When setting up a call for artists, you control what information you collect, how much work artists can submit, and what fees apply. This guide walks you through every configuration option to help you design a call that matches your gallery's needs.
Submission Limits
Your first decision is how many submissions each artist can make. This prevents overwhelming your intake process while giving artists flexibility to showcase their work.
Max Submissions per Artist
Set a limit on how many pieces an artist can submit in a single call. A limit of 3–5 works well for most galleries. Unlimited submissions can work for large, annual calls, but most galleries find caps help during jury review.
Max Images per Submission
Each submission can include multiple photos (e.g., a 3-image series or process documentation). Set this limit based on your storage capacity and review bandwidth. A limit of 5–10 images per submission is typical.
Max File Size
Upload files are limited by total request size. Standard limits are 10–50 MB per image. Larger file sizes may slow uploads for artists on slower connections, but support higher-quality documentation. Consider your audience's technical situation.
Tip: Smaller file sizes (5–10 MB) work well for web-based review and significantly speed up the artist experience.
Required vs. Optional Fields
You can control which metadata fields artists must complete. Standard fields include:
Title (always required) — artist provides the work title
Dimensions (optional) — height, width, depth for physical works
Price (optional) — selling price, if applicable
Medium (optional) — material/technique description
Artist Statement (optional) — description or artist narrative
Choose fields based on your curation and exhibition needs. If you plan to list prices in a catalog, make the Price field required.
Media Types & Document Uploads
Allowed Image Formats
JPEG and PNG are standard. Support both formats to ensure artists can upload without conversion. If you accept digital works, consider supporting WebP for better compression.
Document Uploads
Beyond images, you can request supporting documents:
CV or resume
Was this article helpful?
Portfolio PDF
Project proposal or description
Exhibition history
Make document uploads optional unless they're critical to your jury process. Keep file size limits reasonable (10–25 MB) so artists don't struggle with uploads.
Best practice: Ask for documents only if you'll actually use them. Too many optional fields discourage submissions.
Custom Fields
Beyond standard metadata, add gallery-specific questions to your submission form (covered in detail in "Custom Submission Fields"). Examples include:
"Where did you hear about this call?"
"Is this work available for sale?"
"Have you exhibited with us before?"
"What inspired this series?"
Keep custom fields minimal—aim for 2–4 additional questions. Each field adds cognitive load during submission.
Fee Configuration
Fees are a key part of call management. Crafted Call supports multiple pricing models:
Base Entry Fee
A flat fee per submission. Example: $25 per work. Artists pay this when they submit.
Early Bird Discount
Offer a lower fee if artists submit before an early deadline. Example: $20 if submitted before January 15th, then $25 after.
Late Fee
Increase the fee after the standard deadline to discourage late submissions. Example: +$10 after the deadline.
Tiered Pricing by Quantity
Price per submission can decrease as artists submit more works. Example:
1 submission: $25
2–3 submissions: $22 each
4+ submissions: $20 each
This encourages deeper engagement while remaining fair.
Tip: Use early bird fees to reward quick, decisive artists. Use late fees sparingly—they can frustrate artists and generate fewer submissions overall.
Submission Windows
Timing is critical to a successful call. Configure three important dates:
Submission Start Date
When the call opens for submissions. Artists cannot submit before this date. Set a start date at least 2–4 weeks before your early bird deadline to build momentum.
Submission Deadline
The final date artists can submit. After this time, the form closes. Standard deadlines are 6–12 weeks from opening.
Late Submission Window (optional)
If you allow late submissions with a higher fee, set an end date for late submissions. This keeps your timeline controlled while offering flexibility.
Exhibition Dates
Set important dates for the call lifecycle:
Notification Date
When selected artists will be notified of acceptance. This should be after jury review is complete. Setting it in advance helps jurors understand the timeline.
Exhibition Opening
When the show opens to the public. Helps selected artists plan logistics and promotion.
Exhibition Closing
When the show ends and drop-off periods begin.
Drop-off & Pickup Windows
Physical calls require coordination for artwork delivery and pickup:
Drop-off window: dates/times when artists can deliver work
Pickup window: dates/times for post-exhibition pickup
Providing a drop-off window (e.g., "Friday 2–5 PM, Saturday 10 AM–2 PM") reduces confusion. Pickup windows ensure clear closure for artists.
Putting It All Together
Here's a realistic example configuration for a $5,000 group show:
Max 3 submissions per artist, max 3 images per submission
Required fields: Title, Medium, Dimensions
Optional fields: Price, Artist Statement, CV
Custom question: "First time exhibiting with us?"
Entry fee: $30 per submission; $25 if submitted before March 1st
Submission deadline: March 15th, 11:59 PM
Notification date: April 15th
Exhibition: May 10 – June 30
Drop-off: May 8–9, 10 AM–5 PM
Pickup: July 1–7, 10 AM–5 PM
This structure is clear, scalable, and manageable for jury review.
Next steps: Once you've configured requirements and fees, learn how to set up jury evaluation in "Setting Up a Jury."
