Nature is a home, and home is more than a location – it’s a story we tell and retell. A story shaped by memory, community, survival and care.

Is caring for the Earth and caring for each other any different? We ask artists to consider how both nature (our home) and community require tending, protection, and renewal. This exhibition invites artists to explore the interconnectedness of memory, creativity and storytelling in sustaining our responsibility to nurture both nature and community.

Coinciding with Louis Joel Arts & Community’s 20-year anniversary in 2025, the Louis Joel Gallery is seeking expressions of interest for a group exhibition exploring the connections between care for community and care for nature – a home that houses us all.

This group exhibition will be the culmination of the Community Curatorial Project supported by Hobsons Bay City Council, a community led project reflecting on the past and present of community care and celebrating the future yet to come. Louis Joel Gallery welcomes artists, artisans and crafters who live, work or study in the City of Hobsons Bay or have a connection with the broader Western region of Narrm (Melbourne). This expression of interest is open to artists at all stages of their careers – from emerging to established and whose work speaks to these themes. We welcome varied interpretations of the theme through diverse mediums and modes of creative expression.

All entrants must fill out and submit the form below by Tuesday 22 April 2025, 5pm. Late entries will not be accepted. For information about eligibility for the exhibition please refer to the Terms and Conditions. Please contact gallery@ljac.com.au for any further queries. Please ensure you have read the terms and conditions carefully before submitting your entry. Applications that do not meet the requirements contained within the terms and conditions will not be accepted.

KEY DATES
Applications Open: Tuesday 25 March 2025
Applications Close: Tuesday 22 April 2025
Selected artists notified by: Week starting 5 May 2025
Final Headshot, Artwork description & dimensions: Tuesday 17 June 2025
Final Artwork delivered to Louis Joel Gallery: Thursday 26 June 2025 by 4:30pm
Install: Friday 27 June 2025, 10 am – 4pm
Exhibition dates: Saturday 28 June to Thursday 17 July 2025
Exhibition Opening: Saturday 28 June, 1 – 2 pm
Artwork Pick up: Thursday 17 July, 3 – 4:30pm