1708 Gallery invites regional, national, and international artists working in all media and disciplines to submit entries for InLight 2021. InLight is 1708’s annual public exhibition of contemporary art. InLight takes place at night and each year is in a different location in Richmond. InLight features multimedia, sculpture, installation, performance, community-based works, and virtual projects that utilize light-based platforms (projections, lighting design, and more) to be experienced in the dark. Past sites include Chimborazo Park, the streets, facades and alleyways of the downtown Arts District, and the sculpture garden and grounds of the VMFA.
InLight 2021 will occur November 12th and 13th at Great Shiplock Park, Chapel Island, and nearby sites on the Low Line in Richmond. Great Shiplock Park is located at a former shiplock constructed as part of the James River and Kanawha Canal system. Artists are invited to propose projects that engage with and expand upon the multiple themes and histories that can be found at these sites such as: trade and labor of then-enslaved peoples of African and Indigenous descent during and following the industrial revolution; the environmental impact—especially concerning water resources—of commerce and infrastructure; and the cultivation of spaces for alternative forms of historical preservation.
The curatorial team for InLight 2021 is especially interested in proposals that address ideas around movement in air, land, and water; flows of resources; and the redistribution of power within these systems. The team is likewise interested in future-thinking projects that reflect but are not bound by the histories surrounding Great Shiplock Park to imagine the site’s specificity and potential beyond its past and present.
Artists, Collectives, and Community Organizations are encouraged to apply.
Please note, 1708 will host two virtual meetings via Zoom to provide an opportunity for potential applicants to ask direct questions about the application and selection process for InLight 2021. The meetings will be Tuesday, June 22nd at 6:00 pm and Wednesday, June 23rd at 6:00 pm. Please register in advance to attend. For more information please contact info@1708gallery.org.

PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE TO APPLY