Read this article on How to Apply to Calls For Artists from the California Arts Council

What is a call for art?

Typically also referred to as “call for artists” or “call for entries,” all calls are typically requested by organizations, businesses and exhibitors looking for submissions by specific creative professionals. It is an essential resource that allows artists to discover new venues, while creating an opportunity to expand your work in new areas, to new clients, patrons and viewing audience.

When we first started our art career, we were overly eager and anxious to get our work out to anyone and everyone! We submitted to all calls as much as possible, no matter who they were, where they were or what the cost was.

This wasted a lot of time, energy and money (some calls have submission fees, and they add up…quick). We created this guide for others, especially emerging artists to understand how to read calls, so that they hopefully don’t make the same mistakes some of us may have done.

Check Qualifications.

When viewing calls, there are several things to look for that will directly impact the submission process or even eligibility. We typically request that those posting a call here supplies all necessary information for our readers, but you may want to directly contact posters to verify any relevant dates, information and requirements.

One of the first things to look for is if you are eligible to submit. Some calls are limited to specific areas, regions or countries. When possible, we tag each call with regions and countries when possible. Besides location, there may be additional criteria posted such as calls specifically for emerging artists, mid-career or professional artists (postings typically clarify how they define each).

Some other qualifying factors that sometimes appear is whether you are a member of a specific organization or resident of an area.

Qualifications are one of the first things we look for when we’re looking for calls for ourselves. That way once we get into the details of the actual show (and possibly get excited about) we already know that we’re qualified for it. Nothing worse than reading details for a call that is perfect for your work, only to find out it’s only open to students of a specific college, or residents in a specific city.

Be Selective.

Once you check whether you qualify or not, the next thing to verify is to see how galleries, businesses or exhibitors will receive work; whether it needs to be delivered in person, shipped, digital or other. If shipping, verify how art is returned and who is responsible. If any work needs to be mailed, getting an estimate of cost of shipping is essential to see how feasible it is for you, as an artist to ship (and possibly ship back) all related work.

Depending on the size of artwork, shipping costs can get expensive and may help you to filter out calls that are just too expensive to ship to. If you have work stretched out already, these may need to be shipped in crates which can be a very expensive shipping option. Almost all exhibitions want your work ready to hang – so unless your working in small or medium sized pieces, be prepared to spend on shipping fees to and from the destination.

Some calls also have submission fees. Unless you have a wealthy patron, sponsor, friend or family member helping you in your career, these fees can add up quickly. Between shipping and submitting, you can easily spend hundreds in just participating in a show. Knowing what the associated costs are, can eliminate some calls altogether. Being selective is good practice. You don’t need your work being exhibited everywhere, nor do you want to. It can devalue your work. There is no urgency, no sense of being “only one of its kind.”

You are not a factory. Quality, not quantity is what matters.

Follow the Rules.

Many calls have specific guidelines for artists to submit a proposal prior to an acceptance of their work. There are usually additional requirements and steps when sending a proposal, such as specific file types to be sent, number of images to include and additional documents required (usually artist’s statement, bio and mission). Occasionally, there are requirements on how the attached images should be sent or even named as well, so check instructions carefully before submitting.

Many either forget, or don’t follow the file naming guideline. In these cases, images and text files (usually include title of piece, medium, size and notes) are named so that the reviewing individual can properly match the text file to the image file it belongs to.

Be sure to submit your application by the deadline. Artists can be notorious for their procrastination. You risk your submission not being reviewed or being automatically rejected. If you are genuinely that interested in a potential call, why not start the submission process now?

Do Your Homework.

Once you are interested, and know that you qualify for a call, review the themes for the show, and browse past exhibitions the space/organization/gallery has held. It is important to check whether your work will meet past standards of the space, and if your work is similar in composition, price and even peers (if you are primarily a street artists, your work may not necessarily fit into a gallery that have previously hosted mostly surreal artists, unless that is specifically what the call is looking for). This alone shouldn’t necessarily deter you, but is a good way to understand the level, quality and price point that the establishment typically caters too. For example, if past shows, exhibited mid-career artists with work in the $1,000 – 10,000 range, while you’re pricing your work in the $25,000+ range, your work would tentatively by the most expensive piece in the show (and possibly history of venue). This runs the risk of the piece possibly not being purchased, which is ultimately the goal. The same is true for exhibitors who focus on work in the $10,000-25,000 price range, while you are looking to sell work for $500.

Understanding how a forthcoming show is being marketed is also helpful. Creating your own social media blasts, or materials might be counter productive to what is already planned for. We still recommend social media blasts even if a venue is already doing that, but get the details correct, and attach relevant images.

Check calendar dates of all relevant shows you are planning to participate in. The last thing you want happen is to find out you are participating in five shows next month and need new bodies of work… for all the shows.

If possibly, attend the opening night reception. It helps to meet potential buyers face to face, and discuss your work with them.

Finding the right venue, and the right exhibition for your work is just as important as finding the right calls that fit you and your body of work. Hopefully this guide will help many artists understand and focus on suitable calls that helps them in their artistic career.