Humboldt artists called for EXTRAtional Solutions juried gallery show

College of the Redwoods and the Floyd Bettiga Gallery invited Humboldt County artists to respond to absurdity with art, announcing a juried, in-person exhibition titled EXTRAtional Solutions slated for March 2026. Submissions were accepted through Jan. 15, 2026, and the call welcomed works that present outrageous, absurd, humorous, ingenious, or hopeful solutions for irrational problems.

The open call aimed to gather a wide range of voices from across the North Coast, offering a platform for artists working in visual media to engage audiences around big questions through wit and invention. Entry details and the submission form were posted online at community.northcoastjournal.com/event/open-call-for-humboldt-artists-34073158, where applicants completed submission requirements before the January 15 deadline.

Extraordinary local visibility is at stake with a juried show at the Floyd Bettiga Gallery; juried selection gives participating artists an opportunity for critical exposure and can help emerging makers build resumes, secure future shows, and connect with collectors and community partners. For Humboldt, a county where arts spaces often double as community hubs, a March exhibition will provide a public event during a season when residents look for indoor cultural programming and connection.

Beyond professional advancement, the exhibition has public health and social equity implications. Art that reframes irrational problems through humor and ingenuity can open dialogue about shared stressors here: wildfire recovery, housing instability, economic strain, isolation in rural neighborhoods, and climate anxiety among younger residents. Galleries function as sites where neighbors can process collective trauma, swap ideas, and imagine community-centered fixes that formal policy has not provided. A show centered on inventive answers can bridge creative expression and civic conversation, bringing otherwise marginalized perspectives into visible civic space.

Barriers remain for local artists, including materials costs, transportation, and time away from paid labor. A juried gallery show helps by concentrating attention and, potentially, resources—but access depends on outreach, affordable entry fees, and clear accommodations for artists with limited means. Community organizers and arts funders in Humboldt may consider sustaining efforts that reduce those barriers so future calls reach a broader cross section of the county.

For now, artists who submitted should watch for jury results and the opening schedule in March. For everyone else, EXTRAtional Solutions promises a chance to see how Humboldt makers turn the county's messy, irrational problems into material for wit, hope, and collective imagination — and to consider which of those creative responses might inform real-world, equitable solutions.