Glamour is Resistance

Glamour is Resistance is a National Juried Exhibition hosted by Artspace, a non-profit organization supporting artists from all backgrounds. The exhibition will be held at Artspace Gallery, located at 2833-A Hathaway Rd., Richmond, VA 23225, from May 23 – July 19, 2025.

Drawing its title from artist Justin Vivian Bond's powerful words, this exhibition explores how queer artists reclaim and redefine glamour as a form of resistance. The show seeks to bring together diverse queer artists who challenge societal norms, redefine beauty, and assert their presence in a world that often seeks to silence them. In a time where LGBTQ+ voices continue to fight for visibility, equity, and protection, this exhibition engages with glamour as both an aesthetic and a defiant political act—whether addressing the ongoing struggle for rights, celebrating queer culture, or presenting bold declarations of self-expression.

Juror Michael-Birch Pierce is a fiber artist, fashion designer, and curator with a B.F.A. in fashion design from VCU and an M.F.A. in fibers from the Savannah College of Art and Design. Pierce is an Assistant Professor of Fashion Design and Merchandising at VCU and co-Chair of the Iridian Gallery at Diversity Richmond, the first non-profit LGBTQ art gallery in the South.

Eligibility: Open to artists 18 years and above. Submissions accepted in all genres, 2D and 3D. Artwork creation date must be 2021 or later. Entry fee: $35 (non-refundable). Submit 1-3 images through CaFÉ. Submission deadline: April 4, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. MDT. Estimated notification of acceptance: April 18, 2025. Accepted work must be received May 14-17, 2025 (gallery hours: noon to 4pm). Installation: May 19-22. Opening reception and awards presentation: May 23, 6:00-8:00pm with juror talk at 7:00pm. Work pickup: July 19, 4:00-6:00pm or July 20, noon-2:00pm. Shipped work must be returned by August 1.

Prizes: 1st Place $300, 2nd Place $200, 3rd Place $100, plus up to three honorable mentions at the juror's discretion. Artwork size must fit through gallery door (33 inches width by 82 3/4 inches height with 88-inch diagonal). Gallery wall height is 96 inches. For video entries, artists must provide display equipment if selected. Contact: [email protected] or 804.232.6464.