Exhibition FAQs

 Who reviews the applications?

We assemble a panel of Comfort Station staff and volunteers – our gallery manager, executive director, artistic director and others – as well as artists who have recently shown in the space and other artists/curators in the Chicago community. We will update the Open Call page with a list of reviewers when they are confirmed!

How does the panel choose the final selection of artists offered an exhibition next year?

Each panelist reviews all the submissions we receive and determines a score for each application. Based on this scoring, we create a pool of finalists from which the panel selects final artists, assessing the strength of the work and how well it would work with the context of our building. Through our selection process, we aim to create an exhibition season that reflects a diverse range of practices. Comfort Station operates with core values of diversity, equity, and inclusion, therefore we are committed to providing a platform for BIPOC artists, women, LGBTQ+, trans/gender non-conforming, and disabled artists, and our final selections aim to reflect this as well.

Do I need to submit images of the exact works I plan on showing? 

You don’t have to, but you can if you like. In many cases, it’s sufficient to simply upload images that are reflective of your practice and the kind of work you would be interested in displaying. If your work is more sculptural or oriented toward installation or (especially) site-specific practices, it’s best to give us a bit more specificity in terms of what you want to show.

Do I need to submit a specific proposal for a site specific project that is responsive to Comfort Station’s context and architecture?

Over the years we have received a number of thoughtful proposals that are site-specific to our building and based on particular features of our architecture and social context. We often integrate a proposal of this kind in each year’s exhibition season if the work is strong, but we don’t discount applicants for not being site-specific. 

Are there any types of work/materials that you don’t show?

We’re a bit cautious about work that is especially fragile due to the small space and active programming. We also operate a very public building with a range of free programs for all ages, so we don’t always have the latitude to show work with a lot of explicit content.

Can I install works in the middle of the space if accepted?

Short answer, no. But we have done shows with sculptural works installed along the perimeter of the interior space that were moved into the center of the room by the artist for all gallery hours, and that would be doable. 

Can I propose a video show?

We have hosted many exhibitions with video elements, but ones that are exclusively video projections tend to not work well because we want the audiences at our events (concerts, film screenings, workshops, lectures) to be able to encounter each month’s exhibition while they’re in the space. We also rely on the artist to supply any specific tech and equipment needs as well as coordinate the AV aspects of the video work. The program is volunteer-run and we have limited capacity to work out any technical kinks.

Can I propose performance based work?

If you are proposing an exhibition that stands on its own and has a performative element to activate it, yes! If it’s a single performance or set of performances that doesn’t have a stand-alone exhibition element occupying the space before and after performances, no. 

We’re otherwise always interested in taking on unique performance work when we can, whether in the context of our annual Force and Motion program or through one-off performances on our lawn, etc. So feel free to submit proposals like that here. 

Your website says Chicago artists only. How strict is that?

The wider Chicagoland area is fine. If you are based outside of that range physically, but still maintain an active professional or academic presence in Chicago for one reason or another, that’s fine. We don’t have the staff, budget or resources to ship work or install work on behalf of the artist. So if you are in the area or have plans to relocate here imminently and can commit to being fully present for the install and de-install, go for it! If you live on the west coast, have no connection to Chicago, and are thinking “well, if I get accepted I’ll just figure it out and ship my works there and find a friend of a friend to handle everything, or maybe I’ll fly out if the timing is right, or maybe they’ll make an exception”, please don’t apply!

Can apply for a show in the lawn area?

Not through this application. The public lawn area, featuring our SCAFFOLD project, is new territory for us. There’s no formal application process for it, and our plans for 2024 are currently in flux. That being said, if you’re interested in proposing something that is responsive to the SCAFFOLD structure, please feel free to email our artistic director, Katie Rauth, at katie@comfortstationlogansquare.org.

If selected to exhibit, what can I expect?

Our program is run by a small team of committed artists, creatives and community organizers who routinely donate their time and talents to Comfort Station. Due to this nature, we are limited to the capacity of our team. The production of each exhibition is greatly defined and impacted by the quality and quantity of work the artist chooses to invest.