What Is an Open Call for Art — and How to Apply

If you are an artist looking for exhibition opportunities, Open Calls are one of the most accessible ways to get your work shown. They are also one of the most misunderstood. This guide explains what Open Calls are, how to find them, and how to write a submission that does your work justice.

What is an Open Call?

An Open Call is a public invitation for artists to submit work for a specific exhibition, project, or opportunity. The organiser — a gallery, venue, arts organisation, council, or platform — publishes a brief describing what they are looking for, and artists submit work that responds to it.

Open Calls exist because organisers want to discover new work and new voices. They are a way to reach artists beyond personal networks and existing contacts. For artists, they are a way to get exhibition opportunities without needing gallery representation or insider connections.

How Open Calls typically work

Most Open Calls follow a similar process:

1. The brief is published. This includes the theme, medium requirements, submission format, eligibility, timeline, and any fees. A good brief tells you exactly what the organiser is looking for and how to submit.

2. Artists submit work. This usually means uploading images of your work along with a short artist statement or response to the brief. Some calls ask for CVs or portfolios. Some ask for nothing beyond the images.

3. Work is reviewed. The organiser or a curatorial panel reviews submissions. They are looking for work that responds to the brief, fits the exhibition context, and contributes to a strong group show.

4. Artists are notified. Selected artists are contacted with details about the exhibition. Most Open Calls also notify artists who were not selected, though this is not always the case.

5. The exhibition happens. Work is installed and shown for the duration of the exhibition period.

Where to find Open Calls

Open Calls are published across many platforms. In Australia, common sources include:

• Community platforms like Herehood — we publish Open Calls from venues and sponsors in our community, with equity protections built into the selection process
• Arts organisation websites — organisations like NAVA, ArtsHub, and state arts bodies regularly list opportunities
• Council arts programs — local councils often run calls for public art, community exhibitions, and artist-in-residence programs
• Social media — many galleries and venues post calls on Instagram, particularly in Stories
• Artist networks — word of mouth remains one of the most reliable sources

The challenge is not usually finding Open Calls. It is finding the right ones — opportunities that match your practice, your medium, and your career stage.

What makes a strong submission

A strong submission is not necessarily the most impressive portfolio. It is the one that best responds to what was asked. Here is what matters.

Read the brief. Then read it again.

This sounds obvious, but a significant number of submissions are rejected because they do not respond to the brief. If the call asks for work exploring urban landscapes and you submit portraits, your work will not be considered — no matter how good it is. Save your strongest work for a call that fits.

Choose the right pieces

Select work that responds directly to the theme or criteria. If the brief is open-ended, choose pieces that represent your practice clearly and coherently. Three strong pieces that feel connected are better than six unrelated ones.

Photograph your work well

Your submission images are the first (and sometimes only) thing reviewers see. Use natural light, shoot straight on, fill the frame, and edit gently to match the real colours. If your work is three-dimensional, include multiple angles. If it is site-specific, include installation shots.

Good documentation is a skill worth developing. It makes a real difference.

Write a clear artist statement

Most Open Calls ask for a short statement — anywhere from 50 to 300 words. This is not a manifesto. It is a few sentences explaining:

• What the work is about
• How it responds to the brief (if there is a specific theme)
• What medium and process you use

Write simply and specifically. Avoid jargon. Say what you mean. A reviewer reading fifty statements in a row will appreciate clarity.

Follow the submission requirements exactly

If the call asks for JPEG files at 300 DPI, do not submit PNGs. If it asks for three images, do not submit seven. If there is a word limit, stay within it. Following instructions signals professionalism and respect for the organiser's process.

What to know about entry fees

Some Open Calls charge an entry fee. This is common, though not universal. Fees typically range from $10 to $50 and are intended to cover administration costs.

Whether entry fees are reasonable is a matter of debate in the art world. Some artists avoid calls with fees on principle. Others see them as a reasonable cost of participation.

On Herehood, Open Calls are free to enter. We believe that financial barriers should not determine who gets exhibition opportunities. Our Open Calls are funded by venue sponsors and community partnerships, not by artist entry fees.

Equity and emerging artists

One of the challenges with Open Calls is that they can replicate the same dynamics they are meant to disrupt. Artists with more experience, better documentation, and wider networks tend to submit more frequently and more successfully. Emerging artists — who need opportunities the most — can find themselves consistently passed over.

At Herehood, we address this structurally. At least 40% of our Open Call opportunities each quarter include reserved places for emerging artists, first-time exhibitors, or underrepresented communities. This is not an aspiration. It is a rule we follow and report on.

We also exclude recent winners from some future calls to prevent the same artists from accumulating advantages. The goal is a community where opportunity circulates rather than concentrating.

What happens if you are not selected

Not being selected for an Open Call is not a judgment of your work. Curators are assembling an exhibition — a group of pieces that work together in a specific space with a specific theme. Your work might be strong and still not fit what they are building.

The best response to rejection is to keep submitting. Apply to calls that match your practice. Improve your documentation. Refine your artist statement. And remember that every established artist you admire has been rejected from more Open Calls than they have been accepted to.

Getting started

If you are new to Open Calls, start with calls that are free to enter, have clear briefs, and welcome emerging artists. Read the briefs carefully and only submit work that genuinely responds.

On Herehood, Open Calls are published on our Open Calls page and shared through our newsletter. Every call includes clear criteria, transparent selection processes, and a commitment to equity.

The barrier is lower than you think. The brief is published. Your work exists. The rest is just a submission form.