JULY COLLAB LAB Open Call: Retro-Future

It is time to look back at the future. For our July challenge, we are stepping into the neon-tinted nostalgia of what “tomorrow” used to look like.

The Theme: Retro-Future

This month, we are exploring the intersection of vintage aesthetics and futuristic dreams. Think about the “world of tomorrow” as imagined in the 1950s or 60s (Sputnik-inspired curves, chrome surfaces, and atomic optimism). Whether it is a Jetson-core landscape or a piece of jewelry fit for a space-age lounge, show us your version of a future that never was.

Submission Deadline: July 11, 2026 Show Opens: July 13/14, 2026

Creative Prompts (Suggestions Only!):

• Painting: Use a “Limited Palette.” Think mid-century modern colors: seafoam green, cherry red, mustard yellow, and chrome silver.
• Mixed Media: Incorporate vintage magazine clippings, old tech parts (circuit boards), or 1950s advertisements into a “Futurist” collage.
• Sculpture & Jewelry: Mid-century modern shapes, high-polish chrome, and “atomic” silhouettes.
• Music & Audio: Use of Theremins, vintage analog synths, or “space-age” lounge music with a kitschy, upbeat rhythm.
• Poetry: Sci-fi themes written with a sense of 1950s optimism or “Technicolor” vocabulary.

Note: These are just starting points. Please interpret “Retro-Future” however feels right to your creative spirit!

How To Submit Your Art To The Virtual Exhibition

THIS IS A PATREON MEMBERS ONLY EXHIBITION. You must be a member of our Patreon to submit to our Virtual Collab Lab Exhibition. Once you are a member, you will have access to the instructions on how to submit.