The Muroff-Kotler Visual Arts Gallery at SUNY Ulster Announces Call for Art Submissions for Black Excellence: A Legacy in Color

December 12, 2025 – Stone Ridge, NY – SUNY Ulster’s Muroff-Kotler Visual Arts Gallery is now accepting submissions for its next exhibition, Black Excellence: A Legacy in Color. The due date for submissions is Monday, December 29, 11:59 p.m. for an exhibit that will run from February 4 – 20, 2026.

Curated by Sam Goldberg, in collaboration with SUNY Ulster’s black Student Union, and made possible by The Ulster Community College Foundation, Inc., the exhibit will be a collective celebration of Black Artistry across media. Works exhibited will showcase campus and community voices exploring the diversity of Black creative expression and experience, past and present.

Milestone dates for this call for art:

  • Submission Deadline: Monday, December 29, 11:59 p.m.
  • Artist Notification: Monday, January 12
  • Work Dropoff: Tuesday – Friday, January 20-23
  • Show Opening Reception: Wednesday, February 4, 12:30 – 2:00 p.m.

To see the full schedule and requirements, visit https://bit.ly/blackexcellenceart.

Sam Goldberg, a SUNY Ulster alumnus, is a multidisciplinary artist and fabricator interested in social engagement, cooperation, and pedagogy. They collaborate with other Hudson Valley artists to create sculptures, installations, and spaces, including pieces found at the Kingston Land Trust’s Forest Sanctuary, the 2024 Future Sound of Nature Music Festival, and the 2023 Terrain Biennial in Newburgh, NY. Sam is enrolled in Prescott College’s remote Master of Fine Arts program and is a graduate of SUNY Ulster’s Fine and Visual Arts department, where they now work as the gallery/studio tech.

The Black Student Union aims to create a safe space for Black students, promote awareness and understanding of Black culture and history, empower students through leadership development, advocate for their needs on campus, and foster a sense of community.  The mission is to uplift, unite, educate, and empower students on campus.

Questions can be directed to gallery@sunyulster.edu.

About the Muroff-Kotler Visual Arts Gallery

The Muroff-Kotler Visual Arts Gallery serves as a center for creative artistic activity at the College and for the outside community. It also functions as an environment for teaching, performing, and exhibiting.

The College’s permanent art collection enriches the cultural climate on campus by making additional works of high artistic achievement available to students and the community. In this manner, the collection serves as a permanent visual reference source.

The College believes that the acquisition of artworks and the presentation of different art exhibitions assist the College community in setting standards for judgment and perception.

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CALL FOR ART: Black Excellence: A Legacy in Color February

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Opening Reception: February 4, 2O26

Wednesday, 12:30-2:00 pm

(for a flyer of the following, download pdf)

SUNY Ulster’s Black Student Union and the Muroff Kotler Visual Arts Gallery invite the SUNY Ulster campus community and the public to submit artwork for inclusion in their February 2026 exhibition, Black Excellence: A Legacy in Color, a collective celebration of Black artistry across media. Works exhibited will showcase campus and community voices exploring the diversity of Black creative expression and experience, past and present. 

Submissions may include up to 3 works reflecting the vibrant spectrum of Black history, creativity, and identity. All media accepted.

Submission Deadline: Monday, December 29, 11:59 pm 

*Entry to this exhibition implies agreement on the part of the sender to the conditions set forth in this prospectus.

Eligibility:

  • Open to all members of the SUNY Ulster campus community and to the public.
  • Open to artworks in all media, including but not limited to 2-dimensional, 3-dimensional, digital, video/sound-based, fashion/textile, poetry, prose, and new or unconventional media.

Submission Specifications:

  • To submit work for consideration, please email: gallery@sunyulster.edu.
  • In the email subject include your last name and the words “Black Excellence” (Ex. Lastname_Black_Excellence).
  • In the body of the email include a brief statement introducing yourself and reflecting on what motivated your submission. Also include the media and dimensions of the works being submitted and any important information about how they should be handled or displayed.
  • Attach one file for each artwork you are submitting. Name files using the format: Lastname_Firstname_Titleofwork.jpg. Use only the following file types: .jpg (images), .mp4 (video), .mp3 (audio), .pdf (text).
  • 3-dimensional works may be submitted along with up to 3 additional detailed images.For video/sound-based works longer than 5 minutes please submit a short representative clip (<3 min).For written works over 1000 words please submit a representative sample of the text (<500 words).
  • *Submissions that do not follow the guidelines above may be overlooked or disqualified.

Acceptance and Delivery of Work:

Artists whose work is selected for exhibition will be notified by Monday, January 12. Exhibiting artists are invited to provide their contact details, social media @, website url, or other relevant promotional information for display alongside their work.

The gallery will accept in-person delivery of work from Tuesday, January 20 to Friday, January 23.

Artists are responsible for ensuring that their work is properly prepared for hanging/display when it arrives at the gallery. If your artwork requires special handling or hanging/display considerations, or you have questions about preparing your work, please contact the gallery prior to Tuesday, January 20. Work may also be shipped to the gallery at the artist’s expense.

Packaging must be suitable for return shipping.

Send artwork to:

SUNY ULSTER
Muroff Kotler Visual Arts Gallery
491 Cottekill Rd.
Stone Ridge, NY 12484

Important Dates:

  • SUBMISSION DEADLINE: December 29, 11:59pm (Monday)
  • ARTISTS NOTIFIED OF SELECTION: January 12 (Monday)
  • ARTISTS DROP-OFF WORK AT THE GALLERY:  January 20-23 (Tuesday-Friday)
  • SHOW OPENING RECEPTION: February 4, 12:30-2:00pm (Wednesday)
  • ARTISTS PICK-UP WORK FROM THE GALLERY: February 23-27 (Monday-Friday)