IMLBB Art Showcase 2026

The inaugural IMLBB Art Showcase presented by International Mr. Leather in conjunction with the Leather Archives and Museum will be held May 21-24, 2026, in Chicago, IL. The exhibition will be held in-person at the Congress Plaza Hotel in a dedicated exhibition space during the International Mister Leather / International Mister Bootblack competition week. The exhibition will be open to IML's 16,000+ attendees as well as the general public. This is a selling exhibition with cash prizes awarded by the jury.

The 2026 theme is "Defiant/Restraint." The exhibition seeks work representing the leather, kink, fetish, and BDSM community that celebrates and advocates for sustained queer space. Work may be in response to, derived from, or inspired by the community. The exhibition welcomes diverse interpretations exploring dichotomy, coding inherent to gear and kink culture, constructed performance and identity, and abstract sensorial experiences of fetish and kink. Accepted media include painting, drawing, printmaking, photography, mixed media, and sculpture/3D work. Video, sound-based work, non-free-standing 3D work, and live/performance art cannot be displayed. Sexually explicit work is included in this exhibition; however, imagery of minors, self-harm, violence towards others, and artworks depicting non-consensual acts will not be accepted. Accepted artwork will be exhibited alongside historic work and objects from the Leather Archives and Museum collection.

Entry deadline: March 29, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. EDT. Entry fee: $30 (non-refundable). Media fee for additional work submission: $5 (non-refundable). Submit 1-3 images. Eligibility is international. All applications are reviewed through CaFÉ and notification is emailed to applicants. Once submitted, all application fees are non-refundable and non-transferable. Artists of accepted work agree to the use of images of their artwork in promoting the Art Showcase, including use on social media. Work must arrive ready to install. 2D work must not exceed 32 inches in height or width, 6 inches in depth, and 30 lbs in weight. 3D work must not exceed 36 inches in height and 18 inches in width or depth. Jury awards: First Prize $500, Second Prize $350, Third Prize $250, Audience Choice Award $250 (voted on by attendees during the exhibition), and Directors' Prize (opportunity to collaborate with IML Board to develop artwork for a limited edition poster with proceeds shared with the artist).