Entries Deadline: Monday, September 15, 2025
Applications close at 11:59 PM, Central Time
All entries must be submitted online at https://reviewstar.io/f/muertos2025
Download a PDF version of this prospectus HERE.
Read this prospectus entirely before submitting entries.
The Bath House Cultural Center is seeking entries for its 39th annual Día de Muertos exhibition. In 2025, the show is titled Día de Muertos: The Happiest Memory. The exhibition, curated by Enrique Fernández Cervantes, will include art in a variety of media and altar installations by local, regional, and national artists.
ELIGIBILITY
This call is open to all artists who live in the United States. Art that has been exhibited in previous Día de Muertos exhibitions at the Bath House will not be accepted. Entries that do not meet submission requirements will be disqualified.
DIA DE LOS MUERTOS TRADITION
The Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) is one of the most beloved and representative celebrations from Mexico. One central belief in this tradition involves the temporary return of the souls of the deceased, who come back home to the world of the living each year in November to spend time with their families and to nourish themselves with the food offered to them on the altars set up in their honor.
FOCUS OF THE 2025 EXHIBITION
At the core of Día de Muertos lies the belief that remembering those who have passed is an act of love that keeps their spirit alive. Families and friends gather to build ofrendas (altars), share food, music, and stories, and recall the essence of those who came before them—not with sorrow, but with heartfelt joy and gratitude. This tradition turns mourning into celebration, transforming grief into a reaffirmation of life and connection.
The Happiest Memory honors that spirit by asking participating artists to reflect on a single, joyful memory of someone they have lost—one vivid moment that encapsulates their loved one’s spirit—and to create a work of art or altar inspired by that cherished recollection. While many of us hold countless fond memories of the departed, this exhibition calls for a focus on one particular instance of happiness, a memory that continues to bring light and warmth even in absence.
Through this focused lens, the exhibition becomes a powerful mosaic of love and remembrance—each piece a personal narrative, a visual poem, a tangible memory shared with the community. The show includes works in all media alongside traditional and contemporary altars, creating a vibrant, heartfelt tribute to the lives that continue to shape us through memory.
MEDIA
Art in all media will be considered. All two-dimensional art must be properly wired and suitable for hanging. Three-dimensional art must be fully stable to stand on its own or be attached to a stable base that can sit securely on top of our pedestals. A limited number of 32” TV screens are available to play video art. Due to space restrictions, we do not use video projectors in this show.
There are no restrictions on the size of the artwork, but bear in mind that artists are responsible for the transportation of their works and their prompt removal after the show closes.
Altar installations must be coordinated with the curator. Because of insurance restrictions, the use of irreplaceable items in altars is discouraged. Candles can be used for display only and must not be lit. We discourage the use of perishable items.
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
We do not require an entry fee. Unfinished artwork will not be reviewed.
All the entries, including altar proposals, must be submitted online at https://reviewstar.io/f/muertos2025
Artists may submit one work of art for the curator’s consideration. The Bath House Cultural Center will not accept files submitted on USB drives, memory cards, or by e-mail.
PROPOSING AN ALTAR
Artists who wish to build an altar must submit their proposals using the link above. You will be asked to provide a description of your altar and a photograph of the completed altar (if possible), or preliminary sketches of the structure and elements of the installation.
Due so space limitations, only 5-7 altars will be selected. Altars cannot exceed 50 inches in width and depth, but they can be up to 8 or 10 feet in height.
PHOTOGRAPHING YOUR ARTWORK
Submit clear images for the curator’s consideration. Our entries platform can accept files that are up to 5MB in size. Larger files are easier to review by the curator and are likely to be used for publicity.
Most cell phones have cameras that take high resolution images. If that is not the case with your mobile device, we recommend that you use a regular camera or that you ask a photographer to capture your art. For more advice, you may refer to the “Tips for Photographing Your Artwork” page HERE.
GALLERY AGREEMENT
The curator will make a final decision for the selection of entries for the show. He will review photographs of completed artwork only and will select 40-60 pieces for the exhibition. The decision of the curator is final and indisputable.
Permission to photograph and reproduce accepted entries for promotional and educational purposes is considered granted unless otherwise indicated by the artist.
Submission of entries constitutes agreement to the conditions set forth in this prospectus and in the Gallery Policy for Exhibitions. View the policy at:
Printed copies of the policy may also be obtained from the Bath House staff upon request.
SALES
Bath House Cultural Center employees are not allowed to accept payments from prospective art buyers; however, they may collect contact information from them and supply it to artists. Transactions for the purchase of artwork shall be directly between the purchaser and the artist or his/her official agent. The Friends of the Bath House Cultural Center would gladly accept a 15% voluntary donation on all art sold during the exhibition
DELIVERY, LIABILITY, AND INSURANCE
Any accepted artwork that is delivered after the scheduled date of delivery will not be included in the exhibition. All artworks should be either shipped (at the artist’s expense) or hand-delivered to and from the Bath House. The Bath House Cultural Center will not be responsible for damage, loss, or deterioration of any work while in transit. All reasonable care will be given to each work of art once it is received.
At its discretion, the City of Dallas will provide insurance on most works of art. At times, the City of Dallas may refuse to insure certain pieces of art. The Bath House will not be responsible for art that is damaged while in the custody of the center because of defective hanging or installation mechanisms that were provided/installed by the artists. As an added precaution, artists have the option to purchase coverage separately from their own insurance providers.
CALENDAR AT A GLANCE
Entries deadline: Monday, September 15, 2025
Selection notification: Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025
Posted online at 6 PM at https://bathhouse.dallasculture.org/notifications/
The notification will include the names of the selected artists (including altar artists) and will be available after 6 PM. Artists are responsible for reviewing this list. The curator will not send acceptance notifications to the artists.
In-person art deliveries: Tuesday, September 30, 2025 (3-7 PM). Late deliveries will not be accepted.
Art shipments: Art shipments must arrive between September 20-September 30, 2025.
Installation of altars: Altar artists can bring their items to the gallery on October 1, but they won’t be able to begin their installations until Saturday, October 4 (12-6 PM).
Show dates: October 11-November 8, 2025
Reception: Sunday, October 12, 2025 (5-7 PM)
Artwork pickup: Tuesday, November 11, 2025 (1-7 PM)
Return of shipped artwork: Artwork that comes from outside of DFW will be shipped back to the artists on the second week of December.
Questions?
Please contact the exhibition curator,
Enrique Fernández Cervantes at (214) 670-8723 or enrique.fernandez@dallas.gov
