The ELY CENTER Open Call 2026 GOES LIVE January 8!!

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The Ely Center is moving to a new location for the year of 2026- 162 James Street, New Haven, CT! Our layout will be different, but we have exciting exhibitions in the works and cannot wait to see what you all submit!

Application open between January 8 - March 8


NOTE: No one turned away for lack of funds- email info@elycenter.org for fee waiver information

We are pleased to announce Larry Ossei-Mensah as our guest curator!

Larry Ossei-Mensah is a Ghanaian-American curator, cultural critic, and global advocate for contemporary art whose dynamic practice amplifies diverse voices and fosters cultural exchange across continents. He has organized exhibitions and projects in cities such as New York, London, Athens, São Paulo, Manila, Hong Kong, and Rome, collaborating with leading artists including Steve McQueen, Catherine Opie, Judy Chicago, Rashid Johnson, Melissa Joseph, and Chase Hall. He has also written about artists such as Genesis Tramaine, Antonio Obá, Tomashi Jackson, and Amoako Boafo.

Ossei-Mensah has served as Susanne Feld Hilberry Senior Curator at the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (MOCAD) and Curator-at-Large at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM). His curatorial impact extends to major institutions including the Museum of the African Diaspora (San Francisco), MASS MoCA, Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, Artpace San Antonio, MCA Denver, the Seattle Art Museum, and the Denver Art Museum.

A co-founder of ARTNOIR, a nonprofit supporting artists and curators of color, Ossei-Mensah continues to shape the field through ambitious projects such as The Poetics of Dimensions at ICA San Francisco, The Fabric of Being with Almeida & Dale in São Paulo, and Sonia Gomes: Abre Alas at Storm King Art Center.

Photo: Diego Martinez Chacon & New Wave Magazine

Submissions Considered For:

  • Exhibition curated by Larry Ossei-Mensah to take place September 27 - November/December 2026*

  • Flat File exhibitions

  • Keyhole Workspace in Residence (Spring/Fall ‘25)

  • Solo exhibitions

  • Thematic group exhibitions

  • Digital Grace, our online exhibition platform curated by our Curatorial Advisory Committee

  • Special interviews and social media features

Eligibility & Terms

  • Artists may submit up to five works, any medium.

  • Files should be 2 MB or smaller and labeled as follows: lastname_firstname_worktitle ex: Ely_Grace_VictorianMansion.jpg If submitting video upload a still image and provide a link to the video in the following work description section. If submitting sound upload up to one minute .mp3 file, you may include a link if works are longer than one minute.

  • Artists working in new media, film, or video may be required to use own equipment for exhibitions as ECOCA’s equipment library is limited

  • Artists are responsible for hand-delivery of artwork or are responsible for the shipping cost to and from the gallery.

  • All artwork accepted must be ready to hang or install.

  • Artists retain 70% of the proceeds from any work sold.

  • $35 application fee: Includes 1 – 5 artworks

  • No one will be denied a submission, if one cannot afford the $35 fee please email info@elycenter.org

  • Deadline: March 8, 2026, 11:59 pm EST

  • Please note ECOCA cannot insure any single work valued at more than $10,000.**

  • Please reach out to info@elycenter.org for any further questions.

For ease of application we suggest that you use Chrome when submitting your application. We also suggest that you have all your information/materials ready for copy/paste and uploading in order to finish in one sitting. If you have any issues email info@elycenter.org for troubleshooting.

Expand below for more details on specific opportunities:

  • In 2026 we will have a larger flat file exhibition room. Works can be exhibited on the walls as well as works in the flat file.

  • This residency is for studios only.

    3 Artists are selected for a 4 month residency. There is a Spring and a Fall Cohort. A group show of the Keyhole artists will be held at the completion of the residency. A small material stipend is provided. During the residency artists will be provided with professional support from staff and studio visits from curators, artists and critics. ECOCA provides access to handtools, and a small printing press. Artists who wish to be considered for this are responsible for their own housing.

    Spring 2026 Cohort: Studio space from March - June 2026
    Exhibition July 19 - September 13, 2026

    Fall 2026 Cohort: Studio space from August - November 2026
    Exhibition early 2027 location TBD

*Artists selected to participate in exhibition guest curated by Larry Ossei-Mensah will be notified by May 1, 2026, Exact closing date is still TBD

**Please note that artwork is insured only when in the gallery building, not while in transit.