OUR PLANET & THE ENVIRONMENT

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NEWorks Productions is selecting photographic works for inclusion in the D.C. Home Rule 50 exhibition. Submitted works should capture images that reflect the themes of self-governance, free elections, full citizenship and D.C. statehood. Entrants are encouraged to be bold and daring with their work.

D.C. Home Rule 50 commemorates two important anniversaries: The District of Columbia Home Rule Act, passed by Congress on December 24, 1973, and passage of the 23rd Amendment in 1963.

The District of Columbia Home Rule Act, passed by Congress on December 24, 1973, devolved select congressional powers to reorganize the governmental structure of Washington, D.C.; provided a charter for local governance, including the election of a mayor and city council; and delegated certain legislative powers to the local government. Ten years earlier, in 1963, the 23rd Amendment granted citizens of the District of Columbia the right to vote for President and Vice President in national elections. 

The significance of these two anniversaries is all the more compelling when you consider the following: that District residents were not legally able to cast votes in a presidential election until 1964 (Lyndon B. Johnson v. Hubert Humphrey) and that governance of the District of Columbia was controlled by Congress for 183 years, from our city’s founding on July 16, 1790 until Christmas Eve, 1973. The Home Rule Act and the 23rd Amendment were important, long-overdue steps towards granting citizens of the nation’s capital the same democratic rights as citizens of all fifty states.

The D.C. Home Rule 50 exhibition will draw attention to this important history by emphasizing the themes of free elections, self-governance, full citizenship, and D.C. statehood. Featuring photographic images by student artists attending the American University, Howard University, and University of the District of Columbia, this collection will be published online as a digital exhibition, with selected works curated for a mounted exhibition that will open on D.C. Emancipation Day, April 14, 2023. 

Submissions must be received by Friday, March 3, 2023 at 11:59pm EST.

NOTE: incomplete or late submissions are subject to disqualification.

Selection is open to current students and recent alumni of American University, Howard University and University of the District of Columbia. Entrants must have taken at least one photography course.

• All entrants must watch the NEWorks documentary, "Becoming Douglass Commonwealth," to gain a better perspective on the history of the nation's capital. This documentary is viewable here on our website.

• Entrants will also need to participate in a Zoom group orientation that will take place on Sunday, February 5, 2023 at 11am.

To submit work for consideration, entrants will need to email images to projects@neworksproductions.com using the subject <<D.C. Home Rule 50 Submission>>. Entrants should also follow the step-by-step instructions below:

1. Forward entries along with the following information: 

• Full name
• Email address
• Phone number
• School affiliation and year of graduation
• Hometown
• Artist statement
• List of titles for images submitted 

2. Attach images. NOTE: All submissions should be formatted as 16X20 images. Images should be submitted as .jpg or .png files. If file size is an issue, images can be sent as zip files. 

Selected works will be announced by Friday, March 10, 2023, via email. All accepted works will be featured as part of our virtual exhibition. Some selected works will be printed and featured as part of our mounted exhibition. 

All selection decisions will be made by NEWorks officials and all decisions are final. 

Entrants' submissions qualify as an agreement of participation. Entrants will maintain full ownership of their images, however, they do extend to NEWorks and its affiliates a full and unrestricted license to exploit their images for non-commercial virtual and print exhibition in perpetuity.