Attention all you artsy and creative folk: it’s time to hunker down and get to work! Whether this time of year (i.e. months of cruddy weather lacking in summer-y, sunny distractions) provides the ideal conditions for focusing on creating, or you’re feeling dull and in need of some extra motivation/inspiration, consult our short list of local calls for submission currently open below:

SAD Mag | Heads up forward-thinking writers: The window to submit your story pitch, poetry and/or prose to the Vancouver independent arts & culture print/online publication is closing soon! The theme of SAD Mag’s 36th issue is ‘Texture’. In their words: “writing that informs and surprises us. We are after your touchy, grainy and structure-defining stories, articles, and analysis. We welcome creative interpretations of this concept.” More information and online application forms can be found at here.  DEADLINE: January 21st. DETAILS 

Massy Arts | Massy Arts Society is putting out feelers for Indigenous visual/media artists working in mediums running the gamut – from painting, drawing, sculpture, installation and photography, to media, collage, visual poetry and textiles – to be included in their 2024/25 (April 2024 – January 2025) programming schedule. More information, including how to submit your exhibition proposal, can be found here.  DEADLINE: January 31st at 11pm. DETAILS 

THIS Gallery | The Chinatown gallery recently publicized the details of their new public group exhibition, SixBySix, slated for March 2024. So what’s the deal with the title? The show will feature “40-60 6×6″ panels exhibited at the same height around the circumference of the gallery. There is no other theme, however, the curator will give preference to work that is innovative, thoughtful and well-executed.” Submission guidelines and a online application form can be found here.  *Also of note: This exhibition is geared towards making art-buying more accessible by pricing all included artworks at $300 (with a 50:50 commission rate for the artists). DEADLINE: February 16th at Midnight. DETAILS 

Gallery Gachet | The community-focussed DTES gallery continues their creative crusade with a new multimedia/multidisciplinary exhibit called Gifts of Madness, featuring artists (2D, 3D and performance artists alike) working within the ‘mad arts/disability arts movement’. “Gifts of Madness” transcends the boundaries of a traditional art exhibition; it is a celebration of Mad Pride, a movement that fearlessly embraces the challenges of mental health. Curated by the renowned Kagan Goh, the exhibition endeavors to illuminate the multifaceted nature of the mental health experience, navigating the spectrum from negative to positive and exploring all shades in between.⁠…The exhibition promises to illuminate the personal stories of these mad artists, exploring their journeys from victims to survivors and, ultimately, to activists.⁠” Head over here to get the full rundown and to apply. DEADLINE: February 15th at 11:59pm. DETAILS