OPENING MARCH 1, 2025

Open Call for Flag Pole Project at ArtYard
Design a Flag to Fly Over Kingston, NY

ArtYard Kingston is excited to invite artists, designers, makers, and thinkers to submit their flags and flag designs for our Flag Pole Project, which will be prominently displayed at our new location in the heart of Kingston, New York. This project offers an opportunity to rethink the meaning and role of flags in contemporary society.

What Does a Flag Represent?
A flag is a powerful symbol—a human invention that serves both as a form of communication and a reflection of identity. Historically, flags have represented nations, ideologies, and movements, but in today's world, their significance is evolving. As symbols of both unity and division, flags can evoke strong emotions, rally communities, and communicate ideas across vast distances.

The Challenge:
We are seeking designs and flag-like objects that explore the potential of the flag as a means of communication in the 21st century. What does a flag mean today, and how can it be reinvented as a tool for connection rather than division? How can a flag transcend traditional symbols of territory, ownership, and conflict? Can a flag unify diverse ideas, communities, and cultures? We encourage artists to think creatively and critically about the role of flags in modern discourse. Your design could reflect themes such as community, inclusion, solidarity, identity, or environmentalism—just to name a few. We are open to all interpretations of what a flag can be.

Details for Submission:
We are accepting designs in any medium, from digital/ drawn image, hand crafted/ woven, assembled or constructed artwork, whether solid or ephemeral. The flag must be approximately 3x5 feet in size to fly on the 15 foot flagpole in front of the ArtPort Kingston’s new location in midtown Kingston, NY. 

Please include a brief statement (max. 300 words) explaining the concept and symbolism behind your design.

Additionally, please submit a description (max. 300 words) of a potential ceremony, performance, or music piece that could accompany the installation and deinstallation of your flag.

Deadline for Submissions: February 20th, 2025, 11:59 PM EST, being reviewed on a rolling basis

How to Submit: Google Forms

Fee: $15

We look forward to seeing your creative visions and the ways in which you interpret the flag as a dynamic, thought-provoking symbol for the complex present and future!