Sunspot Lit’s Inception contest offers $100 cash plus publication for the best opening for prose, CNF, graphic novels, or an art series. All genres/forms accepted. Opens March 1. Closes March 31. See guidelines and entry form, along with the journal’s other open calls, here: https://sunspotlit.submittable.com/submit.
Freelance
Kolaj Fest New Orleans 2026: Call for Artists, Projects, & Papers
CALL TO ARTISTS
Kolaj Fest New Orleans, 10-14 June 2026
How do you want to manifest at Kolaj Fest New Orleans 2026? Our goal is to create an event that attracts a variety of people working in various capacities, such as art professionals at museums, galleries, and centers as well as academics, writers, and artists. Responding to the Call lets us know that you would like to be a presenter at Kolaj Fest New Orleans 2026. The program at Kolaj Fest New Orleans 2026 promises to be a unique experience. In building a program, our aim is to break down hierarchy and foster dialogue among art professionals working in a variety of capacities. To that end, Kolaj Institute works with presenters to craft a program. Early Deadline: 28 February 2026. Final Deadline: March 8, 2026.
Call For Professional And Amateur Photographers Based In The USA
Call For Professional And Amateur Photographers Based In The USA
THEME: Stronger Together: Family. Community. Connection.
The National Council on Aging (NCOA) invites photographers to showcase adults aged 60+ thriving through family, friendship, and community. Celebrate empowered individuals, supportive families, and the vibrant connections that bring joy, purpose, and vitality—demonstrating that aging well means staying active, engaged, and connected.
“Connection is why we’re here; it is what gives purpose and meaning to our lives.” — Brené Brown
Entry Fee: Free
You can register and send in your work using either of the links below:
https://www.callforentries.com/2026-ncoa-national-photography-awards.html
or
https://artist.callforentry.org/festivals_unique_info.php?ID=16541
AWARDS:
NCOA will grant the following awards:
First Place Award: $1,000
Second Place Award: $600
Public Vote Award: $500
Eight Merit Awards: $300 each
Ten Honorable Awards: $150 each
All selected artworks will appear on the virtual ncoaGallery.org website. In addition, 20 award-winning photographs will be printed on high-quality, large-format canvas for presentation in the onsite exhibition at NCOA 2026 Age+Action Conference in Arlington, VA; showcased in multiple art galleries throughout the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area (DMV); and proudly included in the permanent collection at NCOA’s headquarters in Crystal City, VA.
JURIED EXHIBITION:
Carol Lukitsch will serve as our guest juror this year. Together with the NCOA Committee, we will review all eligible submissions and select the final works based on creativity, storytelling, technical quality, and alignment with the theme. Twenty award-winning photographs will be printed on premium-quality canvas for public exhibitions.
About the Guest Juror: We are honored to have Carol Lukitsch return as the awards juror for the 2026 NCOA Photography Award Contest, Stronger Together – Family, Community, Connection. A distinguished artist, educator, and curator, she has juried over 300 national and local exhibitions and spent over six years as Curator and Director of Exhibitions at the Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington in VA. A Fulbright Grant recipient who taught studio art for more than two decades, Lukitsch has exhibited her work nationally and internationally, with pieces included in major public and private collections such as The National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, D.C.; The Museum of Contemporary Art in Montecatini, Italy; The State Museum of Painting and Sculpture in Ankara, Turkey; and the American Embassy in Panama. She holds an MFA from the University of Maryland, College Park, and a BFA (cum laude) from Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville.
ELIGIBILITY:
The national call is open to U.S.-based professional and amateur photographers ages 18 and above.
Photos should feature an older adult (60+) living in the United States as the primary subject, and may also include family, friends, or community members who share a meaningful connection with them.
KEY DATES:
Application Deadline: March 15, 2026 @ 11:59 p.m. ET
Winners Notified: April 30, 2026
Public Voting Opens: May 15, 2026
In-Person Exhibition: May 26–29, 2026, NCOA Conference at Crystal Gateway Marriott, Arlington, VA
Public Vote Winner Announced: June 10, 2026
Awards Mailed: June 30, 2026
Additional DMV Gallery Exhibitions: June—November, 2026, TBA (Curated by Mosaic Arts).
Soft Power Exhibition Open Call
RevArt invites artists to submit works for Soft Power, a Women’s History Month exhibition held in Los Angeles, CA.
Soft Power celebrates subtle strength, expressed through care, resilience, intuition, and the beauty of everyday gestures. The exhibition highlights qualities often associated with women’s experiences but universal in their emotional impact.
This year, the exhibition will place special attention on textile-based and fiber artworks. We are especially interested in works that incorporate stitching, weaving, embroidery, quilting, fabric layering, or other tactile processes that convey softness through material.
However, all wall-hung 2D mediums are welcome, including painting, drawing, photography, printmaking, and mixed media.
We are seeking artworks that explore:
Texture, tactility, softness, or delicate craftsmanship
Slow processes such as sewing, weaving, dyeing, or hand-building
Themes of memory, care, healing, patience, or personal narrative
Subtle or expressive visual interpretations of emotional strength
Material-driven works that highlight detail, craft, and quiet resilience
Calm, elegant, uplifting aesthetics suitable for a commercial gallery environment
All artworks must be ready to hang.
Exhibition Period: March – June, 2026
Submissions will be reviewed by art committee. Selected artists will be notified through email.
RevArt is a hub for visual artists to advance their careers. We operate alternative art spaces in Minneapolis, Richmond, Toronto, Winnipeg, Atlanta, DC, Charlottesville, and Nashville. Our mission is to make art accessible to all while creating more opportunities for emerging and underrepresented artists.
Requirements
Open to artists of all career levels and genders, with priority given to female-identifying artists and artists based in Los Angeles.
Artists must submit their application through the RevArt system. If you don’t have an account, you can create one for free and complete your application within 14 days.
Your application should include:
Submit an art portfolio with 5 to 20 works, including past pieces related to new work if the new work is not yet complete.
An art resume
Social media or website link
Don’t miss this exciting opportunity to showcase your talent and connect with a supportive artistic community!
Artist of the Winter | Juried Online Art Exhibition
UPWARD Gallery invites artists to submit artwork for our juried online art exhibition, Artist of the Winter.
We welcome submissions from a variety of media, including but not limited to: painting, drawing, digital painting, sculpture, printmaking, photography, textiles, and mixed media.
Awards: Interviews and other publications are featured in the print edition of UPWARD’s magazine and on the website, digital certificate, and personal artist page on the gallery website. The exhibition will be promoted online via our website and social media channels. All artists retain 100% of sales with inquiries directed to them.
Fee: $15 for entry, $12 (2-4 entries), $10 (5 or more entries).
Deadline: February 27, 2026
Visit https://upwardgallery.com/ad/competitions/122/artist-winter for a full information.
The UPWARD Gallery was founded in 2021. Our online platform is designed to share art with new audiences using modern technologies. We assist emerging artists in gaining recognition and established artists in expanding their influence.
Countryside | Juried Online Art Exhibition
UPWARD Gallery invites artists to submit artwork for our juried online art exhibition, Countryside.
We welcome submissions from a variety of media, including but not limited to: painting, drawing, digital painting, sculpture, printmaking, photography, textiles, and mixed media.
Awards: Interviews and other publications are featured in the print edition of UPWARD’s magazine and on the website, digital certificate, and personal artist page on the gallery website. The exhibition will be promoted online via our website and social media channels. All artists retain 100% of sales with inquiries directed to them.
Fee: $15 for entry, $12 (2-4 entries), $10 (5 or more entries).
Deadline: February 25, 2026
Visit https://upwardgallery.com/ad/competitions/128/countryside for a full information.
The UPWARD Gallery was founded in 2021. Our online platform is designed to share art with new audiences using modern technologies. We assist emerging artists in gaining recognition and established artists in expanding their influence.
