Call for Entries: for In-Person Exhibition
Juried by: Matthew Finley, Queer Artist & Dr. Rotem Rozental, Los Angeles Center of Photography Executive Director and Chief Curator
Deadline for Submission: Thursday, August 28th, 2025 at Midnight PST
Notice of Acceptance: Tuesday, September 9th, 2025
Opening Reception: Saturday, October 4th, 2025, 4-6pm
Exhibition Run Dates: October 2nd, 2025 – November 1st, 2025
About
This call invites submissions for single photographs and series of photographic works that focus on queer joy, in all its forms, to be shown as part of the exhibition Lost and Found by artist Matthew Finley at the Los Angeles Center of Photography (LACP), October 2-November 1, 2025.
In this moment, as the US marks a decade since legalizing gay marriage, and when people in power insist on marginalizing, isolating and denouncing LGBTQ+ communities, LACP insists on elevating love and acceptance.
In the spirit of the exhibition’s attempt to both imagine a world where no queer person feels ashamed for who they love and explore the nuances of human connection, this call seeks to highlight and demand visibility for LGBTQ+ voices, while celebrating an authentic experience of life, rooted in joy that is both specific to the queer community and universal.
The Jurors
Based in Los Angeles, Matthew Finley (b.1972) uses a variety of photography processes to communicate his life’s experience and form emotional connections to viewers.He addresses issues such as his coming out story, intimate relationships, and the healing power of nature.
Finley’s work has shown in solo and group shows in multiple galleries across the U.S. Most recently, his work was on the walls of the esteemed Fahey/Klein Gallery in Los Angeles with the likes of Herb Ritts and Herbert List. Other works have circled the globe as part of the FOTOFILMIC 17 traveling show and he has pieces in the permanent collections of the Museum of Contemporary Photography, Columbia College Chicago, The Museum of Art and History, Lancaster, and the Center for Fine Art Photography. His images have also appeared in publications including Oxford American, Shots Magazine, and online outlets such as Lenscratch, among others. In 2024 Finley was awarded CENTER Santa Fe’s Personal Award as well as the Center for Photographic Art’s LGBTQ+ Artist Grant for his project An Impossibly Normal Life.
Rotem Rozental, Ph.D, is the Executive Director of the Los Angeles Center of Photography. Between 2016-2022, she served as Chief Curator at American Jewish University, where she was also Assistant Dean of the Whizin Center for Continuing Education and Senior Director of Arts and Creative Programming. Her upcoming book, Pre-State Photographic Archives and the Zionist Movement will be released by Routledge Publishers in March 2023, and was named recipient of the Jordan Schnitzer First Book Award by the Association for Jewish Studies.
Rotem is a lecturer at USC Roski School of Art and Design Critical Studies Department. She mentors artists worldwide and contributes regularly to magazines, journals and exhibition catalogues. Her writings about contemporary art and image-based media, as well as Jewish and Israeli art, were published in Artforum.com, Photographies, Jewish Currents, Tablet and Forward, among other outlets.
Eligibility and Guidelines
This FREE call is open to LGBTQIA+ photographers at any level of experience and education. This is an In-Person exhibition that will require works to hang, they can be unframed or framed prints. LACP can help print works at our digital print lab for out-of-state participants.
The deadline to submit digital files through Submittable for consideration in this call is: Thursday, August 28th, 2025 at Midnight PST. No exceptions.
Acceptance Notice
The selection process will be blind. Once the jurors have made selections, all entrants will be notified. Those selected will receive an email from LACP with a list of images and artists selected for the show. The selected images and artists’ names will be posted on LACP’s website. LACP is not responsible for connecting the selected artists with the jurors. In addition, LACP reserves the right not to use a particular selected image(s) for promotional purposes if the image(s) is deemed inappropriate for use on LACP’s social media, newsletter feed, and/or on in any other marketing material.
Entry Details & Fee
FREE for up to 5 image submissions.
We are only accepting 5 images from each person.
Size each image 1200 pixels on the long side at 72 dpi DO NOT HAVE YOUR FIRST OR LAST NAME IN THE FILENAME. Please put your image title on your .jpg. ( Example: The title of my image is Bright Sunny Day. Before uploading I re-title my .jpg to: Bright_Sunny_Day.jpg )
NOTE: Please DO NOT watermark your images when submitting. Thank you.
Liability & Agreement
Each photographer retains all copyrights to his or her images. Photographers whose submissions are chosen for the exhibition grant the Los Angeles Center of Photography (LACP) the right to use their images for display on LACP’s website and for the purpose of promoting exhibitions, promoting LACP’s programs, and promoting the artist. Promotions and images may also be placed on social networks for LACP with artist credit. Artists grant the use of their image(s) as stated without further contact from LACP. The artist understands that LACP will not be held responsible for loss, theft or other damage, whether caused by the negligence of its officers, members, or others. Photographers are welcome to sell their photos during the online exhibit, with 50 percent commission to LACP. Submission of application will constitute an agreement to all these terms and conditions.
Questions?
Email: info@lacphoto.org