Open Call for Artists & Iconographers
Opening in Athens in January 2027, the new Center for Contemporary Byzantine Art & Iconography (CCBAI) will serve as a dedicated home for the advancement and renewal of the living Byzantine visual tradition in today’s artistic landscape.
Its mission is to cultivate a dynamic, creative and thoughtful environment where artists, scholars, and the public can engage the beauty, theology, and imagination at the heart of contemporary Byzantine art and iconography — and to explore how its visual principles continue to inform and inspire meaningful expression around the world.
The Center is committed to supporting artists whose work creates a contemporary iconography based on the tradition of ecclesiastical art – not as a historic tradition fixed in the past, but as a living visual theology, in continuity and in dialogue with our modern world.
CCBAI stands precisely at this threshold.
The vision of CCBAI is shaped under the vision of master artist, iconographer, and Byzantine art scholar George Kordis, whose work has revealed the living rhythm and generative power of the Byzantine visual language.
In collaboration with Director Keri Wiederspahn and art historian and curator Olga Yunak, the Center is formed through a shared commitment to cultivating a space where tradition is not preserved as static, but unfolds through artistic practice, dialogue, and contemporary expression.
To this end, CCBAI welcomes artists working in a wide range of media, including drawing, painting, fresco, mosaic, three-dimensional work in wood and ceramics, textile practices such as embroidery and fabric, as well as digital iconography. Across these forms, what unites the work we champion is not the material itself, but a shared commitment to ecclesiastical art —its formal clarity, theological richness, and capacity to shape sacred presence.
A key part of the Center’s mission is sustaining artists across the full arc of their development. CCBAI actively supports students and emerging iconographers alongside mid-career and established practitioners, recognizing that transmission, mentorship, and formation are essential to the vitality of the tradition.
Through residencies, exhibitions, education, and international cultural collaborations, CCBAI will serve as a creative and intellectual home for artists working within or inspired by this tradition. CCBAI seeks to create a meaningful dialogue between tradition and innovation, between artists and audience, and between historical continuity and contemporary experience.
As we prepare for our inaugural year, we welcome contributions from the global artistic community.
OPEN CALL FOR ARTWORK SUBMISSIONS
The Center for Contemporary Byzantine Art & Iconography (CCBAI) invites artists working faithfully within the Byzantine visual language to submit works for consideration in the Center’s inaugural exhibition program for iconography. This Open Call marks the formal beginning of CCBAI’s curatorial and collecting activities as we prepare to open in Athens in November 2026.
Selected works will be considered for:
- Inclusion in upcoming exhibitions at CCBAI, including curated group shows and thematic presentations.
- Potential acquisition into the Center’s permanent collection, dedicated to preserving and advancing the living practice of contemporary Byzantine art and iconography.
A separate Open Call for non-ecclesiastical works—by artists who work with the Byzantine visual system in contemporary or innovative creative contexts—will be released in the Fall 2026 season.
Eligibility
Artists at various stages of practice—emerging artists, mid-career, and established iconographers—are encouraged to apply. CCBAI is committed to supporting the ongoing transmission of tradition through creative engagement with diverse generations of practitioners.
Accepted Media
The following media are welcome, provided the work is rooted in the iconographic system:
- Painting (including egg tempera, fresco, acrylic, or mixed media on panel)
- Three-Dimensional Works (woodcarving, ceramics, sculptural forms)
- Textile Works (embroidery, fabric-based iconography, liturgical textiles)
This Open Call is intended for artists who work within the Byzantine visual system; create ecclesiastical or canonically grounded iconographic works; and demonstrate a mature understanding of the drawing, rhythm, and theological logic that sustain both tradition and creativity in contemporary practice.
Submission Guidelines
A direct link to respond to the OPEN CALL is shared further below.
Within the form, Artists will be asked to submit:
Up to 3 artworks for review, each with:
-
- Title
- Medium
- Dimensions
- Date
- Brief description (optional)
2. Brief Artist Statement (250 – 500 words) Describing your approach to iconography, your formation, and your understanding of the Byzantine visual system.
3. Artist Bio (150–250 words)
4. CV or résumé (optional for emerging artists)
5. Portfolio or website link (optional but encouraged)
6. Link to Social Media (if available)
All submissions must be original works created by the artist.
Selection Criteria
Works will be evaluated by the CCBAI curatorial team according to the following criteria:
- Fidelity to the Byzantine visual language
- Quality of drawing, rhythm, and composition
- Technical mastery and material execution
- Theological integrity and coherence
- Artistic maturity, originality, and depth
- Suitability for exhibition or acquisition
Timeline
- Open Call Launch: March 21, 2026
- Submission Deadline: First review May 1, 2026, and monthly until September 1st.
- Exhibition Schedule: To be announced
- Fall Season: Release of Open Call for non-ecclesiastical works
Questions?
For inquiries related to the Open Call, eligibility, or submission process, please contact: both Keri Wiederspahn at keri@writingthelight.com and admin@writingthelight.com.
Located within the Mets Art Center, in Athens, Greece, CCBAI is currently preparing for it’s official opening in January 2027.
