open call

Safe & Sound Exhibition

Apply by April 15, 2026

By Slow Construct x Leroy Street Studio

Slow Construct in collaboration with Leroy Street Studio is hosting an open call for Safe & Sound, an exhibition at Allen Street Gallery from May 14 – June 26, 2026.

The Context

Home is where we’re supposed to feel safe. This exhibition explores the emotional and material cues that shape that experience: the objects that hold us, the textures that regulate us, the forms that shelter or signal and the small design decisions that quietly shift how we inhabit space.

This theme feels especially urgent now. We’re living through a period marked by instability: economic pressure, housing insecurity, climate volatility, political tension and the everyday overstimulation of modern life. In that context, “safety” becomes more than a basic need; it becomes a design question, a cultural question and a collective one. What does it mean to make—or find—home today? What do we reach for when we need grounding? And how can objects carry a sense of steadiness, refuge or repair?

The Brief

We seek work that makes you feel safe & sound at home. Submissions can be literal or abstract; domestic objects, speculative prototypes, collectible design pieces, artifacts of ritual, furniture, lighting, sculptural work or material studies. “Home” may be interpreted as a physical space, a social condition, a personal history, a political reality or an imagined future.

We’re especially interested in work that feels intentional in how it holds space. Works might evoke protection or tenderness; they might question who gets to feel safe and why; they might propose new forms of care in the built environment. We’re looking for clarity of concept and a strong relationship between the idea and the making.

The Opportunity

Selected works will be exhibited at Allen Street Gallery from May 14 – June 26, 2026 with an opening reception on May 14, 2026. The show will also take part in NYCxDesign Festival from May 14-20, 2026.

Slow Construct will provide marketing, communications and sales support, while Leroy Street Studio will provide exhibition and installation necessities. Additionally, you will be invited to join Slow Construct’s community of architect-makers to forge new connections, collaborations and access to creative support.

Key Dates

▬ Applications open: March 26, 2026
▬ Applications close: April 15, 2026
▬ Artists selected: April 20, 2026
▬ Installation: April 24 - May 12, 2026
▬ Opening reception: May 14 - June 26, 2026

Location

Allen Street Gallery
65 Allen Street New York, NY

FAQ

  • This open call is for designers trained in the built environment, including architecture, interior architecture and design, landscape architecture, industrial design, urbanism and adjacent spatial practices.

  • We welcome submissions across all mediums and formats. We’re open to functional objects, collectible design, sculpture, material studies, prototypes and hybrid practices—so long as the work can be exhibited in a gallery context.

    We also accept work-in-progress submissions as long as the work can be finished and delivered by the installation timeframe (April 24-May 12).

  • The Open Call is free to apply. If you are selected, there is a $50 exhibition fee due upon confirmation of participation. Fees go towards operating and marketing costs, and participation in NYCxDesign.

  • Selected works must arrive to Allen Street Gallery during the designated drop-off window: April 24 – May 12, 2026. Shipping is permitted, but artists are responsible for all packing, shipping costs, and ensuring the work arrives during the drop-off window. Specific delivery instructions and timing will be shared with selected participants.

  • Yes. All selected works must be available for sale for the duration of the exhibition and will be sold exclusively through the Slow Construct platform. Pricing will only be listed online. Generally, works remain installed for the duration of the exhibition unless otherwise agreed. If your work is made-to-order or you have a second edition available, note that in your submission. Commission terms will be shared with selected participants.

  • Email Jesslyn at hello@slowconstruct.com.

  • Stay in the loop via our newsletter and on Instagram, @slowconstruct, @leroystreetstudio and @allenstreetgallery.

    RSVP to join us at the opening reception here.

Application