Call for Entry: Digital Monsters

A 40 West Arts District Exhibition

CREATIVE BRIEF

The idea of new technology can be a lovely promise and in practice a destructive force. In recent years artists have had their work stolen and then reconfigured by digital tools through the power of AI. This creates a question that reaches deep into the question of our humanity: Will AI erode our humanity? We are asking all our artists to come together and visualize the technological monsters, the digital thieves, and electronic menaces that are trying to take art out of the artists hands, and create a world where it is increasingly harder to understand truth and hold onto humanity. This year the 40 West Artists in Residency will be putting out the call for Digital Monsters: Resisting AI with Real Art. 

We are looking for art that visualizes these types of monsters in human-made media. What does AI look like to you? Does your computer have a darkside? What is your phone’s devious plan after listening to you? We ask you to imagine the technological monsters all around you. Build, paint, draw, photograph, and create other types of mixed media that represents your resistance to the  digital monsters of our  world. 

We invite a range of themes including but not limited to:

-Technology as monsters

-Fighting digital monsters

-Finding solace from technology

-Everyday surveillance

-AI profiling 

-Personifications of social media 

-Deepfakes and misinformation 

-Data centers 

-AI and ecological crisis

-Loss of humanity

IMPORTANT DATES

• Deadline: August 9, 2026; midnight

• Notification: September 1, 2026; midnight

• Artist contract and index information due: September 9, 2026; midnight

• Art Drop off: September 26, 2026; 11am-4pm

• Opening reception: October 2, 2026; 5-9pm

• Additional gallery activation: October 16, 2026; 6-8pm

• Exhibit end: October 29, 2026; 9pm

• Art Pick up: October 31, 2026; 11am-4pm

• Event Location: 1560 Teller St, Lakewood, CO 80214

SCREENING PROCESS

Submissions will be screened by the three 40 West Artists in Residence (Sho McClarence, Erika Vassallo, and Olivia Dorencz) and the 40 West Poet Laureate (Marissa Forbes), with input and guidance of the 40 West curatorial team to ensure quality and applicability of work. Please note that depending on the number of submissions, our curation process, and other factors, not all submitted works are guaranteed entrance into our show. We will notify you within the timeframe indicated herein regarding the acceptance of your work(s). Inability to submit contract and index information will result in disclusion of Digital Monsters exhibit.

Also note that while we strive to include works from as many artists as possible, please know that we do not tolerate submissions that promote hate, racism or violence against others--even though those are the monsters of society, we ask if you're shedding light on those factors that no element can be interpreted as promotion. We reserve the right to refuse any submission that does not adhere to or promote our mission.

ELIGIBILITY

This exhibition is open to all professional and amateur artists. All mediums are welcome. Both 40 West Arts members and non-members are invited to submit work. For this show you may submit up to TWO different pieces for the show. We welcome works of all sizes and media, but to accommodate different works for this curated show we recommend works no larger than 3ftx3ftx3ft (works bigger than this will be considered dependent on space). For this show and based on this theme we will not be accepting any art that is not made by a human, please no AI-generated or AI-assisted images.  We are unable to accept mailed artwork, you must be able to drop off your artwork at the Three Leaches Gallery (1560 Teller St. Lakewood, CO 80214) on September 26 between 11am-4pm and pick up your art work at Three Leaches Gallery October 31, 11am-4pm. 

HOW TO SUBMIT

Submit form below by August 9th, 2026 by Midnight.

For questions, please reach out to Olivia Dorencz at punkratart@gmail.com, Marissa Forbes at marissajforbes@gmail.com, Sho McClarence at smcclarence@iliff.edu , or Erika Vassallo at  therealevassa@gmail.com