THE MARCH ENSEMBLE CHALLENGE:
Create and publish a piece of art in 24 hours.
The March Ensemble is a month-long creative challenge that pushes artists to create a piece of art in 24 hours inspired by communal prompts. The challenge is inspired by Brian Eno’s Oblique Strategies method, which Eno developed in the 1970s to promote creativity in his recording studio.
How it works: Each day for 31 days, we will release a creative prompt on our Instagram Stories. The prompt can be used in any way — as a guiding light, a jumping-off point, or just some peripheral inspiration. We will release the art on our Instagram account on the following day. Prompts vary from the specific (“Revisit an idea you had as a child”, “Go slower than usual”) to the abstract (“Cascades”, “This is not a prompt”.
The March Ensemble challenge has been organized annually by the challenge’s founder and director, Mel Salmi, since 2019. Last year in 2024, the number of participating artists remained at 62, with an average of two featured artists per day. The challenge has grown into an international endeavor, with participants from India, Israel, Taiwan, Spain, France, and England, among others.
Across six volumes, over 470 unique pieces of art have been created and published for this project. All works are archived on our Instagram account as well as in our online archive.
Join us for the 2025 edition!
The March Ensemble will gather for a new round of art on March 1st, 2025. You can join the challenge any day in March by using our hashtag #marchensemble and tagging us in your art if the day’s prompt sparks an idea. Fill in the form below or DM us on Instagram. We’d love to see your interpretations.
All artists and forms of art are welcome. You don’t need to make art for a living to contribute, nor do you need to stick to whatever form of art you’re most familiar with. We’re more about the ethos than the outfit.
Make some art. Shake off that winter sludge.
We are really happy to have you here, so thank you.
x, The March Ensemble