Open call for 18th Triennial of Textile

The International Triennial of Textile is one of the world’s premier events connected with the medium of textiles. For the 18th edition, the Central Museum of Textiles in Łódź is calling on artists for whom textile is a source of inspiration, context or form to submit their work for the open call invitation. The exhibition will be held in autumn 2025—exactly 50 years since its first international event. The theme of the Triennial’s 18th edition is Deconstruction/Reconstruction.

To the curators, Marta Kowalewska and Bukola Oyebode-Westerhuis, these terms encompass the socio-political and economic challenges and contradictions of the present time. Deconstruction is dictated by a strong need for change arising from a scrutiny of the non-inclusive old orders and systems. Thus, in the framework of this Triennial, the curators propose deconstruction as breaking down and tearing apart, embracing a critical disorder, questioning and disturbing the order of modern society, rethinking old systems, and subjecting the modern world achievements to scrutiny. And, they conceive of reconstruction as a means to new possibilities, multiple pathways to restoration and repair, creating new systems to co-exist, looking back to erased traditions that can still benefit humanity, and imagining ways that our world can evolve from a state of endless violence. Read the complete curatorial preamble at cmwl.pl, in the Triennial section.

Entries for the 18th edition of the Triennial open call may be submitted from October 17, 2024 until January 31, 2025. The curators will select a list of works qualifying for the main exhibition, from which an international jury will single out winners of the 18th ITT edition.

The list of qualifying submissions will be published on the cmwl.pl website no later than March 24, 2025. The prize winners will be announced on the day of the exhibition’s opening, October 18, 2025. The top award, which is a Gold Medal, comes with 10,000 EUR in prize-money. The main exhibition of the 18th ITT will be on view until May 3, 2026.

Submissions—key information:
Eligible participants: individuals and groups from around the world. Form: submitted works must relate conceptually or formally to the medium of textile, and to reflect the 18th ITT’s theme of Deconstruction/Reconstruction.

Each individual or group may submit a portfolio consisting of available works produced within the last five years, from which the curators may select one work to take part in the exhibition. It is also permitted, as in previous editions, to submit only a single work.

The transportation of qualifying artworks from selected artists to Łódź and back to the artists is covered by the Central Museum of Textiles in Łódź.

A submitted portfolio must contain
–A current colour photograph of the artist;
–Contact information: name and surname, city and country of birth/residence, telephone number, e-mail address, date of birth;
–A bio of the artist not exceeding 2000 characters with spaces;
–Colour photographs of the works, shown against a neutral background and presented in a manner similar to their planned presentation in the exhibition. Each work must be labelled with a title, year of production, technique and materials, dimensions, and a short conceptual description.

Application form and correspondence languages: Polish, English.

The open call application rules and regulations along with an overview of the theme and new formula of the 18th edition of the International Triennial of Textile are available at cmwl.pl.

For all inquiries, contact: triennial18 [​at​] cmwl.pl.