Open Calls for Visual Artists, Musicians & Storytellers— for Chinatown Arts Festival this October!

We’re bringing a month of art, music, and storytelling to the neighborhood, and we’d love for you to be part of it. Check out the open calls below to see how you can join in this year’s celebration.

Join the Chinatown Arts Festival Closing Showcase

Bring your music to the heart of Chinatown at our festival finale.

Deadline to apply: October 6, noon

Showcase date: October 26, 5:30-8pm

Location: Think!Chinatown Studio

Details: All genres are welcome! Four performers will be selected and each will receive a $250 honorarium.

“My Journey” Story Slam
Presented by Vietnamese Boat People

We’re seeking stories of migration, identity, love, loss, healing, or discovery to share in a live community gathering. Storytellers of all backgrounds are invited to step up to the mic and share their journeys. 

This Year’s Theme: My Journey

Submissions due: October 4, 2025

Notification of selection: October 9, 2025

Live event: October 16, 2025 | 6:30–8:00 PM

Location: Think!Chinatown Studio, 1 Pike Street, NYC

MOONSquare 2025: Small Treasures, Big Stories

For this year’s Arts Festival, Think!Chinatown invites artists to transform a mooncake tin into a work of art. Paint it, collage it, build inside it — the only rule is that your piece must use an actual mooncake box.

Submission deadline: October 14, 2025 at noon

Artists selected: October 16, 2025

Exhibition dates: October–December 2025 at Think!Chinatown Studio (1 Pike St) and online

Eligibility: For NYC-based artists only. Please do not mail artwork.

Drop-off times: October 18 (1–3pm) or October 22 (8–9pm). Separate arrangements available if needed.