Welcome to the Cook County Historical Society

Call to Artists: Letters to Our Future Time Capsule

The Cook County Historical Society (CCHS) and Johnson Heritage Post (JHP) Art Gallery invite North Shore artists to submit proposals for a physical time capsule. This time capsule is a continuation of CCHS’s Letters to Our Future writing project, in which community members have documented (and continue to record) their thoughts, feelings, and hopes for the future, as well as what life was like in 2026 in response to specific events.

To learn more about the Letters to Our Future project, click here.

Call to Artists & Project Description

Thanks to a grant from the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council, and in partnership with the Carlton County Historical Society and the Oldenburg Arts and Cultural Community, CCHS is expanding the project to include an artistic component featuring local artists.  

CCHS is looking for an artist or group of artists to create a physical time capsule that involves the community and will hold all the Letters to Our Future materials that CCHS acquires throughout the project.

A sample of publicly submitted letters can be viewed here.

Public journals are also available to view at the Johnson Heritage Post and History Museum.

Eligibility

We are seeking artists with a strong connection to the North Shore (with preference given to Cook County and Grand Portage connections), to design and create a time capsule aligned with the Letters to Our Future program. Eligible applicants must propose an idea that incorporates active community participation (such as leading workshops or creating take-home activity kits) to capture the community's present thoughts and hopes for the future. Technically, the physical time capsule must be easily transportable (weighing under 50 lbs empty), fit on a 24” x 20” pedestal, and safely house an internal 15” x 12” x 10” archival storage box using durable, archival-stable exterior materials designed to last at least 20 years. A wide range of mediums across fine art, craft, and written word will be considered.

Art Display Location

The time capsule will be displayed in the left corner of the Center Gallery at the Johnson Heritage Post. The approximate maximum size of the display, including the time capsule, related interpretative text, and any other supplementary information is two 8”x 8” walls and 3sqft of floor space.

Budget

$1,000 to cover cost of materials and compensation for artist(s) time and instruction leading community workshops or similar programming. 

Selection Process

The submitted applications will be reviewed by an anonymous committee of jurors made up of community members and local artists. The jury will select a project that best fits the Letters to Our Future project, incorporates community involvement, adheres to required criteria, and demonstrated ability to meet project deadlines. Specific selection criteria can be found in the application below.

Application Requirements

Artists must send all materials including a project proposal, materials list, estimated budget, photos of past work, and information on past instruction or similar experience through the submission form or mailed to the address  provided below prior to the proposal submission deadline of 11/30/2026. Online submissions are strongly encouraged, mailed submissions must be received prior to the deadline for consideration.

Timeline

• Submission Deadline: November 30, 2026

• Committee Review and Selection: December 02, 2026

• Artist Confirmation and Contract: December 09, 2026

• Design Review: January 26, 2027

• Workshops Conducted by: March 31, 2027

• Progress Check-in: April 07, 2027

• Artwork Completion Date: April 27, 2027

• Exhibition Run: May-July 2027 at JHP