NYADW 2026 — Traces of Force
Open
Call
Current Open Call Status — Closed
The 2026 open call for Traces of Force is now closed. Thank you to everyone who submitted work. Ten works by eleven artists and designers have been selected for the exhibition at Gallery 456.
This year's Physical edition explores how force, matter, body, environment, memory, and culture shape tangible design. Selected works are exhibited at Gallery 456, August 7–21, 2026.
Who Could Apply
Designers, Artists, Architects & Makers
- —Architects
- —Spatial designers
- —Product designers
- —Furniture designers
- —Industrial designers
- —Fashion / textile designers
- —Graphic designers
- —Artists
- —Installation artists
- —Multimedia artists
- —Makers & craft-based practitioners
- —Interdisciplinary creative teams
Open to Asian, Asian-diasporic, and Asian-identifying designers and artists, as well as creative practitioners whose work meaningfully engages with Asian culture, identity, material practice, or contemporary Asian experience.
What We Looked For
Work That Carries a Physical Dimension
- —Physical objects
- —Spatial installations
- —Architecture / interior / landscape
- —Furniture & product design
- —Fashion, textile & wearable works
- —Graphic / visual design with physical output
- —Sculptural works
- —Prototypes & models
- —Material experiments
- —Research-based design projects
- —Documentation of completed work
- —Multimedia works, physically grounded
Curatorial Fit
Submissions Responded to One or More of the Following
Exhibition Venue
Gallery 456
Selected works from the open call are exhibited at Gallery 456, operated by the Chinese American Arts Council, as the main venue of New York Asian Design Week 2026. The exhibition runs August 7–21, 2026.
How to Apply — Archived
Submission Guidelines
The submission window for the 2026 open call has closed. The guidelines below are preserved as an archive of the 2026 call.
01
Applicant name / team name
02
Project title
03
Project description, 250–500 words
04
3–5 project images / video link, each no larger than 15MB
05
Medium, dimensions & installation requirements
06
Artist bio & CV / resume
07
Optional — social media / website
08
Any special equipment needs
Important Dates
Open Call Timeline
Open Call Launch
June 22, 2026
Submission Deadline
July 24, 2026
Artist Notification
July 27, 2026
Exhibition Opening
August 7, 2026
Public Talks & Workshops
August 15, 2026
Closing Event
August 21, 2026
Application Fee
There was no application fee.
Selection Criteria
Submissions were reviewed based on conceptual strength, relevance to the theme, quality of execution, clarity of presentation, feasibility, and the work's ability to expand public understanding of contemporary Asian design.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Could I submit more than one project?
Yes. Applicants could submit multiple projects; each submission had to be entered separately.
Could teams apply?
Yes. Interdisciplinary creative teams were welcome to apply under a single team submission.
Did I need to live in New York?
No. Applicants did not need to be based in New York to apply.
Did the work need to be new?
No. Existing, in-progress, and proposed works were all eligible for submission.
Was there an application fee?
No. There was no application fee to submit to the open call.
Were international applicants eligible?
Yes. International applicants were eligible to apply.
What kinds of works were accepted?
Physical objects, spatial installations, architecture and interior projects, furniture and product design, fashion and textile works, sculptural works, prototypes, models, material experiments, research-based design, and documentation of completed work.
What does "Physical edition" mean?
NYADW unfolds through a two-year dialogue between Physical and Digital design. The 2026 edition is the Physical edition, focused on tangible spaces, objects, materials, and embodied experience.
What is the exhibition venue?
Selected works are exhibited at Gallery 456, operated by the Chinese American Arts Council, the main venue of NYADW 2026, from August 7 through August 21.
The 2026 Open Call Has Closed
Selected works are now featured in Traces of Force, presented at Gallery 456 from August 7 through August 21, 2026.