Open Call by Airport’s Arts Program: NEW PAINT

San Diego International Airport's Arts Program invites artists, curators, and cultural, community, or educational organizations working in all media to submit proposals that connect to the theme of NEW PAINT. All proposals must focus on existing work, although adaptation of artwork for the exhibition space will be permitted.

Proposals are due Sunday, July 20, 2025, 11:59 p.m. PDT.

Access guidelines: https://ava71.r.ag.d.sendibm3.com/mk/cl/f/sh/7nVU1aA2nfwFRTmTEpoAXiSMQ2ZIkEw/E9ekxcMQrIB1

Approximately 8-10 participating artists and/or organizations will be chosen for the exhibition, each will receive a stipend of $1,250.

THEME

The origins of artwork incorporating the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be traced back to 1968 when San Diego-based artist and professor Harold Cohen created AARON, one of the first AI programs designed for artmaking. This early project marks the genesis of human-machine collaboration, and today, AI is being embedded into the creative process more than ever before. Artists have begun to use readily available AI tools such as DALL-E, Midjourney, and Stable Diffusion, collaborating with algorithms and neural networks to generate components of artwork that is at once innovative and thought-provoking.

NEW PAINT will present a groundbreaking showcase of art that incorporates AI as a collaborator to the creation process, celebrating the evolution of technology as it intersects with human creativity. This exhibition explores the unique collaboration between artists and AI, highlighting how cutting-edge technology enhances and is incorporated to the artistic process, rather than replacing it. The show will feature regional artists who embrace AI tools in their creative practice, further cementing San Diego as a central hub for the exploration of AI’s role in contemporary art.

Artwork and collections representing the theme will be displayed throughout the airport for up to one year beginning January 2026. Approximately 8-10 participating artists and/or organizations will be chosen for the exhibition. San Diego and Tijuana-based artists are strongly encouraged to apply.

About The Arts Program at SAN

The Arts Program at SAN is committed to the implementation of arts programming that elevates voices reflective of the San Diego region, and that supports a full creative life for all. This effort will be supported through community engagement strategies and artist selection processes that reinforce the representation of our distinctive and unique communities. Selected artists will be expected to support these efforts in their practice.