ESC 2036: 0—1

ESC 2036 is an annual open call from 0—1 Gallery inviting artists worldwide to imagine roughly ten years into the future. Now in its sixth year, ESC builds an ongoing story about humanity — or its absence — exploring the pressure points of today: climate change, extraction, life inside complex systems, and what it means to remain human through all of it.

This edition asks: What happens if we follow the signals of today forward? Think weather systems, oceans, forests, and the infrastructures around them. Consider AI and whether it will keep mirroring us so we fade into the background, or whether it will fundamentally rewrite how humans relate to one another. How will the mind evolve under constant AI-generated fakes and simulations? Do we drift further into breakdown, or towards new forms of coexistence where nature sets the terms?

0—1 is looking for works that speak to nature, technology, or human existence — from subtle gestures to monumental systems. ESC 2036 will be built as if it were a fragment of that near future, grounded in the present yet pointing somewhere else.

Who can apply:

Anyone. Artists at any stage, from any place. Age, gender, location, and background are not used as filters.

What forms are welcome:

New media, painting, sculpture, installation, performance, sound, photography, graphics, video, mixed media, AR/VR, 3D, writing, and anything that moves along those lines. Completed projects are preferred, though new works are welcome if they can realistically be realised in time for the exhibition.

How to apply:

Submissions are free. Send a single link to your portfolio, website, or project page — no accounts, no lengthy forms. One link per artist or team.

What's on offer:

• A physical group exhibition in the Netherlands in 2026–2027
• Feature spots on 0—1's website and social media
• Connection to an international network of artists, curators, institutions, and collectors
• Ongoing support from 0—1 in finding gallery representation, curatorial input, or creative dialogue

Before submitting, it's worth reviewing previous ESC exhibitions to understand the story being told so far. Results announced 20 June.

For questions and updates, DM @0_1.gallery on Instagram.