ISVC Website: https://cicamuseum.com/isvc

Exhibition: “Visual Culture 2026” September 9–27, 2026 CICA Museum, Korea

International Symposium for Visual Culture (ISVC) 2026 September 19–20, 2026 The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation Arts Center Visual and Performing Arts Department Montgomery College

Visual Culture 2026 Popup Show September 19–20, 2026 Maze Gallery The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation Arts Center Visual and Performing Arts Department Montgomery College**

We invite artists, scholars, and researchers from around the world to participate in the International Symposium for Visual Culture & Exhibition 2026.

The symposium brings together a global community of artists, researchers, and academics in vibrant downtown Silver Spring, adjacent to Washington, DC, USA. The symposium and popup show will be hosted by Montgomery College, while the international exhibition will take place at the CICA Museum in Korea. These events are organized in collaboration with the CICA Museum and the Visual and Performing Arts Department of Montgomery College, Takoma Park/Silver Spring.

ISVC serves as an international platform for diverse and critical perspectives on visual culture. Through this program, we aim to build a global network of researchers, artists, and creators and audiences of visual culture, fostering critical discourse and a deeper understanding of visual culture worldwide.

Participating artists and researchers will be featured in the publication New Media Art 2027, to be released in full-color paperback in December 2026 by CICA Press. Contributions may include English texts (e.g., interviews, essays, poetry), drawings, and images introducing the artist’s work.

Categories & Keywords:

Art and Capitalism Art, Technology, and Culture New Media Art Mass Culture Postmodernism Globalism Critical Studies Nationalism and Visual Culture Race and Identity in Art & Culture Feminist Studies on Visual Culture Art & Culture in a Global Pandemic Digital Culture and Social Media Digital Humanism Artificial Intelligence and Humanism Algorithmic Bias & Visual Culture Data Aesthetics Post-Human & Ecological Perspectives Post-humanism Environmental Issues and Culture Bio Art & Post-Nature Culture Global Mobility & Diaspora Visualities Archival Art Digital Nomad Immersive Media & Presence

[Symposium] International Symposium for Visual Culture (ISVC) 2026

The symposium will be held at the Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation Arts Center, Montgomery College, Silver Spring, on September 19–20, 2026.

Each accepted presenter will have the opportunity to discuss their work with peers. All presenters must register upon acceptance and deliver a presentation or performance during their assigned session.

We welcome proposals for paper presentations, workshops, experimental sessions, and artistic performances.

Each presenter (or presenting team) will receive three complimentary general admission tickets to ISVC 2026 to invite guests. Additional tickets will be available for purchase on the ISVC website.

The symposium will be held onsite, and presenters are required to attend in person and present onsite. Online presentations are permitted only for presenters who have previously applied for online sessions; applications for online sessions are now closed.

• Montgomery College students will receive a free guest pass to the symposium, while faculty and staff are eligible for a 51% discount on registration as presenters or guests. For more information, please contact us.

[Exhibition] “Visual Culture 2026” at the CICA Museum

The international exhibition “Visual Culture 2026” will be held at the CICA Museum from September 9 to 27, 2026. Each artist may exhibit up to two works. Participation is optional.

Installation Guidelines

– Photographs & 2D Digital Art

Selected works will be printed in 10×15 or 10×10 inches, framed, and installed by museum curators and assistants. Larger sizes may be available upon request; additional fees may apply.

– Video & Interactive Art

The museum will provide projectors and DVD/DIVX players. Multiple single-channel works may be screened on a shared projector. If your work requires exclusive screening or more than two projectors/monitors, please indicate this in your submission email. Additional fees may apply.

– Physical Works & Installation Art

Artists are responsible for shipping and delivery costs to and from the CICA Museum. Two-dimensional works must not exceed 39 inches (1 m) on the longest side. Installation works must not exceed 39×39×79 inches (1×1×2 m, W×L×H). Wall-mounted works must not exceed 10 kg. Our curators and staff will install framed works, paintings, and sculptures. Additional fees may apply if the artist requests our team to install installation art or works that require specific installation instructions. Please let us know if you are interested in exhibiting works that exceed the size/weight limits or if you would like to request the installation of installation art.

[Exhibition] Visual Culture 2026 Popup Show at Maze Gallery

Presenters may bring one work for the popup show at Montgomery College, open during the symposium (September 19–20, 2026). Participation is optional.

Artists are responsible for delivering, installing, and removing their artworks. Size and weight limitations are the same as above.

The college may provide monitors for video works; however, availability may be limited. We will coordinate with artists regarding space and equipment after final selection.

Timeline June 19, 2026 — Submission Deadline June 25 – July 1, 2026 — Presenter Registration September 9 – 27, 2026 — Exhibition at CICA Museum September 18, 2026 — Installation Day (Popup Show), Cafritz Foundation Arts Center September 19–20, 2026 — Symposium at Cafritz Foundation Arts Center September 20, 2026 — ISVC Party 4-7 at Cafritz Foundation Arts Center September 20, 2026, 7–8 PM (tentative) — Dismantling, Cafritz Foundation Arts Center December 15, 2026 — Publication Release ***All dates are subject to change.

How to Submit

– Email subject line: Submission: Visual Culture 2026 – Presenter’s Name

– Please send the following materials to: submission@cicamuseum.com

Required materials: – Short bio – Abstract for the presentation (150–300 words, DOC or PDF) – (Optional) Artwork proposal (DOC or PDF, up to 1,200 words; max. 10 images and 3 video links) to support your presentation

Please indicate your field of specialization in your submission.

** Field of Specialization** – Archaeology – Architecture – Art Education – Art History – Art Studio – Cultural Studies – Graphic Design – Museum Studies – Other

• Selected participants must complete registration to confirm their participation.

• Registration details: http://cicamuseum.com/isvc/registration/

• For inquiries, please visit: http://cicamuseum.com/contact/

We look forward to the participation of creative and critical artists and researchers from around the world.

**ABOUT: ** Fundación Casa Wabi and ArtReview are pleased to announce the ninth iteration of our open-call residency prize for three artists interested in cultural cross-fertilization and wishing to enter into a creative dialogue with members of one of the communities around Casa Wabi in Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca (México).

Fundación Casa Wabi is a non-profit organization established in 2014 with the aim of promoting social development and international cultural exchange through the arts. The name Casa Wabi originates in wabi sabi, the Japanese aesthetic worldview that seeks wisdom and beauty in simplicity, imperfection, and the transience of nature. Our residency, exhibition, and other programs seek to create social connections with reciprocal, mutually beneficial cultural cross-pollination as their goal.

Casa Wabi is located on the Pacific coast 30 minutes north of Puerto Escondido airport. Situated right on the beach, the main facility was designed by the Japanese architect Tadao Ando at the invitation of founder, Mexican artist Bosco Sodi. Facilities include an open-air, multipurpose palapa, six independent bungalows, six open ,and two closed, studios, and various other work areas that collectively create the ideal setting in which to recharge one’s energy amongst other artists.

Over more than a decade since its opening, the Foundation has continued to expand its 65-acre grounds through significant architectural and artistic contributions, including permanent installations by established artists and pavilions designed by leading contemporary architects.

For more information about the residency program, including a selection of successful community projects, please visit the completely revised and updated residency section of our website.

Who can apply?

Applications are welcome from all artists from any discipline, regardless of background, age, nationality, or stage of career.

Collaborative applications are welcome; however collectives must consist of no more than two members. Applicants must demonstrate an established history of working collaboratively as an integral part of their practice.

When will the residency be?

Residencies will take place in 2027, with specific dates to be coordinated between the selected artists and Casa Wabi.

How long is the residency?

The residency lasts approximately five to six weeks, depending on the selected period. Once selected, residents will coordinate with the Casa Wabi team to determine the most suitable dates for their stay in 2027. Residencies are scheduled within specific timeframes and take place alongside other artists, so participants are expected to be present for the full agreed period.

Are there any specific requirements for the residency?

Every resident is required to propose, develop, and carry out a community project during the residency period. These projects are approached through a reciprocal exchange with the local community. Please visit our website for a comprehensive overview of how these work. Please note that the proposed project may be refined or adjusted following selection, in collaboration with Casa Wabi’s team.

Casa Wabi is not a production-based residency; however, residents are provided with access to a studio space throughout their stay. At the end of the residency, all participants are asked to leave what we call a “Log” or “Bitácora”—a piece that reflects their time spent there. This becomes part of Casa Wabi’s archive and can take any form, such as a video, song, photograph, painting, sculpture, or any work that represents both their practice and their time during the residency.