The Cato Institute has long been dedicated to spreading the ideas of freedom through books, studies, policy analysis, and research. Starting next spring, the Institute will launch a new way to explore the message of liberty. Freedom: Art as the Messenger will be Cato’s first-ever art exhibit, as we open our doors to the general public and invite artists across all media to submit works for display at the Cato Institute’s beautiful building on Massachusetts Avenue in Washington, D.C.Born of discussions with Harriet Lesser — an international exhibition artist, Strathmore curator, and longtime friend of Cato’s – Freedom: Art as the Messenger will be a juried art exhibit on display from April 11 to June 14 of next year. Entries in all media are being accepted with a submission deadline of January 11.
The exhibit’s Call to Entry succinctly explains the purpose of this project: “We are living in an era where people are finding their combative voice but having little conversation or dialogue. The goal of this exhibition is to provide a medium for that conversation. This exhibition invites all investigative points of view in all media; 2‑D, 3‑D, audio, and video. A full spectrum of interpretation is invited — whether personal, emotional, general, realistic or imagined, communal, or individual — addressing Freedom in all its manifestations through art.”
Submissions will be considered through a blind jury process and will be juried on aesthetic value, mastery of craft, and relevance to the exhibition theme. Cash prizes will be awarded for Best in Show, Second Place, and Third Place at the opening reception. Honorable mentions will also be recognized.
For further details and instructions on how to submit works for consideration, see cato.org/freedom-art-as-the-messenger.