Feature Show: Pride And Zines

Pride and Zines

A Group Exhibition at Umbra Arts

May 31 – June 28, 2026

Pride and Zines – A Group Exhibition at Umbra Arts
Apply Here

Umbra Arts invites artists to submit work for an upcoming group exhibition celebrating queer identity, self-expression, and the radical history of zine-making. Pride and Zines highlights the power of DIY publishing as a tool for visibility, storytelling, and resistance within LGBTQ+ communities.

This exhibition seeks to elevate zine art into the realm of fine art by transforming intimate, small-scale works into large-format pieces for gallery display. We are interested in artists who use zines to explore identity, sexuality, gender, community, politics, and personal narrative.

Zines have long been a medium of queer expression—raw, accessible, and unapologetically personal. This show honors that tradition while expanding it. By scaling up imagery and moments from completed zines, we invite artists to recontextualize their work: what happens when something made to be held in the hands is placed on the wall? What shifts when private storytelling becomes public?

This exhibition creates space for celebration, resistance, humor, intimacy, and pride. We are looking for work that is bold, vulnerable, experimental, and deeply rooted in queer experience.

Who We're Looking For

We are seeking 5–10 zine artists to exhibit work in our gallery. Artists should present work that:

  • Comes from a completed or ongoing zine project
  • Reflects a strong personal style and artistic voice
  • Engages with queer identity, culture, and community
  • Explores themes of pride, visibility, resistance, joy, and self-definition

Important Participation Requirements

  • Must be 18+ to apply and participate
  • Must be able to drop off and pick up artwork in person
  • Artists must confirm understanding that:
    • This is an uncensored adult gallery
    • Exhibited works may include nudity, kink, and adult themes
  • If submitting work that includes identifiable individuals, artists must provide written consent from all individuals shown

Artwork Guidelines

  • Work must originate from a zine (completed or in-progress)
  • Selected artists will choose images/pages from their zines and then print them in large format.
  • Artists should frame work for hanging.
  • All mediums are welcome within the original zine format (print, collage, illustration, photography, etc.)
  • Pieces should collectively represent your voice and perspective as a zine artist
  • Pieces must be framed and gallery ready

About the Exhibition

This show centers artists who:

  • Create from lived queer experience
  • Use zines as a medium for storytelling and connection
  • Engage with DIY culture, publishing, and accessibility
  • Push the boundaries between "low" and "high" art

We are not just looking for individual images—we want to see the world your zines create, and how those worlds expand when placed in a gallery setting.

Exhibition Details

  • Opening Reception: Sunday, May 31, 2026
  • On View: May 31 – June 28, 2026
  • Hang Date: May 28, 2026
  • Artwork Pick-Up: June 28 – June 30, 2026

Artist Application Deadline: May 20, 2026