2026 Kimberley Arts Festival - Call for Artists
METAMORPHOSIS: A Curatorial Challenge
Call for Artists
Kimberley Arts Council - Centre 64 invites artists to participate in Metamorphosis, a juried exhibition celebrating the creation of new contemporary artwork for the Kimberley Arts Festival.
Rather than responding to a single theme, participating artists will receive a curatorial challenge letter inspired by the concept of Metamorphosis. Each prompt offers unique points of departure for artistic exploration, encouraging diverse interpretations of transformation, change, adaptation, emergence, and renewal.
Artists are invited to create original work in response to their selected curatorial challenge letter.
The Challenge
- CHALLENGE: Create a new work of fine art in response to a Curatorial Challenge containing a word relating to the theme, its definition, etymology, a related quote, and a question. The word, definition, etymology, quotation, and question are intended as points of departure—they are not meant to be illustrated literally, nor are they intended to limit interpretation. Consider them an invitation into a conversation. Please drop by the centre during open hours or email admin@kimberleyarts.com to receive your challenge letter.
- Work must be conceived and created between July 28 and September 4, 2026. Artists may create and submit multiple works completed during this period; however, as Metamorphosis is a curatorial exhibition, submission does not guarantee inclusion. The curatorial team will make final selections based on artistic merit, originality, conceptual engagement, and the overall vision of the exhibition.
- Completed works can be dropped off between September 8 and 12 at Centre 64. Include an artist statement (max 250 words) which identifies your word, which aspect of the letter you chose to focus on and why, and how the work responds to the theme.
- Metamorphosis: The Curatorial Challenge Exhibition will take place September 16 - October 10. The exhibition opening reception will be Wednesday, September 23 as part of the Kimberley Arts Festival.
Submission
Artists may submit as many works as they wish that have been created during the challenge period.
As Metamorphosis is a curatorial exhibition, submission does not guarantee inclusion in the final exhibition. The Kimberley Arts Festival curatorial team will select works based on artistic merit, originality, conceptual engagement with the curatorial challenge package, and the overall vision and cohesion of the exhibition.
Artist Statement
Each submission must include a brief artist statement (maximum 250 words) describing:
- the curatorial prompt;
- the concept behind the work; and
- how the work responds to the idea of metamorphosis.
Exhibition Philosophy
Metamorphosis is more than change.
It is the process through which something becomes fundamentally different.
This exhibition celebrates artists willing to take creative risks, explore new ideas, and create work that did not exist before this moment. Through a series of shared curatorial challenge packages, Metamorphosis invites artists to consider transformation not as a destination, but as an ongoing creative process.
We look forward to discovering where this curatorial challenge leads you.
