Open Call: Fully Human
Submit up to 3 two-dimensional artworks (drawing, painting, printmaking, photography, collage/mixed media, or digital) interpreting themes of essential humanity and vitality for a juried exhibition in Washington, D.C. with cash prizes and possible publication.
Does this fit your work? 5 questions score every call to your medium, location and budget. Free.
Get matched →- Deadline
- 9 days left
- Entry fee
- Free
- Award
- $300
- Location
- Seekers Church Art Gallery, 276 Carroll Street, NW, Washington, DC 20012
- Exhibition window
- Oct 4, 2026 → Nov 15, 2026
- Applicants notified
- Sep 8, 2026
- Size cap
- ≤ 36" max dimension
About
Overview
Vita Poetica invites artists to submit two-dimensional artworks exploring what it means to be fully human—examining the essential human qualities that emerge when we strip away the pressures for more efficiency, consumption, and influence. The exhibition opens in conjunction with the Takoma Park Street Festival.
Key Dates
- Submission deadline: August 29, 2026, 11:59 PM ET
- Artists notified by: September 8, 2026
- Artwork delivery deadline: September 26, 2026
- Exhibition: October 4–November 15, 2026
Eligibility & Artwork Requirements
- Artwork must be original and created within the last 5 years
- Artwork may not exceed 36 inches in any direction
- Welcome submissions in drawing, painting, printmaking, photography, collage/mixed media, and digital media
- AI use is discouraged and must be disclosed in your application
Prizes & Recognition
- 1st prize: $200
- 2nd prize: $100
How to Apply
- Contact information
- Artist biography
- List of qualifications/prior exhibitions
- Title, media, dimensions, and creation date of artwork
- High-resolution digital JPG or PNG image (1 main image and optionally 1 detail image per entry)
- Artist statement (up to 250 words describing the entry)
- Disclosure of any AI assistance used in creation
- Notification of prior publication, if applicable
Fees
- $5 per entry
Delivery & Logistics
Artists are responsible for delivering ready-to-hang artwork in person or via post no later than September 26, 2026. All artwork must be available for the duration of the show. Return shipping and pickup are the artist's responsibility. Artwork may be for sale, with 100% of proceeds going to the artist; sales will not be managed by Vita Poetica or Seekers Church Art Gallery.
Contact
For questions, contact [email protected]. Submit via https://vitapoetica.submittable.com/submit/359378/open-call-art-exhibition-fully-human
- Award
- $200 for 1st place & $100 for 2nd place; Opportunity for publication in Vita Poetica Journal
- Entry fee
- $5 per entry
- Entries per artist
- Up to 3
- Sales commission
- No commission - you keep 100% of sales
- Theme
- The call explores what makes humans truly alive and whole when stripped of external measures of success. Artists are invited to probe the essential human qualities that remain when efficiency, consumption, and influence are set aside.
- Eligibility
- Artwork must be original and created within the last 5 years; AI use discouraged and must be disclosed
- Size & format
- Artwork may not exceed 36 inches in any direction.
- Format
- Ship your work in
- Also worth noting
- Artwork may not exceed 36 inches in any direction.
- Contact
- [email protected]
Every listing links to the organizer's official page. Always confirm deadlines, fees, and entry rules there before you apply.