Gay networking group seeks art for 15th-year fete

Who said LGBTQ+ pride stops in the summer? Mid-Michigan’s premiere professional LGBTQ+ organization, Suits and the City, is planning a technicolor art exhibit in Old Town and is accepting submissions.

In honor of existing for 15 years, the networking group is hosting a gallery reception Nov. 1 at the MICA Gallery. The theme of this year’s celebration, “Working in Solidarity,” will include 2-D and 3-D visual art. Submissions should be digital files burned to a CD or DVD and delivered to the office of the Michigan Institute for Contemporary Art, 1210 Turner St., by Oct. 26. Artists can submit up to five pieces of work, a resume and cover letter describing the intentions behind the work.

All submissions will be reviewed and judged by Suits’ cochairperson Lorenzo Lopez, MICA operations manager Katelyn Stralkowski and Meghan Martin, interim executive director for the Arts Council for Greater Lansing.

Accepted artwork will come with a list of requirements for hanging and displaying for staff at MICA to execute. “Working in Solidarity” officially ends Nov. 30.

Over the past 15 years, Suits in the City has donated to groups such as the Lansing Area Aids Network, Salus Center and Gateway’s LGBT youth group, TRUE.

Lopez said this is the first time Suits and the City has called upon the local arts community and hopes this will help LGBTQ+ artists find “a path to realize their dreams through art.”

“I think the MICA Art Gallery can be a leader relative to the LGBTQ+ community," Lopez said. "We can learn from each other.”

For inquiries regarding submissions, email Lorenzo Lopez at llnslopez@aol.com or Katelyn Stralkowski at mica@micharts.org.