ARTIST CALL 
Reflecting on the Past/
Dreaming the Future

Hampden Gallery is excited to announce its inaugural triennial exhibition, Reflecting on the Past/Dreaming the Future.

This open call reinforces Hampden Gallery’s mission to serve as a launching pad for emerging and established artists working in all media.

The exhibition, on display September 12 through December 3, will be juried by Nick Capasso, director of Fitchburg Art Museum. Capasso has a longstanding commitment to supporting contemporary New England artists. His selections will explore concepts that deal with reflections on the past and/or dreaming of the future.

Reflecting on the Past/Dreaming the Future is a featured exhibition of the Fine Arts Center’s 50th anniversary celebration. Capasso's selections will showcase relevant and impactful work. The exhibition will provide the student body and community with exposure to thought-provoking and meaningful artistic expressions.

In addition to the exhibition in the Main Gallery and Incubator Project Space, Capasso will select video works for Hampden Gallery’s OPTIC (Open-Air Projections to Invite Conversation), an outdoor silent video program. This after-hours program allows the public to engage with art in a safe, outdoor setting, furthering Hampden Gallery’s commitment to accessible and innovative programming.

The triennial showcases cutting-edge and exciting work. It is a platform that supports Hampden Gallery's mission to foster creativity and advance the careers of artists at all levels.

Juror: Nick Capasso
Nick Capasso, is director of the Fitchburg Art Museum, a community-oriented museum with historical art collections; changing exhibitions featuring regional contemporary art; and educational, community, and economic development programs. Prior to his appointment at Fitchburg, Capasso was deputy director for curatorial affairs at the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum, a museum of contemporary art in Lincoln, Massachusetts. During his twenty-two years in the deCordova Curatorial Department, he organized or co-organized more than seventy-five exhibitions and played a central role in the expansion of the deCordova Sculpture Park. In 2011, he attended the Getty Foundation’s Museum Leadership Institute.

Exhibition Schedule:
Main Gallery and OPTIC: September 12, 2025 – December 3, 2025
Incubator Project Space: September 12, 2025 – May 8, 2026
Opening reception and panel discussion: Friday, September 12, 2025, 5-7 p.m. 

Awards:

• Hampden Gallery’s director will award solo exhibitions to two of the featured artists for the spring 2027 semester. Awards will be announced at the reception.

• Four of the selected artists will be invited to take part in a panel discussion the night of the reception and will receive a $200 stipend for their participation. Artists will be invited prior to the reception.

Eligibility:

• Artists over eighteen years of age

• Must reside or work within fifty miles of University of Massachusetts Amherst

• Work must be created within past four years

• Open to all media including video (under five minutes)

Artist’s Responsibilities:

• Deliver ready to hang/install works August 24-29, 1-5 p.m. 

• Pick up works December 4, 5, 7, 9, 1-5 p.m. and December 10, 1-6:30 p.m.