Guide

Open Calls for Artists — July & August 2026

Curated opportunities for painters, sculptors, photographers, and visual artists. Updated monthly.

Deadlines approaching. If you need a portfolio PDF, artist bio, or artist statement before you apply — ExhibitFolio can help →


Summer brings a strong mix of opportunities — juried exhibitions, international residencies, public art commissions, and grants with real prize money attached. Several deadlines fall within the next few weeks so it is worth going through this list now and marking what applies to your practice.

As always, read each prospectus carefully before submitting. Requirements vary significantly and are often more detailed than the headline suggests.


Opportunities closing in July

Site:Brooklyn — Series: One Thing After Another

Deadline: July 27, 2026 · Online exhibition · All media

Site:Brooklyn Gallery invites submissions across all mediums that explore contemporary seriality for their online exhibition examining how artists use series as a structural and conceptual device. A good opportunity if repetition, sequence, or seriality is central to your practice.

What you'll need: Portfolio images, artist statement, bio.


Super Secret Projects — Out of Office

Deadline: July 27, 2026 · Entry fee: $28 · Beacon, New York

Out of Office explores themes of vacation, escape, and the need for a break — from routine, from the studio, from the everyday. Exhibition runs August 8 through September 4, 2026 in Beacon, New York.

What you'll need: Portfolio images, artist statement, bio.


Arts in Medicine — Permanent Collection

Deadline: July 31, 2026 · Baton Rouge, Louisiana · All media

A juried competition awarding ribbons for first, second, and third place, with one work selected as the Fan Favorite to be purchased and added permanently to the Arts in Medicine collection.

What you'll need: Portfolio images, artist statement, bio.


BRiGHT AfterParty

Deadline: August 5, 2026 · Rolling review · Apply early

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, so early submissions have the best chance of being selected. Worth applying to immediately rather than waiting until the deadline.

What you'll need: Portfolio images, artist statement, bio.


Opportunities closing in August

Society of Wildlife Artists — The Natural Eye, 63rd Annual Exhibition

Deadline: August 7, 2026 · Mall Galleries, London · All media except photography

The Society of Wildlife Artists invites artists worldwide aged 18 and over to submit artwork for their 63rd Annual Exhibition at Mall Galleries, London. Artists may enter up to six works in any medium except photography, with works no larger than 2.4 metres along the longest dimension. There are £5,000 worth of prizes and awards on offer.

What you'll need: Portfolio images, artist statement, bio.


New Emergence Art Prize 2026

Deadline: August 2026 · International · All media · No set theme

An international open call for emerging artists with no set theme and no restrictions on medium. The prize fund is worth over £5,000, with nine awards including cash prizes, materials, mentoring, and a residency. Judges consider concept, execution, originality, and impact.

What you'll need: Portfolio images, artist statement, bio.


Cité Internationale des Arts Residencies — Paris

Multiple deadlines: August 16, 23, and 30, 2026 · Paris, France

The Cité internationale des arts organises residency programmes in collaboration with influential institutions, supporting emerging talent on the international art scene through grants. Several programmes have deadlines in August 2026. One of the most prestigious residency addresses in the world — worth the application effort.

What you'll need: Portfolio, artist statement, bio, project proposal.


SLCC President's Art Show

Deadline: September 1, 2026 · Open to all Utah artists · $5,000 in prizes

Salt Lake Community College welcomes all Utah artists, amateur and professional, to submit work to this annual juried show awarding a total of $5,000 in prize money. All artists working in 2D and 3D are invited to apply.

What you'll need: Portfolio images, artist statement, bio.


Artspiration Frederick — Unscripted

Exhibition: August 1 to 30, 2026 · Frederick, Maryland · All media

Unscripted is an open-themed exhibition welcoming artwork that is free from prescribed narratives, expectations, or limitations. Check the Artspiration Frederick website directly for submission deadline and requirements.

What you'll need: Portfolio images, artist statement, bio.


lumière: the art of light — Ontario Place

Deadline: September 18, 2026 · Free to apply · Public art · Toronto

Ontario Place invites artists to submit proposals for lumière, a public art opportunity exploring the art of light. Free to apply. Worth noting now to give yourself time to develop a strong proposal.

What you'll need: Project proposal, portfolio images, artist statement, bio.


Nearly every opportunity on this list requires the same core materials — a polished artist bio, a clear artist statement, and well-presented portfolio images. If your submission packet isn't quite ready, ExhibitFolio can help you put it together beautifully, so you're not scrambling before the deadline.

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Applying to One of These?

Most open calls ask for some combination of the same core materials:

The difference between applying and not applying is usually whether those materials are ready. ExhibitFolio helps you prepare all of them — upload your artwork images, fill in your details, and download everything ready to submit.

Create your portfolio PDF — $19, one-time →

See your portfolio before you pay · No subscription · Print-ready PDFs


This page is updated monthly. Bookmark it and check back in September for the next round of opportunities.

We compile these listings from publicly available sources. Always verify deadlines and requirements directly with the organising institution before submitting.

Know of an open call we should include? Email us at hello@exhibitfolio.com