Applications Open: December 10th, 2024
Deadline: February 10th, 2025
West Harlem Arts—a collaborative initiative by The Children’s ArtCarnival (CAC) and Centro Cívico Cultural Dominicano (CCCD)—is thrilled to announce an open call for submissions exploring the transformative theme of Rasanblaj.
What is Rasanblaj?
Ra—San—Blaj (noun): Assembly, compilation, enlisting, regrouping.
Rasanblaj stems from Haitian Kreyòl traditions, uniting communities in resilience, resistance, and regeneration. It is a call to gather the pieces fragmented by colonization, migration, and modern-day gentrification.
This symposium will place decolonization at its heart:
Why? To dismantle imposed narratives and reclaim our identities and spaces.
How? Through arts and culture as tools of expression, healing, and empowerment.
What? A healthier, more connected community grounded in heritage and equity.
We invite you to submit bold, creative proposals for:
Art exhibitions and installations
Performances and panel discussions
Public and private interventions
Interactive workshops
And more—culminating in a community-driven action plan to sustain these decolonizing efforts.
Proposals may also contribute to the annual Arts, Crafts, and Health Fair on 145th Street, showcasing indigenous and alternative wellness practices to inspire preventative care and celebrate heritage.
Guidelines
Your submission should: Challenge colonial narratives and their effects on identity, particularly in West Harlem. Explore themes of art, ethnography, decoloniality, and history. Be as creative and impactful as you dare—think big, small, or somewhere in between!
Honorariums
Selected proposals will receive honorariums:
$1,000 for large-scale projects (e.g., major exhibitions, multi-person panels).
$500 for mid-scale projects.
$250 for small-scale projects.
Artists who identify as BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, differently-abled, or from other marginalized communities are strongly encouraged to apply. Applicants must be 18+ years old.
Key Dates
December 10, 2024: Open Call Launch February 10, 2025: Submission Deadline March 2025: Notifications to Selected Proposals May 30, 2025: Exhibition Opens
Incubator Sessions for guidance:
Sunday, January 12th: 2 PM–3:30 PM (In-person @ The CAC)
Wednesday, January 15th: 5 PM–6 PM (Virtual via Zoom)
Sunday, January 26th: 2 PM–3:30 PM (In-person @ The CAC)
Wednesday, January 29th: 5 PM–6 PM (Virtual via Zoom)
Exhibition & Symposium
May 30–June 8, 2025: Symposium Exhibition at CAC Galleries and other West Harlem spaces. May 30–31, 2025: Symposium Days June 7, 2025: Arts, Crafts, and Health Fair
About Us
The Children’s ArtCarnival (CAC) has been a cornerstone of West Harlem since 1969, empowering young people and emerging artists through transformative arts programs.
Centro Cívico Cultural Dominicano (CCCD), established in 1962, has been a vibrant hub for Dominican, Latinx, and African-American arts and culture in Hamilton Heights for over 50 years.
This is your chance to be part of a powerful movement reclaiming stories, identities, and spaces through art. Let’s assemble—Rasanblaj awaits!
Tomo Mori 
Exciting Opportunity for Artists and Scholars! 
Performances and panel discussions
Public and private interventions
Interactive workshops
Challenge colonial narratives and their effects on identity, particularly in West Harlem.
Explore themes of 
Be as creative and impactful as you dare—think big, small, or somewhere in between!
December 10, 2024: Open Call Launch
Incubator Sessions for guidance:
May 30–June 8, 2025: Symposium Exhibition at CAC Galleries and other West Harlem spaces.
Tomo Mori 
