Open Call for Artists 2025: Mental Load & Invisible Work

Ruth Mateus-Berr
2 days ago
2 min read

Updated: 4 minutes ago

Call for entries for contributions from all sectors of the arts.

"MENTAL LOAD AND INVISIBLE WORK"

OPEN CALL FOR ARTISTS 2025

An exhibition entitled Mental Load and Invisible Work will take place in the Trinkhalle Bad Ischl and in the Sudhaus of Salinen Austria.

THE THEME

We invite artists to submit works that address the theme of mental load and invisible work for this open call for artists 2025. How does the invisible burden of organizing, planning, and caring shape our lives, our relationships, and our society? What stories can be told about this, and how can artistic forms of expression make the invisible visible?

THE BACKGROUND

Mental load describes the often invisible responsibility of organizing and managing everyday life. It disproportionately affects women and marginalized groups in particular. This form of work often goes unnoticed, unseen, and unpaid—yet it is essential. With this exhibition, we want to educate, reflect, and create a space for dialogue.

WHO CAN APPLY?

We are looking for artists from all disciplines, including painting, drawing, sculpture, textile art, architecture, photography, video, performance, digital art, literature, design, and interdisciplinary approaches. Both established artists and newcomers are invited to participate.

CRITERIA

Relevance to the topic, originality, aesthetics, communication, feasibility

Discussion of the topic, possible questions

How does invisible work manifest itself in our everyday lives?
What are the emotional, psychological, and physical effects of mental load?
How does the perception of invisible work change in different contexts (e.g., culture, gender, class)?
What collective or individual strategies are there to make mental load visible or to alleviate it?