The Incluseum has been expanding lately; partnering with new regular blog contributors, as well as participating in public art projects and guest editing a journal focused on social issues and museums.  We have had aspirations to expand the function of the Incluseum blog into a project that includes more real-time programming. We thought long and hard about what that programming could be and talked to many people about what they thought it could be. We concluded that it is timely to experiment with a core museum/gallery function; the exhibit. Because the Incluseum is currently based online, social media and online tools are our starting point to connect our exhibit work broadly (even globally) while our focus is engaging local communities, artists and makers to submit to and shape what the exhibit will become. Incluseum collaborators, Jana Greenslit and Sarah Taggart, suggested an inaugural exhibit theme that resonated with all of us, The Power of Labeling.

So what is The Power of Labeling?

We are soliciting entries in all mediums from artists and art makers that connect in some way to this theme.  Museums are known for labeling.  How does that impact our experience of objects and art?  What happens when we label people? How have people labeled you and how do you label yourself?

In preparation, we have researched online exhibits and social media platforms and discussed at length the layers of engagement and access we want to pursue. We decided it was crucial to form an advisory group to guide our work as we embark on these exhibits. Without an advisory group to participate in curating exhibit submissions, bring their recommendations for inclusion to the table, and guide how the Incluseum develops as a “thing”, the quality of our work and its inclusiveness will be limited.

…Therefore, through this project, we aim to use our platform to provide access to artwork and artists of all backgrounds all the while experimenting with inclusive strategies, digital exhibition practices, and social media leveraging.

So how can you get involved? …there are many ways!

Submit art for inclusion in the exhibit.

We are accepting artwork from artists of all backgrounds, mediums, and artistic traditions. Find our Call for Art on our Exhibits Page as well as an online form where you can submit a digital copy of your work.  The deadline to submit is May 9.*

How can I participate beyond submitting artwork?

If you are a local (Greater Seattle Area, WA) organization serving artists or people making art and you would like to insure that those artists have a clear path to submitting their work, please contact us at incluseum@gmail.com.  We are open to scheduling visits to classes, in-person submission sessions or meetings with groups interested in learning more about submitting or offering input on the exhibit.

If you are interested in how you can support or engage with the exhibit process or spread the word, you can follow us on Twitter (@incluseum), Instagram (@theincluseum), and Facebook to ask questions, make comments or just be part of the conversation.  Our hashtags will be  #incluseumexhibit and #thepoweroflabeling.  We will use our Instagram account to post photos of the process of making the exhibit happen; a look behind the scenes of The Power of Labeling.  

Where will the exhibit be?

After the deadline, when all the artwork has been received, it will be curated by our community advisory committee and installed as a digital exhibition on Tumblr (the “Reblog” function will be removed to maintain the exhibition’s and the artworks’ integrity). Tumblr will act as our gallery where art is installed. The Incluseum blog will link to this Tumblr page and host additional exhibit information, reflections and discussions.

*We will be in touch with the artists throughout the process: we will confirm that we’ve received your submission and update you in advance of the exhibition opening.

For any questions contact us at incluseum@gmail.com.