Submission Deadline: 11:59pm EST, May 1, 2026

Exhibition on view: June 5 - August 2, 2026

Notifications by EOD Tuesday May 12th, 2026

Location: Culture Lab LIC, 5-25 46th Ave, Queens, NY 11101 

 

Delivery of Art: On weekends of May 21th and May 28th during gallery hours: Saturday & Sunday, 2-9pm. All work must be hand delivered to the gallery. We cannot accept shipped works. 

About

Queens: The Art of Drag & NYC celebrates drag as one of the most dynamic, political, and imaginative art forms of our time. Through photography, portraiture, costume, video, installation, and performance ephemera, this exhibition spotlights the craft, discipline, and creative labor behind transformation.

Rooted in a lineage that is deeply intertwined with New York City’s cultural history, the exhibition honors drag’s evolution across decades of queer nightlife, ballroom houses, cabaret stages, underground clubs, and activist movements. From Harlem’s pioneering drag balls of the early 20th century, to the queer liberation spearheaded in Greenwich Village, to the legendary clubs of the East Village and Brooklyn that continue to shape global drag aesthetics, New York has long been a crucible for drag innovation. Its artists, houses, and communities have defined styles, sparked revolutions, and demonstrated the power of drag as both resistance and reinvention.

Featuring artists and performers whose work pushes the boundaries of gender expression, beauty, and identity, Queens: The Art of Drag & NYC  invites audiences to consider drag not only as entertainment, but as a deeply intentional practice of storytelling, self-making, and community-building. At a moment when drag is both increasingly visible and increasingly legislated against, the exhibition asserts drag’s rightful place in contemporary art—and celebrates New York City’s essential role in cultivating its brilliance, resilience, and radical imagination.

Seeking 

Photography - shows, performers photoshoots.

Painting - portatist, scenes, etc. 

Performance ephemera- Clothes to be displayed as art possibly suspended from the ceiling, etc. Amazing shoes on pedestals.

Video art / documentary

All mediums accepted.

Culture Lab LIC does not take a commission on any art sold. As such, artists should price art to reflect no gallery commission. 

Statement regarding the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): Entries must be the product of original human authorship. Submissions that are found to be generated by, or to contain imagery derived significantly from, Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology are not eligible and will be disqualified. By submitting to this open call, the artist attests that the artwork is entirely their own original work, does not infringe upon any copyright, and is not created using Artificial Intelligence tools. 

Questions? Contact us at info@culturelablic.org  

To learn more about Culture Lab LIC, visit www.culturelablic.org, @culturelablic  

Culture Lab LIC is a 501(c)(3) formed to be the arts and culture umbrella for Western Queens. We present art of all genres while supporting New York artists and other nonprofits by providing space, resources and a sense of community. Operating out of a 12,000 square foot converted warehouse, Culture Lab LIC hosts two fine art galleries, an 80 seat theater, classroom space, an 18,000 square foot outdoor venue, and a robust residency program. Culture Lab LIC is dedicated to upholding, equity, diversity and inclusion across all our platforms.

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Upload one image of Artwork #5

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- If all else fails, you might try taking screenshots of the images and submit the screenshots.

Note: This submission form can be saved as a draft and returned to later. (See Below.) The "Save and Continue Later" button is visible up until the time you click the "Submit" button.

(For security reasons, we cannot accept images sent as attachments to our email account. We ask that all files be submitted via the Jotform submission form.)

Link to Video #1 (for submission of video art)

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Link to Video #2 (for submission of video art)

Youtube, Vimeo or other. (Videos must be public or unlisted. No private videos please.)