Call to Artists – 72 Hour Festival

The Ghostlight Stage Company invites you to create original artwork in our unique 72 hour festival event, taking place from Feb. 27 – March 1, 2026. This event will be taking place at The Carnegie Center of Colombia Tusculum in Cincinnati, OH. We are looking for talented local artists in a variety of mediums to create artwork in small groups within 4-hour time frames, all inspired by the theme of the event (more on this under “event highlights / additional information” below). All art created over the course of the 72 hours will then be displayed for public viewing in a culminating interactive gallery on March 1!

Event Highlights / Additional Information:
– Artists get to be a part of this collaborative interactive gallery event, where art from 15 different artists will be on display.
– Artists will be compensated $30/hour for their time and talents working on this project (including meeting times coordinated by Ghostlight Stage Company).
– Professional photographs of your work, all supplies needed, and lunch on the day of the gallery event will be provided.
– Some VIP patrons will be given access to watch the “creation process” and may pop in and out during the days leading up to the public event on March 1. This will be an exciting opportunity to show your creative process off to the community.
-Opportunity to network and connect with other Cincinnati creatives; and market your artistry to a wide patron base of an exciting young company.
– Ghostlight Stage Company will be selecting a theme ahead of time based on artist applications and what common strengths/themes we see throughout the work. Artists will find out the theme for the event when they receive their email accepting them as an artist for the event and who they will be collaborating with.
– There will be an initial Collaboration/Group Meet Up in December 2025 to discuss best approach to completing artwork in 4 hours. Artists should come with ideas to brainstorm as a group and see how their work flow/ideas fit together. During this meeting, they will make a game plan and establish a supplies list for Ghostlight Stage Company to purchase. (Artists can additionally get together outside of this meeting if needed, but will only be compensated for this initial in-person meeting in December and another virtual meeting the week for the event (both coordinated by Ghostlight).

Submission Guidelines:
To be considered, please fill out THIS FORM with:
1. Relevant artistic CV/resume.
2. Portfolio Links: Share your experience and previous work to help us understand your voice as an artist!
3. Cover Letter: Please write a brief 1 page cover letter sharing why you are interested in being involved with this 72 hour festival event and why you believe you would excel working collaboratively with other artists and under tight time restraints.
4. Conflicts for meetings and during the festival.

Don’t miss this exciting opportunity to collaborate with other Cincinnati-local artists!

Important Dates for Artists (meeting dates are subject to change based on avail of artists):
Initial Meeting to Discuss Project / Collaboration with fellow artists and What to Expect (in-person): December TBD
Week Before Meeting to Touch Base (Zoom): February 22, 2026
Creation Time (artists will be split into groups based off medium and given 4-hour time frames to create): February 27 & 28
Public Show: March 1, 2026

Deadline for Submissions: November 17, 2026 at 11:59pm EST