Vol 14 Call for Artists
Southwest Contemporary seeks artists based in the North American Southwest to submit work for potential inclusion in our Fall-Winter 2026-27 issue, Volume 14: Alien. This open call is for artists working in any medium whose work reflects on all things strange and unknown—personally, politically, or culturally.
About the Theme:
In Southwest Contemporary Volume 14, we will explore many questions about being, or feeling, alien.
Alienness is often felt intimately, in the body and in daily life—perhaps as estrangement from the self or others, or as a celebration of exquisite difference. What is it like to be an “outsider” or “other”? How does it feel to wholly embrace one’s uniqueness? What does it mean to be an invader, or invaded upon? What’s it like to be in a body that doesn’t belong—or finds a way home?
The concept of “the alien” has also served to divide the body politic. The Southwest border is an epicenter of one such narrative shaping culture, where authorities mark humans as “aliens”—as a class of legal and political “others,” subject to a dominant band of alien settlers and occupiers. But migration into unknown realms can also be transcendent—a process filled with curiosity, discovery, and unexpected connection.
The Southwest has long been a hotspot for alien activity. Star people and sky-beings animate Zuni, Hopi, and other oral traditions stretching back millennia. There are the energy “vortexes” in Sedona and the telescopes of the Very Large Array. Reported UFO encounters at Roswell and Area 51 have shaped the culture around government conspiracies. Now, actual portals to space have opened in the Southwest, commanded by billionaire founders. As reality starts to resemble science fiction, the genre’s fixations on escapism and encountering “the other” become mirrors on ourselves.
We encourage you to consider this theme in an expansive way. We want to discover artists who bring us into contact with other worlds and realities, who make the unknown known. We welcome artists in the Southwest whose work, in any medium, celebrates difference, considers belonging, or combats loneliness. Help us understand your place in the region—and the cosmos.
We welcome artists engaging themes such as:
- Insider versus outsider, the “other”
- Curiosity, discovery, and connection with the unknown
- Social alienation and loneliness
- Immigration and migration
- Body dysmorphia and positivity
- Post-humanism, transhumanism, and hybridity
- Technological alienation or cyborgism; artificial intelligence/alien intelligence
- Alienation from nature in the context of neo/post/modernism
- The sublime; alien or otherworldly landscapes
- Alien or invasive species; resilience and survival in unknown realms
- Abduction, disembodied experience
- Science fiction, fantasy
- Alien encounters and narratives
- Southwest portals to space, such as SpaceX
- Conspiracies, UFOs, and government files; hoaxes and misinterpretation
- Alien cosplay, subcultures, and other pop culture phenomena
Free Info Session:
To learn more about this open call for artists, the theme, and the submission/jurying process, attend a virtual info session and Q+A with the Southwest Contemporary editorial team on Wednesday, April 29, 1-2 pm MDT.
Guest Juror: Leslie Moody Castro
Leslie Moody Castro is an independent curator and writer whose practice is based on itinerancy and collaboration. She has produced, organized, and collaborated on projects in Mexico and the United States for nearly two decades. She is committed to creating moments of exchange and dialogue within exhibitions, is a co-founder of Unlisted Projects Residency, and Co-Lab Projects, and in 2022 served as inaugural curatorial fellow and curator in residence at New Mexico State University and Casa Otro Residency, respectively. She has curated several biennials across the American Southwest, was guest editor of Glasstire in 2021-24, and is the founder of AtravesArte.
Selected Artists Receive:
- A two-page spread featuring their work in Southwest Contemporary Vol. 14, our Fall-Winter 2026-27 print issue.
- A profile article written by an SWC contributor.
- A feature on SWC‘s newsletter and social media channels.
Who Should Apply:
SWC invites artists and artist collectives at any stage of their career to submit work in any visual arts discipline. All arts media are accepted: painting, sculpture, new media, performance, printmaking, fiber arts, photography, mixed media, video, installation, and more.
Requirements:
- Submissions are only accepted through the form linked below.
- Submit five images/videos/audio files of different artworks (each file no larger than 10 MB. Print-quality images will be requested at a later date if needed.)
- If video files are larger than 10 MB, please submit a PDF with a public web link to the full video (Youtube, Vimeo).
- Collectives should make a single submission.
- Artist Bio must be no more than 300 words and no more than 2500 characters.
- Artist Statement must be no more than 300 words and no more than 2500 characters.
- Artwork does not need to be for sale.
- Artwork should be recent within the last five years.
- Submission fee: free for SWC Members* / $15 for non-members.
Important Dates:
- Entry Deadline: May 8, 2026.
- All artists will be notified of the final decision by the end of June 2026. If your work is selected, you will receive further information at that time.
- Published: September 2026.
Eligibility:
- Artists (age 18+) primarily residing and working in Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Utah, or Northern Mexico (Baja California, Sonora, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo Leon, Tamaulipas).
- Artists previously featured in print by SWC within the last 24 months are not eligible.
- All visual arts media are accepted: painting, sculpture, digital media, performance, printmaking, fiber arts, photography, mixed media, sound, video, installation, and more.
Submission Reviews (Optional Offer)
If you would like constructive, one-on-one feedback on your submission, we offer consults with members of the Southwest Contemporary editorial team. If you sign up for a Submission Review, you will be assigned to one of SWC‘s editorial leads, and we will contact you to coordinate your 25-minute consult:
Natalie Hegert, SWC arts editor, art writer, and curator.
Jordan Eddy, SWC editorial director, art writer, and curator.
Lauren Tresp, SWC publisher and editor.
These 25-minute Submission Reviews will take place via Zoom and are priced at $50.
**This offer is completely optional and has no impact on the jurying process.**
About the $15 Submission Fee:
All submission fees go toward supporting the writers, editors, contributors, and staff who make our publications possible. If you are unable to pay at this time, we understand and urge you to submit your work for general editorial consideration instead. To do so, send 3-5 samples of your artwork, your bio, artist statement, website, and any other relevant links to editor@southwestcontemporary.com. Please note that submission fees are nonrefundable and editorial coverage is not guaranteed.
*NEW: SWC Memberships now include FREE submissions to all SWC open calls. Learn more about additional benefits—like access to our Industry Newsletter and Opportunity Index—and become a member here. Existing members, look out for a coupon code in your inbox, or contact us directly to request it.
About the Submission Form:
- While the form will save your progress, we recommend preparing your responses in a separate document to save your text in case of disruption.
- Have your bio, statement, and artwork media files ready for upload before you begin.
