LFA 2026

Description

Produced by OH Art Foundation
3rd Annual Latinx Heritage Festival for the Arts

CARTOGRAPHIES OF BELONGING
Mapping Roots, Identity, and Healing
Guest Curated by Sergio GomezLocation: OH Art Foundation, 2nd floor gallery of Zhou B Art Center, 1029 W. 35th St., Chicago, IL 60609Exhibition Dates:  Sep 18th 2026 – October 18, 2026Apply by July 31stOpening Reception: Friday Sep 18th, 2026, 7pm-10pm
CONCEPT
Cartographies of Belonging: Mapping Roots, Identity, and Healing explores the personal and collective landscapes that shape who we are. Through memory, migration, family histories, cultural inheritance, and lived experience, artists create visual maps that reveal the complex pathways of identity and belonging.
For many individuals, identity is not defined by a single place, culture, or experience. Rather, it is shaped by intersections—between countries, languages, generations, traditions, and personal journeys. These layered experiences create rich narratives of resilience, adaptation, and transformation.
Presented during Hispanic Heritage Month as part of the Latino Festival of the Arts, the exhibition centers perspectives rooted in Latino and Hispanic experiences while welcoming broader explorations of ancestry, migration, memory, identity, and belonging. Participating artists are invited to examine the visible and invisible territories they carry within them—whether rooted in family history, cultural heritage, bicultural experiences, community, emotional resilience, or personal healing.
Through diverse artistic approaches, the exhibition seeks to illuminate the ways we navigate the spaces between where we come from, where we are, and who we are becoming.
CALL FOR ARTISTS
The Oh Art Foundation invites artists to submit work for Cartographies of Belonging: Mapping Roots, Identity, and Healing, a curated group exhibition presented during Hispanic Heritage Month as part of the Latino Festival of the Arts at the Zhou B Art Center in Chicago.
We seek artwork that explores themes of identity, ancestry, migration, cultural heritage, bicultural experiences, memory, family narratives, emotional resilience, healing, and the search for belonging. Artists are encouraged to reflect on the personal and collective landscapes that have shaped their lives and creative practice.
The exhibition welcomes diverse interpretations of the theme. Works may address physical journeys across places and borders, emotional journeys of growth and self-discovery, connections to family and community, cultural traditions, or the process of healing through creative expression.
Artists working in all visual media are encouraged to apply, including painting, sculpture, photography, mixed media, printmaking, textile art, installation, and digital media.
Presented during Hispanic Heritage Month, the exhibition centers perspectives rooted in Latino and Hispanic experiences while remaining open to artists whose work resonates with the broader themes of identity, belonging, memory, and transformation.
Selected works will be exhibited at the Zhou B Art Center and featured as part of the Latino Festival of the Arts, celebrating the richness of cultural identity and the transformative power of art.
ABOUT THE CURATOR
Sergio Gomez is an artist, curator, entrepreneur, and arts advocate whose work has focused on fostering meaningful connections between artists, collectors, and communities. Originally based in Chicago and now working from the Miami area, Gomez has spent more than two decades supporting contemporary artists through exhibitions, educational programs, and professional development initiatives.
He is the founder of 33 Contemporary Gallery and co-founder of Art NXT Level, an international artist advisory program dedicated to helping artists build sustainable and fulfilling creative careers. Throughout his career, Gomez has curated numerous exhibitions featuring emerging and established artists from around the world, creating opportunities for dialogue, cultural exchange, and artistic discovery.
His curatorial practice explores themes of identity, personal narrative, cultural heritage, transformation, and the human experience. Through thoughtfully developed exhibitions, Gomez seeks to create spaces where art becomes a catalyst for reflection, connection, and conversation.
For Cartographies of Belonging: Mapping Roots, Identity, and Healing, Gomez brings together artists whose work examines the emotional, cultural, and personal landscapes that shape our understanding of home, identity, resilience, and belonging.
Eligibility & Guidelines:

Open to artists 18 years or older
Must reside in the United States (Midwest-based artists especially encouraged)
All 2D visual media will be considered (painting, sculpture, photography, mixed media, digital, etc.)3D and time-based media may be included as exceptions due to limited installation support and space capacity.
Fee: $30.00 one-time applicant fee with up to 3 artwork submissions. 
For those submitting artwork that need financial assistance, you may contact us at OH Art Foundation info@ohartfoundation.org
Artwork Requirements:
Submissions may include, but are not limited to: paintings, drawings, photography, digital, and mixed media on the wall. Works should be thought-provoking, emotionally resonant, and relevant to the themes of the exhibit. All submitted works should be original, and artists may submit up to 3 pieces for consideration. No sculptures or installations.
Artwork Size Restrictions: Larger works are encouraged. All work must be no larger than 12 ft width x 10 ft height including frame and ready for wall hanging.
Shipping: Artists will be responsible for shipping and delivery to and from the gallery.
Art Sales: There is a 50% commission on all gallery sales
Participation Rules: By submitting your art to us, you grant Oh Art Foundation and Zhou B Art Center permission to publish your work in print, online, and on social media for exhibition and marketing purposes. All artwork will be attributed to the artist. By participating, you certify that you are the rightful owner of the art and that it does not infringe on any copyright violations.

About OH Art Foundation:
OH Art Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization found in 2013, currently housed in Zhou B Art Center in the Bridgeport neighborhood in Chicago, IL. The mission of the OH Art Foundation is to strengthen Chicago communities by offering accessible art education, exhibitions & events, and programs that promote understanding of diverse cultures through art.
We believe in the power of art to bring people together, creating spaces for dialogue and understanding. By providing a platform for diverse voices and perspectives, we aim to foster a more inclusive and equitable society.
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Join OH Art Foundation: https://www.ohartfoundation.org/join-us
About Zhou B Art Center:
Founded in 2004 by the internationally acclaimed Zhou Brothers, Zhou B Art Center was created as a site of exchange between local artists and the global art community while promoting the contemporary convergence of Eastern and Western visuality in the United States. Located in Chicago’s historic Bridgeport neighborhood, the Zhou B Art Center’s mission is to engage cultural dialogue through contemporary art exhibitions and programming with an international scope.The Zhou B Art Center provides galleries, studio spaces, and a collaborative environment to a thriving community of talented artists and curators. The purpose of the Zhou B Art Center is to nurture the creativity and growth of its nearly 50 resident artists while providing groundbreaking exhibitions open to the public. On the Third Friday of each month, the center hosts a free exhibition and open studio event where locals can explore the main galleries as well as resident artists’ studios. This event is the perfect opportunity for Chicagoans and tourists alike to support the numerous artists involved with the Zhou B Art Center.
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