2025 Community Making Challenge Open Call: Making Spaces
Application deadline: October 31, 2025
Application fee: $20, payable via PayPal
Third spaces are places separate from our homes and workplaces, where we form relationships and bonds that enrich our lives. For many of us, the BJC is one such space, where we connect with other makers around a shared love of jewelry and metalsmithing; building community while bringing richness to our lives and artistic practices.
Where do you find camaraderie? What spaces do you frequent that make you feel connected to and part of a larger community?
For this year’s community challenge, the Baltimore Jewelry Center is asking members of our community to create work about the connections they find in third spaces.
The work might reference the people you meet in these spaces, the shared interests that lead you to them, or even the physical spaces themselves.
Instructions:
To submit a proposal, each applicant should:
complete and submit an application for up to three pieces via Google Form.
Submit the $20 application fee via PayPal. Include the applicant’s name and “Community Challenge 2025” in the payment message.
Important Dates:
October 31, 2025: Application Deadline
November 6, 2025: Application Response
November 21, 2025: Selected Artworks Due to BJC
December 5, 2025 - January 16, 2026: First Exhibitions Begin
If you have any questions, please contact us via email at bjcexhibitions@gmail.com
2027-2028 Call For Exhibitions
Proposal deadline: January 5, 2026
Application fee: $30, payable via PayPal
The Baltimore Jewelry Center is currently seeking exhibition proposals for our 2027-2028 gallery schedule. Proposals are not limited to jewelry and might include thematic exhibitions or exhibitions showcasing an artist or group of artists. We are looking for exhibitions that explore the gallery setting in an unexpected way, seek to place jewelry and craft within a larger context, and expand connections in our community at large. Our goal is to demonstrate unique curatorial viewpoints, expose our audience to fresh and emerging makers and ideas, and present art jewelry and metalsmithing in a broader art context. We are especially excited to see proposals that create a diverse and inclusive gallery space in order to elevate underrepresented voices. Proposals should consider the size and dimensions of the gallery space.
Gallery Floor Plan available here
Complete proposals will be reviewed and selected for exhibition by our Exhibitions Committee.
An example of a successful proposal can be viewed here.
Exhibition proposals that are selected will receive a $300.00 curatorial stipend.
Instructions:
To submit a proposal, each applicant should:
Submit a curatorial statement, exhibition proposal, cv, and 8-10 images of work representative of the proposed exhibition via Google Form.
Submit the $30 application fee via PayPal. Include the applicant’s name and “Gallery Proposal” in the payment message.
Important Dates:
January 5, 2026: Application Deadline
April, 2026: Application Response
January, 2027: First Exhibitions Begin
If you have any questions, please contact us via email at bjcexhibitions@gmail.com
About the Baltimore Jewelry Center
The Baltimore Jewelry Center is a 501c3 educational nonprofit building a vibrant creative community for the study and practice of metalworking for new and established artists. We offer classes, workshops, and studio space rental to anyone with an interest in contemporary jewelry and metalsmithing. In addition to our education program, the Baltimore Jewelry Center helps metal and jewelry artists grow sustainable business practices by offering professional development, sales opportunities, and a promotional platform.
Our exhibitions program is a robust component of the Baltimore Jewelry Center and supplements the education we provide to our students and community. Through exhibitions that showcase national and international artists in the art jewelry and metals field we offer students an up close and personal view of the innovations and freshness happening in the field at large.
What does my entry fee support?
The Baltimore Jewelry Center is a 501c3 educational nonprofit with a small staff and budget. Entry fees cover:
Administrative costs associated with the gallery
Promotional/print materials
Exhibition install and display materials
Shipping and insurance
Opening reception costs
Packaging
The Artist agrees to provide suitable/durable wrapping, boxing material, and wrapping/boxing instructions for the transport and storage of their work to the Baltimore Jewelry Center.
Submission Guidelines:
Please email images, completed entry forms and any other requested materials to bjcexhibitions@gmail.com with the exhibition title in the subject line.
Entry fees must be made via PayPal (make payment to bjcexhibitions@gmail.com). Applications will not be reviewed until the entry fee has been paid in full. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
Image Guidelines:
Please send jpeg images only. Images should be 300dpi, and approximately 4x6 inches. You may include one detail image of each piece submitted.
Please label each image with your last name, first name, and title. See example below:
LastName_FirstName_Title.jpg
LastName_FirstName_Title_Detail.jpg
Sales
Work may be for sale or for exhibition only, at the artist’s discretion.
Sales will be split 60/40 retail price between the artist and the Baltimore Jewelry Center.
Insurance
While part of the exhibition all work will be insured for the wholesale price. The Baltimore Jewelry Center will insure the work from point of receipt of work (including storage).
Artists are responsible for shipping and insurance to the Baltimore Jewelry Center. The gallery will be responsible for return shipping, but artists are welcome to prepay for return shipping.
