Digital Explorations

Now Open for Entry

Deadline to Enter is December 9, 2026

Introducing Digital Explorations

Computer software and technology have forever expanded the ways artists capture and produce their work. Artists can weave together scenes in photoshop, produce paintings through a screen, create videos, animations, and projections that transport us to new worlds, and sculpt with a 3D printer.

Maryland Federation of Art (MFA) invites all artists residing in any of the states or territories of the US, Canada, or Mexico to enter our 5th annual exhibition dedicated to digitally-produced art. Any original 2D or 3D image based work created and/or produced through digital software and following exhibition guidelines will be considered. This includes, but is not limited to digitally produced photography, digital painting, illustration, graphic design, digital video and projection.

MFA exhibitions are blind juried by professional and credentialed art experts. Entry is open to all artists from around the world, with exception of sanctioned countries. Works selected will be exhibited in MFA’s Virtual Gallery from February 15 – April 14, 2027.

Click this icon to view and print the downloadable prospectus.

Juror: Mollye Bendell, Artist and Assistant Professor of Digital Media and Immersive Media Design at UMD

Mollye Bendell is an interdisciplinary artist with a focus in electronic media.  She has received grants and residencies from Wave Farm WGXC, the Harvestworks Digital Media Arts Center and the Tides Institute and Museum of Art. Awards include the GBCA Baker Artist Award, the MSAC Independent Artist Award and the RW Deutsch Foundation Rubys Artist Grant. She is also a founding member of media arts collective strikeWare, which creates experiences grounded in our collective history, often using new technologies to emphasize the nowness of that history. Mollye’s work has been exhibited in venues such as the Baltimore Museum of Art, the New York Electronic Arts Festival, CURRENTS New Media Festival, and National Sawdust. Public art commissions include Ladew Topiary Gardens and the City of Redmond, Washington. She has recently exhibited at the BlackRock Center for the Arts, the Lindemann Performing Arts Center at Brown University and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Mollye is an Assistant Professor of Art with a focus in Digital Media and Immersive Media Design at the University of Maryland, College Park. She lives and works in Baltimore, MD.

Terms of Entry

• Entry is open to artists residing in any of the states or territories of the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
• Entering this exhibition indicates understanding and agreement on the part of the artist with the conditions stated herein and with (a) MFA’s approved Statement of Equality and Diversity and (b) MFA’s General Guidelines. Work must meet exhibition guidelines to be included in the event. MFA may determine work ineligible if entry guidelines are not followed. Work delivered must correspond with the image(s) submitted to the juror.
• Images of accepted works may be used at the sole discretion of MFA for promotional purposes including, but not limited to: the invitation, catalog, website, social media, or a subsequent year’s prospectus. Images will include attribution wherever possible.
• Work cannot be withdrawn before the end of the event.

Liability

• MFA shall not be liable for any special or consequential damages that result from the use of, or inability to use, MFA’s virtual exhibition gallery.

Awards

• Awards designated by the juror total $500.

Entry Requirements

• All work must be uploaded through artcall.org. File size may be no more than 10 MB. Images for the juror must correspond with the actual work. MFA does not display watermarks; artists display them at their own risk.
• For video submissions: you must put the link to the video in the Linked Web Resource field, and then upload a still frame from the video.

Entry Fee

• 1 or 2 entries $45 (MFA Members $30). Up to 4 additional entries $6.75 each (MFA Members $4.50).

• Entry fees are non-refundable.

Work

• All entries must be original and completed solely by the artist’s hand. A maximum of 6 original works created within the past 3 years may be entered. If artwork is part of a limited edition, please state total number in the edition.
• Work must be original in concept and design and created by the artist with their own hand without instructor guidance. MFA does not accept work created via image-generative AI. No reproduced artwork will be accepted.
• Photographic prints not made directly by the artist, shall have been analog or digitally processed by the artist and shall be in control of any adjustments such as cropping, color balance, contrast, etc., through to the final printing.
• Any printed photographic works that are printed as a limited edition must be signed and numbered. No unlimited reproductions are accepted.
• Work previously exhibited in MFA’s Virtual Gallery is not eligible for re-entry.
• There is no size limit for online exhibitions.

Sales

• MFA’s Online Sales Gallery is provided to North American artists to sell their work. Only artists in the 48 contiguous United States may set a price. MFA will reimburse up to $35 in shipping costs to those artists for online sales shipments if a receipt is provided. All other artists must enter Price on Request (POR) and purchase inquiries will be referred by MFA to the artist.
• Artists will retain 80% from sales (85% for MFA Members). MFA will retain 20% commission (15% for MFA Members) on any work sold through MFA. The sale of artwork is taxable, and all sales tax processing will be handled by MFA. Artists will be responsible for fulfillment of sales.
• Work must be for sale. Work may be set to Price on Request (POR).
• MFA processes all sales, no exceptions. Payment from sold work will be mailed to the artist 30 days after the close of the exhibition.

Exhibition Schedule

• October 6, 2026 Online Entry Opens for Submissions
• December 9, 2026 Entry Deadline @ 11:59 PM
• January 14, 2027 Notification @ 5 PM
• February 15, 2027 Exhibition Opens
• March 1, 2027 Awards Announced @ 5 PM
• April 14, 2027 Last Day of the Exhibition

Notification

All entrants will receive notification by email. Accepted artists will also be posted on MFA’s website. Artists who have unsubscribed from MFA emails will not receive notification. The notice to accepted artists will include specific details and could vary from the prospectus. Please set your email account to recognize eleanor@mdfedart.org and info@mdfedart.org. Contact Circle Gallery if you do not receive notice by 6 PM on the day of notification.