Second Frame
Second Frame at Mission Bowling Club, curated by Benjamin Ahn & Jarrod Ashby
Friday, April 24th & Saturday, April 25th exhibition at Mission Bowling Club
Featuring 20-30 artists
SUBMISSIONS CLOSED
Second Frame invites artists to give a second chance to retired bowling pins that would otherwise go to landfill. Artists will give worn and used bowling pins a new purpose while celebrating the unique form of these objects. Artists are encouraged to use whatever medium that speaks to them in order to infuse the iconic shape of the bowling pin with new life and new meaning.
Location: Mission Bowling Club, 3176 17th Street, San Francisco CA 94110
Exhibition dates: Friday, April 24th 6pm - midnight & Saturday, April 25th, 11am - midnight (tentative)
Reception: Friday, April 24th 7pm - 9pm
Submission Deadline: Friday, March 13th, 2026
Artist Notification: March 13th - March 19th
Artist Drop-off: Tuesday, April 21st - Thursday, April 23rd
Artist Reception: Friday, April 24th 6pm - 10pm
Artwork Pick-up date: Sunday, April 26th - Thursday, April 30th (tentative)
Call For Art: Second Frame Exhibition at Mission Bowling Club
We are seeking artists who enjoy or seek the challenge of working with found objects and reclaimed materials to transform retired bowling pins into interesting works of art! Instead of sending our retired bowling pins to the landfill, we are giving artists the opportunity to breathe new life into these objects while celebrating the iconic form of the bowling pin. There is no mandate to adhere to any theme related to bowling, in fact we hope artists will take a more personal approach to transform the bowling pin into something that reflects their experience, aesthetics, and preferred artistic media. Artists are encouraged to paint, sculpt, and apply mixed media to the pins to create a unique object viewable from all angles.
Artwork
Seeking: Artwork of any physical medium that can be incorporated into the iconic shape of the bowling pin. The pin itself will be the blank canvas for the artist, but they are encouraged to creatively use their preferred medium.
Disclaimer: Pins are made of a solid maple core and a plastic outer coating. The pins have been in use for over 3 years and the surface of the objects shows the wear and tear of thousands of hours of use. Pins are provided AS IS and it is the artist’s responsibility to prepare and prime the surface of the pin to make it suitable for their preferred medium.
Limitations & Hardware: The pins have a hole in the bottom that artists are encouraged to use in order to mount them to a small platform in order to create stability (a dowel mounted on a flat board of some kind). The platform may be incorporated into the overall composition of the piece, but should otherwise be painted a flat black. The overall size of the piece (including the platform) must not extend beyond a 12”x12” area. The finished artwork must be able to stand upright on its own. We will not hang or mount any pieces on a wall or from the ceiling.
Sales: All sales are processed through Mission Bowling Club’s website. Artists receive 80% of total sales. Mission Bowling Club receives 20% of total sales. Artists are required to have their artwork available for sale on the Mission Bowling Club website until June 1st, 2026, at which point they may request in writing for their piece to be removed from sale.
Security/Liability: Artwork will be installed by Benjamin Ahn & Jarrod Ashby in the safest and most secure manner possible. Venue staff and guests will be instructed to be respectful of the art at all times. The artwork will NOT be insured for damage/theft/vandalism by Mission Bowling Club during the exhibition. Artists are advised to obtain their own insurance for their artwork.
Submissions
To submit, artists must fill out the following form by March 13th, 2026:
Only artists with viewable work and a social media presence will be considered. Ability to attend the reception on April 24th, 2026 will also be taken into consideration.
Artists will receive notification whether or not their proposal has been accepted by no later than March 19th, 2026.