is a poetic and necessary act.

Through painting, photography, sculpture, installation, video, and performance, the exhibition brings together national and international artists who investigate the threshold as a starting point. Their works demonstrate that:

Every limit can open: becoming a new threshold between the visible and the invisible, between fall and rebirth.
Resilience is an artistic language: rising again becomes form, gesture, image.
Authenticity drives transformation: remaining true to one's core generates renewal.
Art unlocks new horizons: it creates connections, opens imaginations, inspires possible futures.
Expression becomes a manifesto: each work affirms courage, vision, and evolution.
In the unique context of Matera, Mediterranean Capital of Culture and Dialogue 2026, the exhibition dialogues with a city that is itself a horizon to cross: a place suspended between ancient history and contemporary light, where stone and sky meet. A strong and resilient city, open to dialogue and culture between peoples and with a keen eye for contemporary art.
Here, artworks expand their meaning, resonating with the spaces and amplifying the visitor's emotional and sensory experience.

NEW HORIZONS – Authenticity, Resilience and Renewal celebrates the courage to look beyond personal limits, the power to transform, and the beauty of staying authentic even in change.
Only by opening ourselves to new horizons can we discover new truths—inside and outside ourselves—and leave a mark capable of inspiring the future.

Who Can Apply
Artists and collectives, both Italian and international, working in painting, photography, video art, sculpture, installation and performance.

Submission guidelines
Applicants should provide:
1. Artist statement / biography (max 250 words).
2. Artwork description (max 300 words), including title, year, medium, dimensions, and any technical/logistical requirements.
3. Visual or video documentation of the work (high-resolution images, video links or digital files).
4. Portfolio or website link (if available).

Artists interested in taking part in the events are free to be sponsored and supported by institutions, organizations, governments and their representatives; the logos of their sponsors will be included in all the communication (digital and print) of the exhibition.

Deadline for applications
All submissions must be sent by March 06, 2026 (11.59 PM your local time) to carmelaloiacono.arthistorian@gmail.com

The submission proposal is free. The participation in the exhibition requires an entry fee ONLY for selected artists, that will be communicated after the selection and depending on the dimensions of the works selected for the exhibition.

Location

The collective exhibition will be held in Matera, at Casa Cava, from 21 to 27 March 2026, within the framework of Matera Mediterranean Capital of Culture and Dialogue 2026.

Fees

Depending on the works selected

Evaluation Criteria

Submissions should reflect the central theme: overcoming personal limits, rebirth through creativity, and expressing individual authenticity. In fact, all the proposals will be evaluated based on thematic relevance, artistic quality, originality and exhibition feasibility.

Contact Information

Carmela Loiacono
Matera,

W: https://carmelaloiaconoarthistorian.com/
E: carmelaloiacono.arthistorian@gmail.com