Call for Expression

The Gender and Sexuality Advocacy and Education Program* and New Horizons, the arts education and cultural enrichment program at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, DC invite youth, ages 3 – 19, to submit work for an upcoming exhibition and book on the art of youth who feel special about their gender. The work should express life as a person who expresses his or her gender differently from cultural norms; how life looks, feels, tastes, and sounds. You must return the attached release form with your submission.

Visual Arts: All kinds of materials can be used to create your art including pen, ink, crayons, paints, markers, paper, fabric, comic strips, collage, graphic design, computer generated images, photography, video recordings, etc. No sculpture at this time, but please send us a photo if you do sculpt for future reference. Please limit the size of the work to no larger than 20 inches x 20 inches. Professional experience/training not required.

Unfortunately, our exhibition space is limited in size so all work will not hang in the first exhibition; we will hold work for future shows. Though we don’t want to limit your thoughts, work not appropriate for child viewing will not be considered for the Hospital exhibit due to the nature of this organization. However, we still encourage you to create and submit any type of work as we will seek other venues for future exhibitions. Please note -- we will not be able to return your work.

How to ship your artwork:

Use a “mirror box” or flat box available at most shipping-supply stores.
Pad the box with sturdy corrugated cardboard, foam core, or bubble wrap.
Place the artwork on top of the layer of padding.
Create another layer of padding on top of the artwork.
Include your release form.
Secure the box with tape and address to:

Tina Lassiter
Children’s National Medical Center
111 Michigan Ave, NW
New Horizons Office, Suite 2801
Washington, DC, 20010

DEADLINE FOR ART SUBMISSIONS: Friday, April 25, 2008

Writers: Go for it! Short stories no longer than five word-processing pages, narratives, editorials, commentaries, satire, poems, spoken word pieces (audio recordings), comic strip, blog entries are all acceptable. We will not edit content…we’re looking for honesty. Please email your work to newhorizons@cnmc.org and snail-mail a hard copy of your work along with your release form to Tina Lassiter at the address listed above.

DEADLINE FOR WRITTEN SUBMISSIONS: January 1, 2009

(*) The Gender and Sexuality Advocacy and Education Program (formerly know as the Outreach Program for Children with Gender Variant Behaviors and their Families) provides outreach and education to families and professionals in order to support and affirm children who do not fit - or do not want to fit- society's definition of idealized masculinity/femininity or sexual orientation. The goal of the program is to strengthen the social conditions that allow these children to thrive and to develop a strong and positive sense of themselves and their own talents and capacities.