We Are the Ones: Call for entries for DMV artists

Overview

Willow Street Gallery and DC Arts Studios invite artists in the DMV area to submit work for a juried exhibition exploring what it means to be in community and how we build a better world together. Inspired by the final line of June Jordan's "Poem for South African Women"—"We are the ones we have been waiting for"—this exhibition celebrates communal resilience and healing. Artists are encouraged to embrace this theme as an interpretative starting point, not a literal mandate.

Key dates

• Submissions open: July 9, 2026
• Submissions due: August 16, 2026, 11:59pm ET
• Exhibition: September 12–October 2, 2026
• Opening reception: September 12, 6–8pm

Eligibility

• Age 18+
• Residing and working in the greater Washington, DC region (DC, Maryland, and Virginia)

Media & submission

• 2D art of any physical medium: painting, photography, drawing, mixed media, textile art
• Video and other digital media cannot be accommodated
• Maximum 2 entries per artist

Fees

Entry fee is $25 for up to two entries per artist. The nonprofit keeps fees low to ensure accessibility while covering gallery management, juror compensation, and the cost of the submission platform.

Awards

• Best in show: $200
• Runner up: $100

Gallery details

Willow Street Gallery is a nonprofit gallery in the Takoma neighborhood of Washington, DC, part of DC Arts Studios, an arts organization serving the DMV since 1979. The gallery retains a 20% commission on sales, significantly lower than the industry standard 50/50 split.