The Arts & Literature Laboratory in Madison, Wisconsin is gearing up for a new community-curated project set to launch in summer 2026, and Indigenous artists are being invited to take part.

     Adriana Peguero, a Menominee artist and one of the community curators for the Lab 4 project, is calling on Native artists, poets, and musicians, especially those who may not have had access to gallery spaces or mainstream recognition, to showcase their work.

     Funded through a grant received by the Arts & Literature Laboratory, Lab 4 brings together four curator teams made up of community members, including youth, tasked with creating a series of gallery exhibitions, readings, and events.

     Peguero is one of eight curators on her team, which includes two high school students. Together, they’re designing programming around the theme of Creating Belonging.

     “For me, that means creating space for Indigenous artists who haven’t been represented in galleries,” Peguero said. “I’m a beadwork artist, and a lot of us don’t always see our work as ‘gallery art,’ but it absolutely is. It’s beautiful, it’s generational, and it deserves space.”

     Though the project is still in early planning stages, Peguero has already started outreach to find Native artists interested in participating. For the first installation, her team is looking for 2D wall-mounted pieces, paintings, textile works, weavings, or anything that fits a narrow upstairs gallery space. But that’s just the beginning.

     “There are multiple gallery spaces throughout the building, so we’re also looking for artists who work in sculpture, other visual forms, and beyond,” Peguero said. “We’re also planning events, watershed readings, and music. It’s really wide open.”

     The Arts & Literature Laboratory has committed to fairly compensating all participating artists. While Peguero couldn’t yet share exact figures, she confirmed that budgeting is built into the curatorial process and no artist’s work will be shown without pay.

     In addition to exhibitions, artists may have the chance to engage with the public through receptions and events. The Lab 4 team is planning an opening reception, readings by Native authors and poets, and possibly performances by Indigenous musicians.

     Peguero emphasized the importance of reaching Native creatives in urban areas, like Madison, who might feel disconnected from their tribal communities or traditional opportunities.

     “The Art Lit Lab has really stepped up,” Peguero said. “They’ve hosted free moccasin-making and beadwork classes led by Native artists, and they’ve created space for Native students to engage with culture. They’ve done so much for our small community.”

     The Lab 4 project is one more step in that direction, and Peguero is working to ensure that Native voices are a visible and vital part of it.

     Interested artists can contact Adriana Peguero at apeguero06@gmail.com. To learn more about the Lab 4 project, visit artlitlab.org and click the “Lab 4” tab.