Now Open for Entry

Deadline to Enter is February 19, 2025

Online Entry System

Please click the button above to enter this show on ArtCall.org. You will need to create a free account to enter your work.

We are using a new entry platform, that uses different terminology than you might be used to seeing. In ArtCall:

  • You will be asked to pay for the number of artworks you’ll be uploading in advance. You can add more later.

  • The word “application” means artwork, so one application is one work of art.

  • “Attachments” means images of the artwork, you can upload up to 2 images. You do not need to pay extra for attachments.

For first time users, we recommend the following resources:

  • The video tutorial linked on the call for entry page.
  • Our blog post that walks you through the entry process step-by-step.
  • Our FAQ section.

Introducing Human Expressions

Re-inventing the Portrait through Color, Form, and Composition

The portrait has long been a powerful medium through which artists explore identity, emotion, and the essence of the human condition. Human Expressions invites artists to reimagine and push the boundaries of this traditional genre, encouraging the exploration of new ways to convey the complexities of human experience. This exhibition seeks works that capture the depth of human expression through innovative approaches to portraiture, focusing on the transformative use of color, form, and composition.

We are looking for artists who are eager to break away from conventional representations of the human figure and create bold, evocative portraits that explore psychological, emotional, and conceptual facets of human identity. Whether through abstracted forms, unconventional color palettes, dynamic compositions, or mixed media, we encourage the use of any technique that can convey the intricacies of human expression in a compelling way. Any original 2D or 3D work that follows our exhibition guidelines will be considered. This includes works selected by the juror which will be exhibited in Maryland Federation of Art’s (MFA) first Human Expressions Exhibition through our Virtual Gallery from April 15 – May 31, 2025.

Click this icon to view and print the downloadable prospectus.

Juror: Samuel Dylan Ewing: Curator, Art Historian, and Researcher

Sam has over a decade of experience working in museums, higher education, and arts foundations. His notable curatorial credits include Waiting for Tear Gas (2022) and Photography and Memory (2019) at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. He is an award-winning educator with experience in classroom instruction and course management. His scholarship has been published in multiple peer-reviewed journals in addition to interviews and essays geared towards a variety of audiences. As a public speaker, Sam has delivered over two dozen professional presentations including invited lectures at universities and art institutions.

Sam’s scholarship strives to communicate the role visual culture plays in the creation of liberatory knowledge. His research takes seriously the lessons of solidarity embedded in works of art, from their moments of production to their modes of distribution, circulation, and reception. These lessons show how visual practices can bind communities together in our intersecting fights for a better world free from all forms of oppression.

Terms of Entry

  • Entry is open to all artists internationally
  • 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 Equity 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 online exhibition gallery.

Awards

  • Cash Awards 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.
  • 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. Work previously exhibited at MFA’s Online Gallery is not eligible for re-entry.

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

  • Images for the juror must correspond with the actual 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.
  • Work previously exhibited in our Virtual Gallery within the past 3 years is not eligible for re-entry.

Sales

  • Artists will retain 80% from sales (85% for MFA Members). MFA will retain 20% commission (15% for MFA Members at the time of the sale) on and work sold through MFA.
  • Work must be for sale. Work may be set to Price on Request (POR).

Exhibition Schedule

  • Dec 10 Online Entry Opens for Submissions
  • Feb 19 Entry Deadline
  • Mar 20 Notification @ 5 PM
  • Apr 15 Exhibition Opens Online
  • May 1 Awards Announced @5 PM
  • May 30 Last Day of the Exhibition
General Guidelines

Notification

All artists will receive notification by email. Accepted artists and artwork will also be posted on MFA’s website. Artists who have unsubscribed from MFA’s emails will not receive notification.
The notice to accepted artists will include specific details and may vary from the prospectus.
Please set your email account to recognize notification@mdfedart.org and info@mdfedart.org.