Call for Submissions: Digital Pride
Original reporting by Electronic Frontier Foundation
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and the Queer Arts Collective have announced a new art initiative, inviting submissions that explore digital liberation from diverse and historically underrepresented perspectives. This collaborative project seeks to build a creative space where digital justice intersects with artistic expression, curating between five and nine pieces that offer fresh, untold, and historically censored takes on technology's impact. Artists are encouraged to delve into underrepresented issues, share personal accounts of life under surveillance, or envision futures where technology genuinely serves communities rather than perpetuating carcerality. The initiative aims not only to showcase impactful art but also to expand understanding of what is vital in the ongoing struggle for digital rights.
The call welcomes works across writing (fiction, nonfiction, poetry) and visual arts (photography, drawing, painting), including fluid and cross-genre submissions. Pieces will be selected for their interpretation of the digital liberation theme, emotional resonance, and curatorial cohesion, particularly emphasizing overlooked viewpoints. Interested creators can submit original work, including previously published pieces, to paige+pride@eff.org by June 30, 2026. Selected artists will receive $25-$50 compensation, retain all legal rights to their work, and grant EFF and the Queer Arts Collective a non-exclusive license for publication. Judges include EFF attorney Kit Walsh, activist Paige Collings, and the Queer Arts Collective, all committed to digital justice.
The collaborative art call from the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and the Queer Arts Collective marks a significant effort to bridge digital justice and artistic expression. By inviting submissions exploring digital liberation through underrepresented queer experiences, the initiative broadens discourse on online rights and surveillance. This project is more than an exhibition; it's a curated space for untold stories and imaginative visions, challenging carcerality and advocating for technology as a tool for community empowerment. Valuing emotional resonance and thematic interpretation, the selection process promises a deeply personal yet universally impactful collection.
Reshaping Narratives
This partnership underscores the crucial intersection of identity and digital rights. It acknowledges that a truly free internet cannot be divorced from the experiences of marginalized communities, particularly those subject to heightened surveillance and censorship. By empowering queer artists to share often-overlooked perspectives, the initiative actively works to reshape dominant narratives and dismantle existing power structures. This demonstrates a proactive approach to digital advocacy, recognizing art as a powerful catalyst for social change and a vital medium for expressing complex digital realities for vulnerable populations.
Looking ahead, the compiled works will serve as an invaluable resource, sparking dialogue and fostering a deeper, more nuanced understanding of digital justice. This has the potential to cultivate a vibrant community of artists and activists, inspiring future collaborations and innovative advocacy. By embedding human stories within technical and legal debates, EFF and the Queer Arts Collective are contributing to a future where digital spaces are truly liberated and reflective of diverse human experiences, with transparency around AI use becoming an ethical standard for creative labor.
Frequently asked questions
- What kind of artwork are EFF and Queer Arts Collective seeking for their project?
- The project seeks creative art pieces exploring digital liberation, justice, and the intersection of technology with queer experiences. They encourage submissions that highlight underrepresented perspectives, joy, sorrow under surveillance, or imaginative uses of technology for community good. Acceptable mediums include writing (fiction, non-fiction, poetry) and visual arts (photography, drawing, painting), welcoming cross-genre and collaborative works.
- What are the key submission requirements and deadlines for the digital liberation art project?
- Submissions of original work, which can be previously published, are accepted until June 30, 2026. Entrants should submit one piece or contained series, attaching it with a short bio to paige+pride@eff.org. Compensation ranges from $25-$50 for selected works published on the EFF and Queer Arts Collective websites. Artists retain all legal rights to their work, granting a non-exclusive license for publication and promotion.
- Who are the organizations behind the art initiative promoting digital justice and queer expression?
- The art initiative is a collaboration between the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and the Queer Arts Collective. EFF is a leading non-profit defending digital rights, while the Queer Arts Collective is an NYC-based group of queer and racialized artist-activists. They aim to create a space for art that challenges structural hierarchies and explores themes of digital liberation from diverse, often underrepresented, perspectives.