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1001 Stories: Colours of Faith and Home

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Islamic Heritage Month 2026 Exhibition

Early Bird Deadline: June 1st - July 15th, 2026
Final Deadline: August 28th, 2026

In partnership with

The Application is now closed

CALL FOR ARTISTS

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EXHIBITION THEME​​

​IHM 2026 is an invitation for Muslim artists to contemplate the stories from their faith and what they perceive as ‘home’, by exploring the intersecting relationships between cultures of home and grounding of faith. Share via your art how these stories may have changed or altered over time.

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Artists may respond in any way that feels meaningful to them, including, but not exclusive to identity, memories, homes they left behind, homes they are in now, and how faith plays a role in all this. We encourage artists to approach the theme in ways that feels natural to them in their own practice.

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Think this: What would you want the viewer to take away from your art and its meanings? What do you want them to know about your lived experiences or how you feel and create?

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We hope that artists take opportunity as a challenge to create something fresh and new, to break the mold, experiment and push boundaries through creation.

EXHIBITION LOCATIONS & DATES

LOCATION 1: MILTON

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Holcim Gallery at First Ontario Arts Centre​

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  • Exhibition Dates: October 26 - November 15, 2026

  • Artwork Drop-off: October 25, 2026 | 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM

  • Artwork Pick-up: November 15,2026 | 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM

  • Opening Reception: October 31st, 6:30pm-8:30pm

LOCATION 2: ETOBICOKE

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Cloverdale Mall (Partnership with Arts Etobicoke)

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  • Exhibition Dates: October 1 - November 12, 2026

  • Artwork Drop-off: September 19th | 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM

  • Artwork Pick-up: November 12,2026 | 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

  • Opening Reception: October 1st 6pm-8pm

SUBMISSION DEADLINES
Early Bird Deadline: June 1st - July 15th, 2026
Final Deadline: August 28th, 2026

Important: Due to Limited Space at each gallery, applications received after capacity is reached will be rejected based on space availability, not artwork quality. Apply early to secure your spot.

PRICING STRUCTURE

MILTON (Holcim Gallery)

EARLY BIRD PRICING (June 1st- July 15th, 2026)

Membership Level
Non-Member
Basic Member (10% off)
Premium Member (15% off)

First Artwork
$45
$40.50
$38.25

Additional Artworks
$15 each
$10 each
$10 each

REGULAR PRICING (After July 15, 2026)

Membership Level
Non-Member
Basic Member (10% off)
Premium Member (15% off)

First Artwork
$55
$49.50
$46.75

Additional Artworks
$15 each
$15 each
$15 each

ETOBICOKE (Cloverdale Mall)

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EARLY BIRD PRICING (June 1st- July 15th, 2026)

Membership Level
Non-Member
Basic Member (10% off)
Premium Member (15% off)

First Artwork
$35
$31.50
$29.75

Additional Artworks
$15 each
$10 each
$10 each

REGULAR PRICING (After July 15, 2026)

Membership Level
Non-Member
Annual Member (10% off)
Premium Member (15% off)

First Artwork
$45
$40.50
$38.25

Additional Artworks
$15 each
$15 each
$15 each

*Membership Info:

  • Non/Free Member: FREE member on our site

  • Basic Member: Lower Tiered Paid member.

  • Premium Member: Higher Tiered Paid member.

To become a member and receive discounts, visit: www.theartistcube.com/members

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Note: Free members are considered non-members for pricing purposes. All Premium members will also have their art featured on our website shop for ease of sale.

PAYMENT TERMS

  • Payment is due within 48 hours of receiving your acceptance email

  • Payment can be made via:

  • Failure to pay within 48 hours will result in your spot being offered to the next candidate

Important: Each exhibition location is considered a separate application. You may apply to one or both locations, but acceptance to one does not guarantee acceptance to the other.

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REFUND POLICY

Please read the refund policy here.

WHO CAN SUBMIT?

The Artist Cube welcomes submissions from Muslim Artists based in Canada, Whether they are members of TAC or not.

 

Accepted Disciplines:

  • Painting & Drawing

  • Sculpture

  • Textile Art

  • Photography (creative)

  • Mixed Media

  • Installation Art

  • Digital Art - created on a tablet (printed and framed)

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Requirements: 

  • All artwork must be original to you

  • Digital art must be professionally printed and framed

  • AI-generated art is NOT accepted

  • Work must be completed after 2022

  • Work should not have been previously shown at the exhibition venues

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

 

WHAT TO SUBMIT:

You must submit ONE PDF per location you are applying to. Each PDF must include:

1. ARTIST BIOGRAPHY (150 words or less)

  • Who you are as an artist and person

  • Your creative practice

  • What inspires or motivates your work now and in the past

 

2. ARTIST STATEMENT (300 words or less)

Your overall artist statement should clearly indicate:

  • Your art practice and what motivates you

  • How you interpret the work and how you hope the viewer will interpret it

  • Your general creative process and medium

 

3. INDIVIDUAL ARTWORK STATEMENTS

For each artwork you are submitting, provide:

  • Title of the artwork

  • Individual artist statement for this specific piece and how the you expect the viewer will interpret it

  • Small image of the artwork (so we know which statement belongs to which piece)

 

4. ARTIST SPECIFICATIONS

For each artwork, provide:

  • Title

  • Year created

  • Size (Width x Height x Depth in inches) *please get in touch if it is over 40" or larger in width

  • Medium

  • Retail Price or NFP for not for sale

  • Presentation (framed/unframed, wired,etc.)

 

5. HIGH-QUALITY IMAGES

  • Format: JPEG only

  • Quality: Professional, High-resolution images

  • Images will be used for jury selection AND the exhibition magazine

  • Poor quality images will result in automatic rejection

 

6. ARTIST PORTRAIT

  • A professional photo of yourself for the exhibition magazine

  • Should represent you as you want to be presented

FILE NAMING:
For artwork images:
FIRSTNAME_LASTNAME_ARTWORK_TITLE.jpg
Example: SARAH_IBRAHIM_THE_HOME_I_LEFT.jpg
For artist portrait:
FIRSTNAME_LASTNAME_PORTRAIT.jpg

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image.png

PRESENTATION REQUIREMENTS

 

All selected artworks MUST be presentation-ready:

 

For Paintings & Photography:

  • Sides must be painted OR artwork must be framed

  • Must have D-hooks attached to back

  • Must have strong hanging wire installed

  • Ready to hang immediately upon arrival

 

Galleries will reject artwork that does not meet these requirements. There are no exceptions to this.

 

For Sculptures & 3D Works:

 

If you have never wired artworks before, please ask us for guidance before drop-off.

 

TYPES OF ARTWORKS NOT ACCEPTED

The following will result in automatic rejection:

  • Artwork showing or depicting hate

  • Artwork showing un-islamic concepts (widely accepted by scholars)

  • Descriptive features on live objects (faces of people/animals)

  • Women depicted unclothed in any way (all skin must be covered expect hands and face)

  • AI-generated artwork

  • Incomplete applications

 

JURY SELECTION PROCESS

MILTON (Holcim Gallery):

  • Juried by The Artist Cube Selection committee

 

ETOBICOKE (Cloverdale Mall):

  • Juried by The Artist Cube Selection committee and Arts Etobicoke

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Selection Criteria:

  • Clarity and authenticity in addressing the theme

  • Artistic quality and craftsmanship

  • Originality and unique Voice

  • Professional presentation of submission materials

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EXHIBITION MAGAZINE

The Artist Cube will produce a commemorative exhibition magazine featuring:

  • Selected artists and their biographies

  • High-quality images of exhibited artwork

  • Artist statements

 

Magazine Distribution:

  • Exhibition events and opening receptions

  • Sponsors and business partners

  • International consulates

  • Community organizations

 

Priority for feature profiles:

  • Applications received by early bird deadline (June 30)

  • Paid TAC members (Annual & Premium)

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SUBMISSION CHECKLIST

Before you submit, ensure you have the following:

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PDF DOCUMENT INCLUDES:

  • Artist Biography (150 words or less)

  • Overall Artist Statement (300 words or less)

  • Individual statement for EACH artwork

  • Small Image for EACH artwork (labeled with title)

  • Complete specifications for EACH artwork (title, year, size, medium, price, presentation)

  • Venue name and submission date on first page

 

IMAGE FILES (JPEG format):

  • High-resolution, professionally photographed images of ALL artwork

  • Artist portrait photo

  • All files properly named (FIRSTNAME_LASTNAME_TITLE.jpg)

 

Fill the form below and upload everything when complete.

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*Incomplete submissions will be automatically rejected

ACCEPTANCE & NOTIFICATION PROCESS

  1. Submission Review: Your submission will be reviewed by the jury committee

  2. Notification: You will receive an email within 2-3 weeks of submission

  3. Acceptance Email: Will indicate which artworks were accepted and payment details

  4. Payment Deadline: 48 hours from acceptance email

  5. Confirmation: Once payment is received, your spot is secured

 

Important: Check your email regularly, including spam/junk folders, after submitting.

 

IMPORTANT REMINDERS

  • Each location is a separate application - apply to one or both

  • Early Bird deadline: July 15, 2026 for discounted pricing

  • Final deadline: August 28, 2026

  • Payment due within 48 hours of acceptance

  • Limited space available - apply early!

  • Artwork must be presentation ready with wire and D-hooks

  • Professional images required for magazine consideration

  • No AI-generated art accepted

 

Form completed and images uploaded.

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*Incomplete submissions will be automatically rejected

QUESTIONS?​

Contact:

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Contact

Address: 485 Pringle Avenue, Milton, Ontario, L9T 8A9, Canada 

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