Open Call for visual artists to participate with their artworks in the exhibition “Invisible Hopes,” curated and conceived by Art Curator Paris Kapralos, in collaboration with the European Women’s Network. The exhibition will take place at the Alma Mater art gallery in Exarchia, Athens, featuring artists from Greece and around the world. The official languages of the exhibition are Greek and English, and a commemorative catalog – book will be published in digital format in both languages. The exhibition will also be available internationally online via the ARTgrID platform for one month.
Eligibility. European artists can submit their artworks for review following the instruction for submission mentioned below.
Accepted Artworks. You may submit paintings of any style/materials, printmaking, photography, digital art, collage, and video art that engage in any way the artist sees fit with the theme.
Exhibition Theme / Conceptual Framework. In Europe, a staggering number of 250,000 children are reported missing every year – that’s one child disappearing every two minutes. It is often said that children are the hope for a better world. They are the ones who will shape tomorrow, through their values, choices, and actions. For nearly 40 years, May 25th – the reflective date from which this exhibition draws inspiration – has been dedicated to missing children and those who remain invisible to society. International Missing Children’s Day is not just a reminder but a call to action. Children go missing for many reasons. Family disputes, fleeing domestic violence, online grooming, and human trafficking networks—dangers are everywhere. Abductions by strangers are fewer but extremely concerning, as they are linked to exploitation and violence, while mental or neurodevelopmental disorders make some minors more vulnerable. The situation of unaccompanied minors arriving in Europe without documents, fleeing war and extreme poverty, is particularly harrowing. Thousands disappear every year, many falling victim to traffickers. Europol has confirmed cases of sexual abuse, forced labor, and organ trafficking. Without legal protection, they remain invisible—at borders, in shelters, and even on the streets of major cities.
Raising social awareness is vital. Every missing child is a matter that concerns us all: it is one less hope for the future of the world.
What to Submit. Please email artistsartgrid@gmail.com with the subject “HOPES” including the following:
(1) Photos of up to 2 available artworks, each in a separate, large-format, high-resolution jpg file. Note: submitted works are not indicative. If selected, you may only exhibit the submitted work(s). Works on paper must be photographed without a frame/glass.
(2) Artwork details, referring to each file name (e.g. A1.JPG), in the following order, separated by commas: Artist’s full name, Title of work, Materials and technique, Dimensions (in cm, Height x Width for wall pieces, or Height x Width x Depth for sculpture), Year of completion.
(3) Your contact information: Full name, Email, Phone number.
✨ If you wish to submit Video Art, please either send standard video files via wetransfer along with the rest of the required information via email, or provide a link (Vimeo, YouTube) where the full video is accessible.
Important Notes
– Clarifications, inquiries, and questions strictly regarding the submission process must be sent in writing to the above email and will be answered within 24 hours.
– Information about the organization and proposal will only be provided to selected artists, after their submission and selection – not beforehand. Submissions that do not include all requested materials or do not follow the specified format will be disregarded.
– If selected, we will contact you directly with a reply email containing full details about your participation.
– The submission deadline is not necessarily for the creation of new works; you may submit works that you already have, that you believe represent you, are relevant to the theme, and that you wish to present in the exhibition.
SUBMISSION DEADLINE: until Sunday, April 27, 2025, at 23:59.
About the Curator
Paris Kapralos is an Art Curator, Founder & Coordinator of the ARC – Art Revisited Collective, and co-publisher of Arts & Antiques CCR. He was born in 1975 and raised in Athens, where he lives and works, and is active internationally. From 2008 to 2022 he resided in Northern Greece. He studied Economics (Athens) and Graphic Arts (Staffordshire, UK). He worked as a journalist and as a business and investment event organizer until 2011, when he shifted his professional path to the Art sector. Since then, he has curated and organized over 200 exhibitions, visual art events, projects, and participations both in Greece and abroad.
About the European Women’s Network
The European Women’s Network is a non-profit association focused on Human Rights issues since 1983 and legally established in Greece since 1991. It operates the SOS helpline “Next to You” for supporting victims of domestic violence and human trafficking and also maintains a Voluntary Time Bank. Its activities are supported by volunteers of various specialties.
About Alma Mater
The “Alma Mater” Art Gallery is located in the heart of Athens, in Exarchia. It is housed in a renovated neoclassical residence built before 1890. In Latin, “Alma Mater” literally means “nourishing mother,” and is typically attributed symbolically to Science as the nurturing force of Humanity. Likewise, the founders of the venue envision it as an “alma mater” for the intellectual and aesthetic advancement of the city. In addition to its exhibition capabilities, the venue is equipped for hosting events.
