The CALL for SUBMISSIONS is NOW CLOSED.

Submission Deadline:  March 31, 2025

Intersecting Minds: The NeuroHumanities & Consciousness Collective is excited to announce our inaugural Art Neureau Virtual Exhibition. We invite interdisciplinary creators (artists, scientists, writers, students, teams) to submit work for an online exhibition that will explore the theme “Sensing the Unseen.”

We look forward to the creative ways contributors will interpret this theme to make visible the invisible dimensions of human life—cognitive, emotional, social, relational, metaphysical, technological, ecological (and on!)—through the intersection of art and neuroscience.

This is a call for submissions across a variety of formats, including but not limited to:

Visual Art	Photography, painting, sculpture, drawing, digital art, mixed media, ceramics, textile arts, glass arts, etc.
Writing	Poetry
Multimedia	Video art, sound art, interactive media, and experimental digital works, etc.
Performance Art	Recorded performances (dance, theater, spoken word, etc.)
Collaborative Projects	Interactive or collaborative workshops, webinars, or IM member-based projects (you design and propose to lead) that will engage our IM community in exploring the theme.

NOTE: Contributors may submit up to 2 works per category with a maximum of 6 works total. Each submission should be distinct and adhere to the theme Sensing the Unseen.

How to Submit

Please send your submission(s) by March 31st, 2025 via email to neurohumanism@gmail.com with the subject line:  “Sensing the Unseen Submission – [Your Name]”. 

Include the following in your submission:

• Title of your work
• Artist/creator bio (150 words) [include multiple bios if contributing a group submission]
• A brief artist statement/collaborative artist statement (150-250 words) explaining how your work engages with the theme.
• High-quality images or files (for visual art and media-based submissions, in the accepted file formats mentioned above), saved using the following naming conventions:

LastName_FirstName_TitleOfWork.MediaType

Example:  Dothbert_Millicent_SynapticSilence.jpeg

• Links to performance or multimedia works (if applicable).

Accepted File Formats:

Visual Art	JPEG	PNG	GIF
Writing	PDF	Word
Video/Multimedia/Performance	MP4	MOV	Link to an online platform (e.g., YouTube, Vimeo)
Sound Art	MP3	WAV	Link to an online platform (e.g., SoundCloud)

Selection and Exhibition

Submissions will be reviewed by members of the NeuroHumanities Collective and invited interdisciplinary jurors with expertise in the different areas of art. Selected works will be featured in a virtual exhibition on our website, launching July 2025. 

Artistic Distinction and Opportunities

Artists whose works are selected by the jury will have their work featured in our curated exhibition and opportunities for special recognition within different categories (TBD). They may also have opportunities for increased visibility through future engagement with our collective including interviews, invited artist talks, newsletter spotlights, and other collaborative projects.

Selection Criteria

Submissions will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Relevance to and engagement with the theme
• Creativity and innovation 
• Artistic and technical quality
• Accessibility (see below)

Originality

All submitted works must be original and created by the artist(s) for the purpose of this event. All submissions must be free of copyright infringement and must  not have been entered into other contests. The requirements will protect both the artist and the Art Neureau exhibition from legal complications.

We welcome innovative use of various tools and techniques, including AI (works for which the artist has used AI as one generating component or element of the work), but please note that submissions must demonstrate the artist’s original, human, creative input. If you use AI-generated elements in your work, clearly state how you use it in your artist statement.

All works must engage with the theme of Sensing the Unseen in a meaningful and creative way. Submissions that deviate from the theme will not be considered.

Rights and Use of Artworks

We respect the intellectual property rights of all artists who participate in Sensing the Unseen. Please review the following information regarding the ownership and use of submitted artworks:

Ownership: Artists will retain full ownership of their submitted works. However, by submitting to the competition, artists grant the Intersecting Minds NeuroHumanities & Consciousness Collective the right to display their works during the exhibition and on associated platforms (e.g., website, social media) for promotional purposes.

Use: Selected works may be featured in future exhibitions, digital publications, or newsletters. Should the IM collective wish to use the work for any other purposes (such as merchandise or further collaboration), artists will be contacted directly for additional permissions.

Accessibility Statement for the Art Neureau Virtual Exhibition

We are committed to creating an inclusive and accessible virtual exhibition experience for all participants and viewers. Accessibility is central to our mission, in this case, of making the unseen seen—not only through creative and intellectual work, but also by ensuring that our exhibition is open and engaging for everyone. 

We ask contributors to consider how their submissions can be made accessible to a wide audience, including persons who rely on assistive technologies or face barriers to traditional modes of interaction. Below are some ideas for how you can make your work more accessible.

For visual art and image-based work:

• Provide clear, descriptive alternative text (alt text) for any images submitted. Alt text helps screen readers convey the content and meaning of visual elements to blind and visually impaired users. Consult WebAIM for tips on how to write effective alternative text.

For video and multimedia submissions:

• Include closed captions for any spoken content in video submissions. Captions are essential for viewers who are deaf or hard of hearing and can also benefit viewers watching without sound.
• Provide transcripts for any audio-based works, such as sound art or podcasts. The transcript should accurately reflect all spoken content and describe significant non-verbal sounds or music.
• For video art or performances that rely heavily on visual elements, consider providing audio descriptions—a spoken narration of important visual details for blind or low-vision viewers.

Poetry Submissions

• Consider the readability of your writing. Using plain language can help make your work more accessible to individuals with cognitive disabilities or those who are not native speakers of your language.
• Document Formatting: Submit text-based works in accessible formats, such as Word or accessible PDFs, which can be easily navigated by screen readers. Avoid overly complex layouts that might confuse assistive technologies.

Interactive and Digital Works

• For interactive digital pieces (such as web-based art or VR), make sure that they are navigable using only a keyboard. Many users with physical disabilities rely on keyboard navigation instead of a mouse.
• If creating interactive or web-based works, test the user interface with common assistive technologies, such as screen readers and voice commands, to verify compatibility.

Consideration of Cognitive Accessibility

• For interactive or multimedia works, make navigation intuitive and simple. Use clear instructions and labels to guide viewers through your work, to make sure that there are no cognitive barriers to understanding and engaging with the art.
• If your submission involves multiple layers of sensory input (e.g., video with sound and text), consider giving the viewer control over how and when they engage with different aspects of the work so they can avoid sensory overload. 

Following these accessibility guidelines will make it possible for your work to be experienced by a broader audience and will contribute to an inclusive creative endeavor that respects the different ways people engage with and experience the world. 

Inquiries

If you have any questions about the submission process, technical or accessibility considerations, or need further guidance, don’t hesitate to contact us at neurohumanism@gmail.com

---