TAMPA, FLORIDA / ACCESS Newswire / January 8, 2026 / The Neurodivergent Empowerment Institute (NEI), part of the Bionic Bloom Wellness Collective family of wellness centers, is issuing an open call for artists creating activism-based art that challenges stigma, centers lived experience, and advocates for equity, autonomy, and human dignity.

NEI is seeking artwork that does not remain neutral in the face of injustice. This call welcomes art that speaks directly to systems that impact neurodivergent, disabled, queer, marginalized, and historically excluded communities, especially work that confronts ableism, medical harm, pathologization, silencing, and erasure.

Art selected through this call will be exhibited within NEI's therapeutic, educational, and community-facing spaces, where it will serve as both reflection and provocation, supporting dialogue, empowerment, and social awareness.

Themes of Interest

Artists are invited to submit work that explores or addresses:

• Neurodiversity and disability justice

• Autonomy, consent, and bodily sovereignty

• Unmasking, identity, and self-definition

• Harm caused by punitive or deficit-based systems

• Intersectionality across race, gender, sexuality, class, and ability

• Resistance, resilience, visibility, and collective care

Political, personal, poetic, confrontational, or quietly radical approaches are all welcome.

Who Should Apply

• Neurodivergent and disabled artists

• Artists engaged in social justice or community advocacy

• Artists whose work is rooted in lived experience

• Emerging and established artists across all mediums

Formal credentials are not required. Voice, intention, and impact matter.

Accepted Mediums

NEI welcomes a wide range of formats, including but not limited to:

• Painting, drawing, collage, mixed media

• Photography and digital art

• Text-based or conceptual work

• Sculpture, installation, and fiber arts

Touchable or interactive works may be considered if clearly identified.

Why Exhibit With NEI

• Exhibit in a mission-driven institute committed to empowerment and systemic change

• Reach clinicians, educators, families, and neurodivergent individuals

• Contribute to spaces where art is used to support awareness, dialogue, and transformation

• Opportunities for future exhibitions, commissions, and collaboration within the Bionic Bloom ecosystem

Submission Guidelines

Please submit:

• A brief artist statement describing the activist focus of the work

• 5-10 images or documentation of recent work

• Medium, dimensions, and installation needs

• Pricing or commission range (if applicable)

• Website or social media links

Submissions are reviewed on a rolling basis.

How to Apply

Email submissions to ella@bionicbloom.org with the subject line:
"NEI Open Artist Call - Activism-Based Art"

About the Neurodivergent Empowerment Institute
The Neurodivergent Empowerment Institute is a specialized center within the Bionic Bloom Wellness Collective, dedicated to affirming neurodivergent identities through empowerment-based therapy, education, creativity, and community engagement. NEI exists to shift narratives, challenge harmful systems, and support individuals in thriving on their own terms.

SOURCE: Bionic Bloom