COSI Art Contest - The Art of Bioluminescence

Ever catch a firefly and wonder how it gives off flashes of light at night? Or the reason why jellyfish light up the deep depths of the ocean? This chemical reaction in which light is produced is called bioluminescence. Living creatures use bioluminescence for many different reasons. Fireflies have a special enzyme that stimulates the chemical reaction to produce and emit light to attract a mate. Jellyfish use bioluminescence to defend against predators. Some organisms, like angler fish, use light to lure their prey.

Inspired by AMNH’s Creatures of Light exhibit, your task is to imagine, create, and illustrate your own creature that glows. Your artwork can depict a real living organism or a creature from your imagination, with at least one element that glows in the dark. What is this creature’s name? What does it look like? Where does it live? What does it eat? How does this creature use its ability to glow as an advantage? Does it use light to attract a mate? Defend against predators? Attract prey?

Submit your original glow-in-the-dark artwork for a chance to be featured in COSI’s next community art exhibition The Art of Bioluminescence!

Submit HERE for a chance to exhibit your art in the #1 Science Museum in the nation by USA TODAY 10Best Reader’s Choice 4 years in a row!

If you are unable to fill out the submission form, please contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for mailing or in-person drop-off opportunities.

Submission Deadline is September 11, 2023 at midnight. No late entries will be accepted.
Questions? Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

DETAILS & POLICIES:

Artwork will be displayed in a black light gallery, so your artwork should include at least ONE glowing element. Some possible materials to use: ultraviolet paint, neon tape, yarn/fabric, stickers/collage elements, fluorescent inks, etc.
Artists may submit ONE image of 2-Dimensional art for consideration (all 2D media are welcome-drawing, painting, prints, collage, photography, digital, etc)
This contest features separate age categories: Adult (18+), Teen (12-17), and Youth (11 and under)
If selected, COSI may request the original artwork remain at COSI for the duration of the Exhibition (October 14, 2023-March 3, 2024)
Artists may enter only their original work – no reproductions of original work will be accepted
Your submission may be displayed in COSI. Anything that is deemed inappropriate or explicit by the Judging Panel or COSI’s Project Team will not be accepted for review

IMPORTANT DATES:

Call for Entry Open: Week of July 24, 2023
Deadline to submit: September 11, 2023 at midnight (no late submissions will be accepted)
Artist Notifications: Week of September 25, 2023
Exhibition on view October 14, 2023 - March 3, 2024

CONDITIONS AND LIMITATIONS:

Artists may enter ONE artwork for consideration.
Artwork must have one glow-in-the-dark element incorporated.
Media Conditions:
- 2D Art: must fit within one of the following frame sizes:
  1. 8.5” x 11”
  2. 11” x 17”
  3. 16” x 20”
  4. 24” x 36”
COSI will frame all accepted 2-Dimensional entries.
Works on canvas and panel must have D-rings and wire installed on the back to be ready to hang.
NO sawtooth hangers please.
Upon delivery, if an accepted artwork is found to have been misrepresented, it may be disqualified.
Submissions will only be accepted via website form.

UPLOADED IMAGE SPECIFICATIONS:

Artwork must be photographed straight and in focus
Label uploaded image with title of artwork
Uploaded image must be high resolution, less than 8 MB and saved as a JPEG or PDF
If your total image file size is greater than 8 MB, you may resize the image through one of these free photo editing program: Microsoft Image Resizer, Microsoft Photo Editor, Picasa, etc.

**When photographing artwork, please remember this will be the image reviewed by our jurors during the selection process. Please submit the best photo representation of your artwork.
*Artist Statement: Application requires each artist to submit a short statement /description of the work. Please be mindful that the jurors will be looking at these statements as they make their final decisions. If selected to exhibit, these statements will be used on artwork label.

JURORS:

Chaz O’Neil currently serves as the Artist Programs & Percent for Art coordinator at the Ohio Arts Council. Chaz received a BA from Otterbein University and an MFA from Bowling Green State University. He is a visual artist whose work is inspired by science, math, and experimental exploration of material. Recent exhibitions include Greater Columbus 2020 at the Columbus Museum of Art, Terraform at ROYGBIV Gallery in 2021, and Tesseract at 934 Gallery in 2022. Formerly, O’Neil worked as the Museum & Gallery Assistant/Collection Registrar and taught foundations drawing courses at Otterbein University. O'Neil was also the Assistant Director at the Ohio State Fair Fine Arts Exhibition for 15 years where he developed a relationship with the Ohio Arts Council. He also taught at Shanghai Publishing Printing College in China in 2018 & 2019. Recently, he had residencies in El Bruc, Spain as part of the Ohio Art League Can Serrat Residency Award. In 2019, he also took part in the Greater Columbus Arts Council’s Residency Exchange Program in Dresden, Germany.

Stephanie Leeson is a graduate of Columbus College of Art and Design and majored in Time-Based Media with a minor in Art History. She started her COSI journey as a volunteer, moved on to a role with the part-time floor team, and then a COSI on Wheels Demonstrator before landing a full time position as a Graphic Designer in 2007. She has spent her entire professional career at COSI, learning multiple disciplines and broadening her knowledge of motion graphics, UX graphics, illustration, and more. Leeson now leads the graphic design team as the Senior Graphic Design Specialist. Some of her favorite projects include working with large-scale graphics to transform COSI’s glass elevator into a massive Tetris game or an elaborate underwater ocean scene. She has also collaborated on external projects such as illustrating for “The Turtle and The Universe” book. Her favorite bioluminescent experience in nature is visiting the bioluminescent waters in Lagos, Puerto Rico.