Artist Application: LIPAF 250 "THE ALPHABET OF FREEDOM"

Special Extension & Micro-Call

About the Exhibition
To commemorate the 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, we are transforming Heckscher Park into a living gallery centered on the theme of LIBERTY.

This year’s festival features monumental triangular prisms creating a physical "Liberty Trail." While our general submissions have closed, we are launching this targeted micro-call to complete a crucial anchor installation: The Alphabet of Freedom. We invite New York State visual artists to claim one of the specific letters spelling out the word L-I-B-E-R-T-Y and help us bring this public trail to life.

Artist Compensation: To incentivize a rapid turnaround for this final push, every artist selected for the Alphabet of Freedom will receive a $100 honorarium. All wide-format printing, structural fabrication, and park installation costs are 100% covered by the festival.

Important Dates
Application Deadline: Wednesday, June 17th, 2026, at 11:59 PM
Artist Decisions Sent: Thursday, June 18th, 2026
Mandatory Digitization for non-digital work (Len Marks Studio): June 19th

Exhibition Opening & Ribbon Cutting: Wednesday, July 1st, 2026
Viewing Period: July 1st – August 31st, 2026

The Prompt: Narrative Typography & Iconic Imagery
Theme: Celebrating LIBERTY through the power of the letter.

We are seeking artists to "adopt" one of the letters that spell out the word L-I-B-E-R-T-Y and treat it as a vessel for a story about American progress, community, and freedom. How can a single letter represent a monumental shift in our history or a pillar of our community?

Available Letters: The letter "I" has already been officially claimed by our first selection, The Vote of Independence by artist Jeanne Auteri (who used the letter "I" to bridge the spirit of 1776 with the 1920 Women's Suffrage movement). We are currently accepting applications strictly for the remaining letters: L, B, E, R, T, and Y.

Creative Examples to Spark Your Design:
The Letter "L" (Labor): Filled with blue-collar workers, gears, and brickwork to represent the Industrial Revolution.
The Letter "E" (Education): A visual composition representing the "Liberty of the Mind."
The Letter "Y" (Youth): Celebrating the next generation taking the torch of freedom forward.
The Letters "B", "R", or "T": Think Belonging, Resilience, Truth, Trailblazers, or Togetherness.

Submission Guidelines & Fees

Submission Rule: Artists may submit one letter entry total per application. Submission does not guarantee selection.
Entry Fee: FREE ($0). The standard entry fee has been completely waived for this targeted micro-call.
Jury: Entries will be juried by a panel including representatives from the Town of Huntington, Huntington Historical Society, and the Heckscher Museum of Art.

Recognition & Legacy

Selected artists will receive:

• $100 Honorarium paid upon successful file delivery/digitization.
• Massive public exposure (100k+ anticipated park visitors).
• Featured spotlights on all digital and social platforms.
• Permanent inclusion in the LIPAF 250 Historical Archive.

Produced by Colored Colors in partnership with Huntington Historical Society, The Heckscher Museum of Art & The Town of Huntington

Application Requirements & Media Guidelines

Eligible Media: New and existing original work in all 2-Dimensional media (including digital illustration, graphic design, photography, and high-res captures of physical paintings) will be considered.
Image Quality: Initial upload must be a clear digital file. Final files used for the 6ft x 6ft panels must be a minimum of 300 DPI and suitable for large-format printing.
Mandatory Digitization: Selected artists submitting physical paintings/mixed media MUST be available over the weekend of June19th to bring their physical work to Len Marks Photography Studio (Huntington, NY) for professional digitization so we can meet our strict printing deadlines. Purely digital artists are exempt from physical scanning but must deliver final high-res files by this window.

By submitting work to the LIPAF 250, artists agree to allow the accepted works and submitted documentation to be printed for public display and used for publicity, educational, and archival purposes. Artworks will always be shared with full artist credit. Artists retain all core rights to their original intellectual property.