almanac (noun)

: a publication containing astronomical and meteorological data for a given year and often including a miscellany of other information

: a usually annual publication containing statistical, tabular, and general information

We (co-curators Kate VanVliet and Jessica Aguilar) are proud to present ALMANAC, a printmaker’s portfolio book to be published with support from BYO Printmaking Collaborative. ALMANAC calls for socially engaging works addressing community, queer liberation, and the freedom to immigrate, especially.  We challenge contributors to channel the power of their voice to disseminate information and hope beyond their own community. We invite you to meditate on the history of the Almanac in Philadelphia’s printmaking and publishing history and reinterpret it as a contemporary resource in 2026 with guidance to address the attacks on the rights of women, undocumented individuals, and the queer community. We strive to reclaim the Almanac as a feminist endeavor - a community-sourced guide to these times nodding to revolutionaries who promoted rebellion against authoritarianism through joint community action. As feminists, our Almanac will present an inclusive approach to resource building, inviting and curating a diverse group of artists’ voices outside those of powerful men.

ALMANAC debuts in 2026 in Philadelphia, in conjunction with the Collective Futures Festival, a citywide celebration of Philadelphia’s vibrant network of artist-run spaces, DIY venues, and community-driven art initiatives, highlighting the vital role grassroots initiatives take in shaping civic dialogue and community resilience. Coinciding with semiquincentennial celebrations of the 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, Collective Futures situates Philadelphia's artist-run ecosystem within a broader national conversation about democracy, creativity, and collective care. Read more about the festival at collectivefutures.info

Before the Declaration of Independence was signed, Philadelphia was already established as a production hub for almanacs to be distributed across the colonies. At the present moment, we see our rights, power, and freedoms stripped from us. We consider the role of the artist as a messenger to disseminate information and hope to the masses, and in this context, by the historically proven method of the analog printed page. 

A more comprehensive logistics one-sheet will be provided to the accepted participants. 

ALMANAC will comprise of works from (26) printmakers, writers, artists or collaborative groups to produce an edition of DOUBLE-SIDED printworks, 52 pages - one page per week of the year. Collaborators (for example, a writer and book artist, etc) may submit together and be responsible for one double-sided work. The portfolio of prints will be assembled into a spiral-bound book and folio. 

EDITION SIZE: (30)

PAPER and SIZE: 8” high x 11” wide (with 1” gutter for binding), landscape orientation.

MEDIUMS: Any traditional or contemporary printmaking and publishing techniques, and combinations thereof, are acceptable.

FACSIMILE PUBLICATION: 

ALMANAC, in fulfillment of its role as a publication for the masses, will be scanned and digitized after artists’ editions are received by BYO Print. A facsimile edition, as a tear-away calendar style book, with each page representing a week of the calendar year, will be released during the Collective Futures Festival. By submitting to this Open Call, artists acknowledge and permit the digitization of their work for this purpose. 

Open Call: submissions due - 12/15/2025

Selected Participants Notified: 1/1/2026

Midway check-in: 3/15/2026

Artists’ Editions due to Curators: 6/1/2026

Collating/Archiving/Binding: 6/1-7/31/2026

Facsimile Production: 8/1/2026-9/30/2026

Collective Futures Festival: 10/1/2026-11/15/2026