Open Call for the 2025 Spring Fling Silent Art Auction

Spring Fling is back again on April 26, 2025 with a Space Oddity theme in homage to David Bowie, one of the most pioneering and influential multi-disciplinary creatives of our time and is inspired by the premiere of Tomas Vu's Blackstar exhibition in the Main Gallery. 

Spring Fling is our largest annual fundraiser supporting Locust Projects twenty-seven year mission to provide local, national and international artists with the time, space and resources to experiment, push their practice, and create ambitious new work. 

Like last year, this year's Spring Fling features a Silent Art Auction designed to support both Locust Projects and our community of artists with an opportunity to show and sell their work to new network of collectors.

Artists selected for inclusion in the Silent Art Auction have the option to receive 50% of the final sale bid. Keep in mind, bidding starts at 30% of market value and works must be available to be shown IN-PERSON in the auction.

Remaining proceeds from the sale support the 15th Anniversary of Locust Art Builders (LAB) Summer Art Intensive for Teens inspiring the next generation of creatives.

DUE TO SPACE LIMITATIONS - UP TO 75 art works will be selected from a maximum of 125 submissions by the Artist Steering Committee consisting of Locust Projects Artist Board Members and Honorary Board.

Selected artists will be notified by or before April 13.

TIMELINE:

• April 13 | 11:59pm -- Open Call Deadline for Submissions
• Notifications for selected works will be made on rolling basis as received or by April 15
• April 16 -- Works on preview online
• April 23 -- Works on view in Project Room
• April 26 -- Spring Fling

REVIEW CRITERIA:

We require the following for submission consideration: 

• Submit one work for consideration with a minimum commercial value of $500 and maximum $7500
• Two and three-dimensional work within size limit of 36 x 36 inches overall
• Install ready: Works must be ready to hang with mounting hardware and if not straightforward, instructions provided; unframed works are considered on a case-by-case basis as our in-kind framing sponsorship is limited.
• MUST provide complete checklist information: Artist name, artwork title, date, media, size
• MUST provide a HI-RES image   
• MUST be available to be shown in-person in the auction on view April 23-26 

All submissions meeting the above criteria will receive:

• 1 complimentary ticket to Spring Fling ($250 value) in thanks for your time and consideration

All artists selected to participate and included in the auction will receive:

• 2 complimentary tickets (admits you and 1 guest) to Spring Fling ($500 value)
• Inclusion in the online catalogue with image and brief about the artwork/artist
• Access to career-building opportunities and resources, including studio visits and one-on-one grant writing workshops

Thank you for helping to make art happen at Locust Projects. We appreciate your consideration, time, and support of Locust Projects mission. Thank you!

DEADLINE MAY 10

2025 LAB THEME: DIGITAL DAYDREAMS 

EXPLORING CONTEMPORARY ART PRACTICES AT THE INTERSECTION OF ART AND TECHNOLOGY - no technical experience required
 

2025 Locust Art Builders (LAB): Summer Art Intensive for Teens.  

Takes place daily Monday - Thursday June 16 - July 17, 2025 at Locust Projects (note Thursday June 19th is a holiday, no LAB that day).  

Students must attend 19 days total which includes the Saturday July 19 opening reception and certificate ceremony. Only one absence allowed. Friday, July 18 is an absence make up day. 

LAB 2025 SUMMER ART INTENSIVE: June 16 - July 17, 2025 | Mondays – Thursdays | 10am - 3pm 

OPENING RECEPTION FOR FRIENDS & FAMILY: Saturday, July 19 | 6-8pm 

About Locust Art Builders (LAB): Now in its 15th year in 2025, LAB is a unique summer art intensive for high school students with an interest in art, design, and exploring creative careers. In spring 2025 an open call will invite up to 30 students from across Miami-Dade County to learn from professional artists in a dynamic program over five weeks next summer. Selected students will dive right into the creative, and practical, aspects of completing a collaborative full-scale exhibition at Locust Projects!

Running concurrently with Tomas Vu’s intermedia installation, Blackstar, this year’s LAB draws inspiration from legendary musician David Bowie’s legacy of reinvention, experimentation, and boundary-pushing artistry. In Digital Daydreams, students will use digital tools to explore memory, machine-generated imagery, and immersive media. 

Just as Bowie fused disciplines, LAB participants will integrate collage, sound design, video projections, and 3D printing to craft a collective dreamscape. 

Guided by mentor professional teaching artists in experimenting with glitch aesthetics, generative AI, and surrealist techniques, students will build a fully immersive exhibition—one that challenges creative boundaries between simulation and inspires artistic transformation.

LAB is FREE for all students. 

- Students will be provided with free lunch daily.

- All supplies and access to equipment and tools provided. 

- Transportation stipends are available up to $500 with receipts to assist with travel to and from Locust Projects.

- Students will receive a Builder Bag with art supplies and more as well as an artist edition shirt.

- Students may be able to receive community service hours for their participation; please ask your school for details. 

Want to learn more about what makes LAB so special?  See this video created by past LAB students!

What's on the application?
 

• WHY IS LAB FOR YOU? Express your interest in LAB via text or video.  We'd love to know what you want to learn this summer and why you are a good fit for this opportunity!
• SHOW US YOUR CREATIVE SIDE: Share up to 8 recently completed art works, designs, or projects.  You can upload photos of your work or show us your work in a short video!
• IMAGE CAPTION SHEET: Please include a PDF or word doc with the title, media, date, and a brief description of each art work.  
• OPTIONAL: Letter of recommendation from a teacher, mentor, or advisor. 

 
FAQs

Who is eligible?  Students currently enrolled in public or private high schools in Miami-Dade County.  Students must have completed at least one year of high school by June 2025.  Rising 10th, 11th, and 12th graders as well as graduating 12th graders are all eligible to apply.

Who is not eligible?  Students who are in middle school, entering ninth grade in the fall, or who graduated in 2024 or prior. Students living outside of Miami-Dade County are not eligible.

Can I apply if I am not sure I want to go to art school? Of course!  LAB is the perfect place to explore your interest in art or design, learn how to make things using new skills and tools, and learn all about careers in the arts. Whether or not you go to art school, LAB can help you gain confidence and learn how to problem solve creatively.

Can I work on my personal projects as part of LAB? While some activities will involve working independently, working collaboratively with other young artists is a crucial part of LAB. Most projects, and the final exhibition, are produced as a team. Personal art practices often feed into this final result, but it is important that applicants understand that they will also be required to work closely with other young artists during LAB. If you are not open to working collaboratively as part of a team, this program might not be the right fit for you. 

Can I take days off from LAB? Students must attend a minimum of 19 days - if you have a pre-college program or vacation planned or other commitment, please do not apply to LAB.

Can PDFs include links?  Yes, they may include links to websites, video hosting services like YouTube or Vimeo, as well as links to galleries, previous exhibitions, and/or past reviews, if applicable.

Can I submit my application without using the online submission system Submittable?  Unfortunately, no.  All submissions must be submitted through Submittable.  Submittable accounts are free.  If you need assistance completing your application, please let us know by reaching out to digital@locustprojects.org.  We're happy to help! One of your teachers might also be able to help!

Who can I speak to if I have more questions?  For more info, please contact: digital@locustprojects.org or 305.576.8570. We strive to make LAB accessible to all students interested - If you need support to participate in LAB, please let us know.

LocustArt Builders 2024-2025 was made possible through lead support from the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor Board and County Commissioners, The Children’s Trust. Additional support provided by Susan and Richard Arregui, Diane and Werner Grob, The Kirk Foundation, Miami Salon Group, and the INCUBATORS Friends of the Next Generation.

FOR PROJECTS STARTING AFTER SEPTEMBER 1, 2025. 

Annual grant opportunity for Miami-based artists to bring new ideas to life across Miami neighborhoods.

ABOUT WAVEMAKER GRANTS

WaveMaker Grants at Locust Projects supports Miami’s visionary artists with incubator grants to research, kick off or re-energize innovative artist-driven projects that are shared with the public in unconventional spaces.

Since 2015, WaveMaker has awarded $630,000 in funding to 125 of Miami’s visionary artists. 

Grantees receive up to $6,000 each in three categories: New Work / Projects, Long-Haul Projects, and Research & Development + Implementation. In the spirit of Locust Projects’ artist-driven, experimental mission, WaveMakers experiment and take risks, creating innovative work that is shared in unconventional public spaces.

WaveMaker Grants are made possible by the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts' Regional Regranting Program, a network of 35 regranting partners across the country. 

Please review all available info at www.wavemakergrants.org before submitting.
 

Deadline is April 1, 2025 at 11:59pm.

There is no application fee. Locust Projects is committed to making WaveMaker Grants accessible to all applicants.  Should you need any accommodations or assistance to complete your application, please reach out to digital@locustprojects.org.

Join us for the first WaveMaker VIRTUAL INFO SESSION of the year on Friday, February 21st, at 12pm via ZOOM. Learn about the next cycle of WaveMaker Grants for Miami-Dade artists and how you can apply for up to $6,000 in one of three categories: New Work / Projects, Long-Haul Projects, and R&D + Implementation.
 

Eligibility:

Visual artists, curators, cultural organizers/creatives, collectives, collaborators who reside in Miami-Dade County are encouraged to apply.

If you have received a WaveMaker Grant in the past 5 years you are ineligible to apply in 2025 unless you are a current R+D recipient.

Film, performance, dance, music, and other projects that fall outside a strict definition of visual art are eligible.  However, visual art must be the leading component.

If applying as a group, the collaboration can be long-standing or initiated specifically for this project. Please identify one participant to serve as the lead contact.  The lead contact and majority of participants must reside in Miami-Dade County.

Non-profit organizations and LLCs established for commercial enterprise are not eligible.
 

Selection Criteria:

All projects must engage or be shared with the public in unconventional spaces in Miami-Dade County. This may include exhibitions, performances, events, workshops, screenings, programming at alternative or artist-run-spaces. Projects can not be presented at art museums or commercial galleries.

All proposals will be considered based on criteria including but not limited to:

• Overall idea, vision, and artistic innovation
• Relevance to the local social, cultural, and/or geographic context
• Accessibility of the project to the public outside of a museum or gallery
• In person gatherings in free, publicly accessible spaces are an essential requirement.
• Capacity of the applicant to realize the project on time and within budget
• Potential impact on the local community, the arts and culture landscape, and/or the artist’s growth

Grantees will be announced by the end of August 2025 and funded for projects starting after September 1, 2025.

Founded in 2015 by the former nonprofit Cannonball, WaveMaker Grants has been administered by Locust Projects, Miami’s longest running nonprofit alternative art space, since 2017. 

WaveMaker is made possible by the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts' Regional Regranting Program, a network of 35 regranting partners across the country.