Tomorrow the Sun Will Rise
Tomorrow the Sun Will Rise is The Phillips Collection’s 2026 juried exhibition of contemporary art by 48 artists from the greater Washington, DC, region. Selected from 1,500 open-call applications, the exhibition brings together artists from different generations who address the complexities of the contemporary world while exploring beauty, resilience, and determination.
The exhibition also includes artist-related media, a publication, an audio tour and videos through Bloomberg Connects and YouTube, prizewinning works, and several programs in August and September. Most works are available for purchase directly from the artists; The Phillips Collection does not handle sales or take a commission.
When: August 1–September 20, 2026.
Venue: The Phillips Collection.
Tickets: Price not available.
Artists: The exhibition features Negar Ahkami, Sobia Ahmad, Mark Armbruster, Hannah Atallah, Aliana Grace Bailey, Sasha Baskin, Diego Borgsdorf, Kara Braciale, Danyela June Brown, Thea Canlas, Adam Chamy, Christina Chan, Aishwariya Chandrasekar, Alexandra Chiou, Se Jong Cho, C.S. Corbin, Pamela Crockett, Mary Early, Erin Fostel, Cianne Fragione, Emily Francisco, Kyle Hackett, Leslie Holt, Kei Ito, Savannah Faith Jackson, Omari Jesse, David Joo, Khin, Don Kimes, Sharon Cheuk Wun Lee, Madyha Leghari, Ringo Lisko, Joey Mánlapaz, Aynex Mercado, Margaret Murphy, Danielle Mysliwiec, Abdulrahman Naanseh, Javaid Nayyar, Jhon Ochoa, Katie O’Keefe, Nami Oshiro, Mojdeh Rezaeipour, Gail Shaw-Clemons, Alexandra Silverthorne, Anne C. Smith, Bria Sterling-Wilson, Melissa Sutherland Moss, and Paloma Vianey.
Prizewinners: Kei Ito received first prize for *Sungazing Scroll* (2024), a chromogenic photogram made with sunlight and the artist’s breath, measuring 60 by 12 by 6 inches. Mojdeh Rezaeipour received second prize for *Classroom Solidarities: Jin Jiyan Azadi* (2022–26), a video installation incorporating a blackboard, acrylic and spray paint on classroom desk chairs, a shelf, postcards, pencils, and a mailbox. Honorable mentions went to Sharon Cheuk Wun Lee for *Afterimage: Borrowed Flora* (2025), Katie O’Keefe for *Paralysis* (2025), and Gail Shaw-Clemons for *Shorthand Revisited* (2025).
Related programs: Exhibition programming includes a members-only morning, the Phillips Flash extended-hours program, a drop-in family program, a soundscape performance, and a members-only tour.
Showtimes: Tomorrow the Sun Will Rise Member Morning takes place September 1 from 10–11 a.m. Phillips Flash takes place September 3 from 5–8:30 p.m. The Phillips Plays drop-in family program takes place September 12 from 10 a.m.–1 p.m. Soundscape with Rita Burns and Ronya-Lee Anderson takes place September 17 from 6:30–7:30 p.m. The Tomorrow the Sun Will Rise Members-Only Tour takes place September 20 from 10–11 a.m.
Program access: The Member Morning and Members-Only Tour are for members. The soundscape performance is listed as sold out. The page lists the Member Morning and soundscape performance as free, but does not provide a general admission price for the exhibition.
People’s Choice Award: Visitors were invited to vote for a favorite artwork through August 30. The winner is scheduled to be announced at Phillips Flash on September 3.
Artwork sales: Most exhibition works can be purchased directly from the participating artists. The Phillips Collection is not facilitating transactions or collecting a commission.
Resources: The page provides artist videos and an audio tour through Bloomberg Connects and YouTube, along with a publication containing statements from all 48 artists and exhibition essays by curators Tie Jojima and Tsedaye Makonnen and Curatorial Assistant Grace McCormick.
Organization: The exhibition is organized by The Phillips Collection. It is curated by Tie Jojima, Curator of Global Contemporary Art at The Phillips Collection, and guest curator Tsedaye Makonnen.
Support: The exhibition is made possible through the support of Akio Tagawa, with critical support from the Carolyn Alper Fund for Contemporary Art, the Frauke de Looper Trust, and the Marion F. Goldin Charitable Fund.