A Call for Artists
| 2026 Filed in: Call for Artists
Lotería Reimagined | La Baraja Reimaginada
Rhode Island Latino Arts invites artists to create an original interpretation of a traditional lotería card for a collective exhibition titled La Baraja Reimaginada.
Lotería is a traditional Mexican game of chance played with a deck of 54 illustrated cards. Its familiar images—La Luna, El Corazón, La Sirena, El Tambor, and many others—have become part of Mexican popular culture. Some cards also reflect the language, social attitudes, and stereotypes of the period in which the traditional deck was created.
We invite artists to choose a card and reimagine it through their own artistic, cultural, or contemporary lens. Artists may celebrate the original image, give it a new meaning, question how it has been represented, or completely transform it for today.
• Artists may identify up to five lotería cards they would be interested in reimagining, listed in order of preference.
• Each selected artist will be assigned one card.
• RILA will coordinate the selections so that the same card is not assigned to more than one artist.
• Artists should not begin the final artwork until their card has been confirmed.
Size and Canvas
• All finished artwork must be created on a canvas measuring exactly 12x16 inches in vertical orientation.
• *RILA will provide the blank canvas to each selected artist.*
• Artists must use the canvas supplied by RILA. Because the completed works will be displayed together as a unified deck, substitutions and changes in size or orientation cannot be accepted.
• The finished artwork must remain within the edges of the canvas. Frames should not be added.
Theme
• The finished work must be an original interpretation of the assigned lotería card.
• Artists may draw from personal experience, family history, contemporary life, cultural traditions, humor, current events, or social commentary.
• Reinterpretations do not have to reproduce the traditional image. We encourage artists to think about what the card means today and how its story might be expanded, questioned, or retold.
• The card’s traditional name must remain recognizable and should appear somewhere in the finished design. RILA will provide additional guidance about the placement of the card number and title.
Style and Medium
• Artists may work in any style.
• Acrylic, oil, collage, drawing, and mixed media are welcome, provided all materials are securely attached to the supplied canvas.
• Photography is also welcome. Photos should be printed 12 x 16 on matte paper (not glossy) Vertical orientation only.
• Three-dimensional additions must be lightweight and must not extend more than 1/4 inches from the canvas.
• Artwork must be completely dry and ready to display when delivered.
• The completed piece should be visually strong and easily viewed from a distance.
• Your name and contact information.
• Up to three lotería cards you would be interested in reimagining, listed in order of preference.
• A short description of your proposed idea for each card.
• A brief artist statement of 150 words or fewer describing your work and artistic interests.
* Artists are not expected to submit completed artwork during the application process. A sketch may be included but is not required unless otherwise requested *
Deadline:
Applications must be received no later than November 3, 2026.
Selected artists will be notified by November 6 and artists can pick up their blank canvases no later than November 8.
Completed artwork must be delivered to RILA by November 28, 2026.
Selection Process
Submissions will be reviewed based on creativity, originality, connection to the selected card, visual impact, and the artist’s ability to complete the work within the project timeline.
RILA will also consider how the selected works come together as a complete and varied reimagining of the traditional deck.
Artist Honorarium and Materials: Each selected artist will receive a $150 honorarium upon completion and acceptance of the finished artwork. RILA will provide a 12 x 16-inch canvas panel to artists working in painting, drawing, or mixed media. Photographers will be responsible for printing and mounting their finished photograph at the same required size. Artists are responsible for all other materials and production costs.
Copyright and Use
Artists retain the copyright to their original designs. By participating, artists grant RILA permission to photograph and reproduce the artwork for exhibition, educational, archival, promotional, print, digital, and social media purposes.
The ownership and future use of the original physical artwork will be outlined in the artist agreement provided to selected participants.
Exhibition
The completed works will be presented together as La Baraja Reimaginada, an exhibition exploring lotería as a living artistic and cultural tradition.
Exhibition dates: December 1, 2026 to February 28, 2027. Location: TBD
We invite artists to choose a card and reimagine it through their own artistic, cultural, or contemporary lens. Artists may celebrate the original image, give it a new meaning, question how it has been represented, or completely transform it for today.
Artists of all levels and backgrounds are welcome to apply.
Guidelines
Card Selection• Artists may identify up to five lotería cards they would be interested in reimagining, listed in order of preference.
• Each selected artist will be assigned one card.
• RILA will coordinate the selections so that the same card is not assigned to more than one artist.
• Artists should not begin the final artwork until their card has been confirmed.
Size and Canvas
• All finished artwork must be created on a canvas measuring exactly 12x16 inches in vertical orientation.
• *RILA will provide the blank canvas to each selected artist.*
• Artists must use the canvas supplied by RILA. Because the completed works will be displayed together as a unified deck, substitutions and changes in size or orientation cannot be accepted.
• The finished artwork must remain within the edges of the canvas. Frames should not be added.
Theme
• The finished work must be an original interpretation of the assigned lotería card.
• Artists may draw from personal experience, family history, contemporary life, cultural traditions, humor, current events, or social commentary.
• Reinterpretations do not have to reproduce the traditional image. We encourage artists to think about what the card means today and how its story might be expanded, questioned, or retold.
• The card’s traditional name must remain recognizable and should appear somewhere in the finished design. RILA will provide additional guidance about the placement of the card number and title.
Style and Medium
• Artists may work in any style.
• Acrylic, oil, collage, drawing, and mixed media are welcome, provided all materials are securely attached to the supplied canvas.
• Photography is also welcome. Photos should be printed 12 x 16 on matte paper (not glossy) Vertical orientation only.
• Three-dimensional additions must be lightweight and must not extend more than 1/4 inches from the canvas.
• Artwork must be completely dry and ready to display when delivered.
• The completed piece should be visually strong and easily viewed from a distance.
Submission Requirements
Please submit:• Your name and contact information.
• Up to three lotería cards you would be interested in reimagining, listed in order of preference.
• A short description of your proposed idea for each card.
• A brief artist statement of 150 words or fewer describing your work and artistic interests.
* Artists are not expected to submit completed artwork during the application process. A sketch may be included but is not required unless otherwise requested *
Deadline:
Applications must be received no later than November 3, 2026.
Selected artists will be notified by November 6 and artists can pick up their blank canvases no later than November 8.
Completed artwork must be delivered to RILA by November 28, 2026.
Selection Process
Submissions will be reviewed based on creativity, originality, connection to the selected card, visual impact, and the artist’s ability to complete the work within the project timeline.
RILA will also consider how the selected works come together as a complete and varied reimagining of the traditional deck.
Artist Honorarium and Materials: Each selected artist will receive a $150 honorarium upon completion and acceptance of the finished artwork. RILA will provide a 12 x 16-inch canvas panel to artists working in painting, drawing, or mixed media. Photographers will be responsible for printing and mounting their finished photograph at the same required size. Artists are responsible for all other materials and production costs.
Copyright and Use
Artists retain the copyright to their original designs. By participating, artists grant RILA permission to photograph and reproduce the artwork for exhibition, educational, archival, promotional, print, digital, and social media purposes.
The ownership and future use of the original physical artwork will be outlined in the artist agreement provided to selected participants.
Exhibition
The completed works will be presented together as La Baraja Reimaginada, an exhibition exploring lotería as a living artistic and cultural tradition.
Exhibition dates: December 1, 2026 to February 28, 2027. Location: TBD
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