How to Submit Artwork to Open Calls: Complete Artist Guide

What Is a Call for Artists?

A call for artists (also called a "call for entry" or "call for submissions") is an open invitation from a gallery, museum, or art organization for artists to submit their work for consideration. Calls are used for juried exhibitions, competitions, residencies, public art commissions, and publication opportunities. Most calls specify eligible mediums, themes, deadlines, and any entry fees.

Over 12,000 calls for artists are published annually in the United States alone. Most require digital submissions through an online platform, making geographic barriers largely irrelevant — you can submit to a gallery across the country from your studio.

Finding the Right Calls

Start by browsing call directories that aggregate opportunities across organizations. Crafted Call's open calls directory lets you filter by medium, fee range, deadline, and location. Look for calls that match your medium, career stage, and artistic vision.

What to evaluate before applying:

• Eligibility requirements — Some calls are open to all; others restrict by geography, career stage, or medium
• Entry fee — Fees range from free to $50+. Higher fees don't necessarily mean better opportunities
• Jury process — Blind (anonymous) review removes identity bias; open review lets jurors see your full profile
• Exhibition opportunity — Does acceptance lead to a physical show, virtual exhibition, or publication?
• Past exhibitions — Research the organization's previous shows to see if your work fits their curatorial direction

Preparing Your Submission Images

Image quality directly affects how jurors perceive your work. Poorly photographed artwork, regardless of quality, scores lower in jury review.

Image specifications:

• Resolution: 1920px minimum on the longest side (most platforms accept up to 5000px)
• Format: JPEG or PNG (JPEG is preferred for smaller file sizes)
• Color space: sRGB (the universal web standard — avoid Adobe RGB or CMYK)
• File size: Under 10 MB per image (check each call's specific limit)
• Background: Neutral gray or white for 2D work; clean, uncluttered for 3D/installation

Common mistakes to avoid:

• Crooked framing or visible hanging hardware
• Harsh shadows or uneven lighting
• Reflections on glass-covered work
• Over-saturated or color-shifted images (calibrate your monitor)
• Including a hand, wall socket, or other distracting elements in frame

Writing a Strong Artist Statement

Your artist statement is often the only text jurors read alongside your images. A 150-250 word statement that connects your process to the call's theme gives jurors context for evaluating your work.

Structure your statement in three parts:

1. What you make and why — One or two sentences establishing your medium and creative motivation
2. How you work — Your process, materials, or conceptual approach
3. Connection to this call — How your work relates to the specific call's theme or mission (tailor this for each submission)

Avoid art-world jargon, philosophical abstractions, and statements about what your work "explores" without concrete examples. Jurors review hundreds of statements — clarity and specificity stand out.

The Submission Process

On platforms like Crafted Call, the submission workflow follows a standard pattern:

1. Create your account — Free for artists. Complete your profile with name, bio, location, and portfolio
2. Build your portfolio — Upload artwork once. You can reuse the same images across multiple calls without re-uploading
3. Open the call page — Review all requirements, deadlines, and fees before starting
4. Select artwork — Choose from your portfolio or upload new images
5. Fill in required fields — Title, medium, dimensions, year, price (if applicable), and any call-specific fields
6. Review and submit — Double-check everything before submitting. Most platforms let you edit until the deadline
7. Pay the entry fee — If applicable. Credit card, Apple Pay, and Google Pay are typically accepted

Pro tip: Submit at least a few days before the deadline. Last-minute technical issues (slow uploads, payment errors) can prevent your submission from going through.

After You Submit

Most calls take 2-6 weeks after the deadline to complete jury review. During this time:

• Track your status from your dashboard — common statuses are Submitted, Under Review, Accepted, Rejected, and Waitlisted
• Don't contact the gallery asking about results unless the stated notification date has passed
• Keep submitting to other calls — successful artists apply to many opportunities simultaneously
• If accepted, respond promptly to any logistical requests (shipping, delivery dates, insurance forms)
• If rejected, don't take it personally. Jury decisions involve hundreds of submissions and subjective aesthetic judgments. A rejection from one call has no bearing on your next application

Managing Submission Costs

Entry fees are a real expense for working artists. Budget strategically by prioritizing calls that align with your goals and offer meaningful exhibition opportunities.

Cost-saving strategies:

• Apply to free calls when starting out — many reputable organizations don't charge fees
• Look for member discounts or coupon codes
• Calculate your annual submission budget and track spending
• Focus on fewer, better-matched calls rather than applying to everything
• Some platforms, including Crafted Call, show the exact fee breakdown before you submit

Building a Submission Track Record

Consistency matters more than any single acceptance. Artists who submit regularly to 15-25 calls per year build exhibition histories faster than those who submit sporadically to 2-3. Each submission is practice — your images get better, your statements sharpen, and you learn which calls are the best fit for your work.

Keep a spreadsheet tracking: call name, organization, deadline, fee paid, result, and any notes. Over time, patterns emerge about which types of calls and organizations respond best to your work.