priority: international juried exhibition

Charles Adams Gallery invites artists worldwide to submit flat, unframed, two-dimensional artwork for Priority: International Juried Exhibition, juried by Leslie Moody Castro. This open-themed exhibition embraces the full range of 2D practices—across media, scale, and intent—while emphasizing immediacy, material presence, and global exchange.

In a time of increased nationalism, political division, and narrowing borders, Priority affirms the importance of maintaining international artistic partnerships. Whether artworks travel thousands of miles or come from just down the street, each submission represents an act of connection and dialogue. By welcoming works through the mail, this exhibition honors the democratic nature of sending and receiving art: individual pieces converging into a broader global conversation. Packaging elements and postal ephemera may be preserved and integrated into the installation as part of the visual and conceptual narrative.

Open to artists worldwide, Priority invites submissions of unframed, original flat 2D works in any medium, including but not limited to drawing, painting, printmaking, photography, collage, and mixed media. Eligible work must measure between 2" x 3" (A8) and 18" x 24" (B2) and we encourage you to use any materials in the creation, from paper to plexiglass. Envelopes and other packaging may be incorporated into the final presentation.

The exhibition opens on October 3, 2025, in conjunction with First Friday Art Trail, a monthly event that brings thousands of visitors to downtown Lubbock for a night of art, music, and community. Founded in 1982, Charles Adams Gallery is a cornerstone of the Texas contemporary art scene and a leading venue for contemporary art in the region and beyond.

Artwork Requirements

• Dimensions must fall between 2" x 3" (A8) and 18" x 24" (B2).
• Both traditional works and mail-art formats (e.g., postcards, envelope-based works) are welcome.
• Works must arrive “exhibition-ready,” and artists must either
• a) include installation hardware,
• b) clearly note their preferred installation method, or
• c) accept that Charles Adams Gallery may install using clips, magnets, putty, or other non-damaging methods.
• Packaging materials such as envelopes may be included as part of the installation, at the gallery’s discretion.
• Artworks must be unframed.
• Must have been completed within the last five years.