CALL TO ARTISTS: Arch Enemy Arts is in search of new artists for our annual group showcase exhibition

scheduled to open in January 2026

 

A CALL TO ARTISTS is now open for a new group exhibition scheduled to hang for the month of January 2026. This show is our annual spotlight exhibition of new and emerging talent, as chosen and curated by Arch Enemy Arts, with no themes or direction in subject matter allowing applicants to focus on their best personal work. Before submitting your work, understand that Arch Enemy Arts is a gallery dedicated to new contemporary genres with a strong focus on representational, dark surrealism, magical realism, post-graffiti, pop-surrealism, narrative, illustrative, and figurative work across a range of artistic mediums.

If you believe we are the right gallery venue for your work, then this may be the show for you!

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For examples of the kind of work we exhibit, all of our past exhibitions can be viewed at www.archenemyarts.com.

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​ELIGIBILITY: The 2026 Open Call is open to all artists aged 18+, regardless of location. International submissions are welcome!

Artists that have previously been accepted within the last 4 years will not be eligible for re-submission. 

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ACCEPTED MEDIUMS: painting, drawing, digital, embroidery, sculpture, collage.

We do NOT accept submissions created with Midjourney, Dall-E, or any other AI generating software.

 

IMPORTANT DEADLINE DATES:
• Submission Deadline: the application window will close promptly at 11:59pm EST on Friday, November 14th, 2025 
• Notifications (for both accepted and rejected works) will be sent by end of day on Tuesday, November 25th, 2025
 

For ACCEPTED ARTISTS: 
• In-House Deadline for Accepted Submissions: Friday, December 19th, 2025

• Preview Release: Thursday, January 15th, 2026

• Exhibition Opening Reception: Friday, February 6th, 2026 from 5pm - 9pm EST
• Last day of exhibition: Sunday, February 15th, 2026

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TO SUBMIT YOUR WORK TO THE 2026 OPEN CALL,

you will be required to fill out & submit your application online below.

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Each submission application (that allows 3 works per submission) will require a $15 non-refundable submission fee. 

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Please make sure you carefully read and understand all the guidelines provided below.

Failure to do so could lead to the disqualification of your submissions. 

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SUBMISSION GUIDELINES: 

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• Artists can submit up to THREE individual pieces of art per submission application. JPEGs are the only acceptable format.

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• Artwork should be photographed on a solid color background (white is preferred) with all included framing/display visible.

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• Images must be labeled as "lastname.artworktitle.jpeg"

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• Works submitted must be for sale.

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• Works submitted must be recent (created within the last 2 years).

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• Since this will be a group exhibition and wall space is limited, the absolute maximum size of submitted works for this call should measure at or below 36" on the longest side.

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• Each submitted work will require the following label information in your application:
Title, Year Created, Mediums, Dimensions (for both the artwork & framing/display), Retail price, and exhibition history (if any).

Example:

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"Mona Lisa" (2023)
acrylic on stretched canvas

12" x 20" framed to 14" x 24"

$400 USD

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• Works submitted must be in excellent condition and wall ready for gallery exhibition (all hanging/display hardware must be attached/included).

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• AEA maintains the right to exclude any piece of accepted art from the exhibition if the work arrives damaged, or was misrepresented in your submission.

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• Artworks are being considered for acceptance based on the information provided in the application. Should any of this information change after the artwork's acceptance (like the listed mediums, pricing, or previous exhibition history), AEA reserves the right to refuse it for exhibition.

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• An artist bio will be required with your submission application.

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• An Artist CV will be required with your submission application, if available. This should include listing any relevant education background, awards and achievements, exhibition history and any current/past gallery representation (if any).

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• AEA follows the industry standard for gallery commission rates and receives 50% of the sales price. 

 

Shipping Information for ACCEPTED ARTISTS: 

All accepted artworks will be shipped to the gallery at the artist's expense. Should the work remain unsold after the exhibition and consignment period, the artist can request for the work(s) to be returned at the gallery's expense.

Full details and a consignment agreement will accompany your acceptance notification.

 

If you have any questions about the submission process, email info@archenemyarts.com directly.