OPEN CALL: MIND CONTROL

KEY DATES

Open call opens: May 9, 2025

Open call closes: June 30, 2025

Mind Control Exhibition Opening Date: Spring 2027

Location: The MIT Museum

The MIT Museum invites you to submit an expression of interest to participate in a new exhibition called Mind Control.

About the Theme
MIND CONTROL is an exhibition in development at the MIT Museum that explores the human mind, how it behaves in the world, and who gets to control it. As we navigate increasingly sophisticated technologies, we confront the question of how our minds can be augmented, altered, or even manipulated. Current neuroscience research offers incredible potential for medical breakthroughs and human enhancement, but there are also complex histories and unexpected futures to consider. This exhibition invites researchers and artists to explore these questions, and challenges visitors to consider the ethical, psychological, technological, and societal implications of mind control.

About the Exhibition
We are developing the exhibition as a living experiment. In Mind Control, you can expect to engage with a thought-provoking collection of artistic and scientific research. The exhibition aims to explore the intersection of art, technology, and the mind, highlighting the evolving relationship between humanity and the tools we use to shape our thoughts, behaviors, and identities. Through interactive installations, sculptures, and digital media, visitors will experience perspectives on mind control in creative and unsettling ways, challenging their assumptions about autonomy and external forces. We hope to elicit a deeply personal response as visitors consider where our agency and control lies, or doesn’t.

Open Call for Proposals
We invite artists, researchers, and thinkers to submit interdisciplinary proposals for existing and planned projects that explore the theme of mind control. If you have a concept or existing work that engages with the idea of controlling or altering the mind—whether through technology, psychology, or philosophical inquiry—we encourage you to apply. Projects that bring together art and science in innovative ways are especially welcome. You can propose projects to show in the exhibition, experiments to run during the exhibition, events, or other programming concepts.

Topics may include but are not limited to:

• Neural technologies and their impact on mental, emotional and physical states
• The ethics of mind augmentation and control, who has the right to access my thoughts?
• Surveillance, privacy, and psychological manipulation
• Human-machine interfaces, brain-computer interfaces, intimate tech, wearables
• Altered states of consciousness (e.g., VR, psychedelics)
• The concept of free will and societies of control
• Physical and neurodiversity, medicalization of difference
• Non-normative ways of being
• Identity, environment & experience
• The brain-body system and navigating the world
• Speculative futures and critical histories of neuroscience

Tips for Strong Proposals:

• Projects should demonstrate a clear connection to the theme of mind control—avoid submitting work that is unrelated or tangential.
  
  
• Consider how your project engages the audience—does it provoke thought, encourage interaction, alter perception, begin dialogue, create an experience, or challenge assumptions?
  
  
• Strong proposals often combine elements of art and science, showcasing creative and innovative approaches.
  
  
• Keep the audience in mind—your work should be accessible and thought-provoking for a wide variety of visitors, with a focus on young adults.
  
  

How to Apply: Summary

Please submit your application by completing the form below. Applications must include:

• A project description [max. 150 words]
• Practical considerations (medium, dimensions, technical specifications, etc.) [max. 150 words]
• Visual Documentation: Video (URL link) or up to 3 images.
• Budget [max. 150 words]
• If applicable, include supporting documentation
  
  

How to Apply: Details

Project Description: In 150 words or less describe your project. What element of Mind Control does your project address and why is it interesting? Be clear on whether this is an existing project, in progress, or currently in the concept phase.

Practical description: In 150 words or less. How big is it? What technology does it use? Is it interactive? If so, how many people can experience it at once? What will a visitor see/do/experience when engaging with your project? What is it, how does it function, what are materials used, space requirements, technical needs, etc.

Visual Documentation: If you are proposing an exhibit, this should give us a sense of what it looks like, or what the experience might be. You can submit a video (URL link) or up to 3 images.

Budget: Give us a rough indication of the budget needed to cover expenses related to the creation, installation, and transport of the work. Applicants should specify any required materials or resources for their project. You can also mention if the project is funded by other sources (150 word maximum).

Gallery Logistics: The exhibition gallery is a black box space, and natural light is not an option. Proposal will need to fit within a maximum height of 10.5 feet, preferably under 8 feet. The museum would prefer to avoid building enclosed spaces for individual exhibits but may make some exceptions.

Questions / Contact:

Have questions about the open call or exhibition? Please reach out to:

Emily Cheeseman, Project Manager, earcher@mit.edu

Process:

We look forward to your submissions and the opportunity to showcase thought-provoking work that examines the boundaries of mind control. We may contact you if we have any questions and expect to finalize the accepted list of projects by September 2025. We understand some proposals may be in an early concept phase, and the works may continue to be developed in collaboration with the museum.  

Criteria:

 The applications will be assessed based on the following criteria:

 Relevance to the Exhibition Theme: Does the work align with and contribute to the exhibition’s concept and goals?

1. Conceptual Quality: Is the work original, innovative, and thought-provoking, demonstrating strong scientific relevance or artistic craftsmanship?
   
   
2. Engagement and Interactivity: Does the work invite visitor participation, reflection, or sensory interaction?
   
   
3. Feasibility: Is the work technically and logistically viable within the museum’s space, resources, and timeline?
   
   
4. Cultural, Social, and Ethical Sensitivity: Is the content respectful, inclusive, and mindful of diverse perspectives and ethical considerations?
   
   
5. Clarity and Presentation: Is the proposal well-organized, clearly written, and include all necessary details?
   
   
6. Educational Value: Does the work encourage learning, exploration, or critical thinking, aligning with the museum’s educational goals?