18 Verified Art Calls for Painters in 2026

This list focuses only on legitimate, verified art calls that explicitly accept painting, including both free and paid opportunities.

Each call includes visible organizer details, exhibition locations, deadlines, and clear submission requirements, so you can review the information before applying.

The list includes juried and non-juried exhibitions, in-person and online shows, and opportunities hosted by galleries, nonprofits, and art organizations across the U.S. and beyond.

How I Built This List of Painting Calls

I built this list by using EntryThingy's filters to surface art calls that accept painting as a medium. I filtered by medium and then browsed the results directly from the call list, where key details are shown before you open a listing.

Every call I included comes from the EntryThingy Calls List and already shows the information you need to evaluate an opportunity:

• organizer name and venue
• exhibition location or online format
• submission deadline and exhibition dates
• entry fee (free or paid)
• accepted media and submission requirements

On EntryThingy, all calls are reviewed by the team before and after publishing, and organizers must provide complete and necessary information. This review process helps keep the platform focused on legitimate art calls with clear exhibition outcomes.

18 Best Art Calls for Painters in 2026

1. Favorites – Edgewater Gallery (National Juried Exhibition)

Edgewater Gallery is accepting submissions for Favorites, a national juried exhibition inviting artists across the United States to submit work created within the last two years.

For this show, you're asked to submit the piece (or pieces) from your recent practice that feel most meaningful to you. Work that represents a breakthrough, personal moment, new direction, or simply something you're proud of.

Selected works will be exhibited at Edgewater Gallery in Fort Bragg, California, and each accepted piece will be displayed with a short artist statement explaining why it's a favorite and what it represents in your creative journey.

Key details

• Organizer: Edgewater Gallery (artist-run collective)
• Location: Fort Bragg, CA
• Eligibility: Open to artists across the United States
• Accepted media: Painting, sculpture, photography, mixed media, ceramic, assemblage, collage, printmaking, drawing
• Exclusions: No video, installation, or purely AI-generated work
• Size requirement: Must fit through a standard door
• Exhibition dates: March 4 – March 31, 2026
• Deadline: January 30, 2026
• Entry fee: Paid entry

👉 View full details and apply on EntryThingy

Note: If you have an EntryThingy account, you will receive recommendations or email updates when similar painting opportunities are published.

2. Artists on the Rise – Brookfield Craft Center

Brookfield Craft Center is hosting the 10th Annual Artists on the Rise exhibition, a juried show dedicated to high school-aged artists in the Greater Danbury, Connecticut area. The exhibition highlights emerging artists working across multiple media, including painting, and is presented both in person and online.

Paintings selected for the show will be exhibited in the Brookfield Craft Center gallery, with awards given by category and for overall Best in Show. In-person submissions are prioritized for award consideration, but virtual entries are also accepted if delivery isn't possible.

Key details

• Organizer: Brookfield Craft Center, Inc.
• Location: Brookfield, CT
• Eligibility: High school–aged artists (public, private, or homeschooled) in the Greater Danbury area
• Accepted media: Painting, drawing, fiber, photography, printmaking, sculpture, and more
• Exhibition dates: March 7 – March 29, 2026
• Deadline: February 4, 2026
• Entry fee: Free

👉 View full details and apply on EntryThingy

3. Expressions of Radnor 2026 – Wayne Art Center

Wayne Art Center is hosting Expressions of Radnor 2026, an annual exhibition showcasing artwork created by Radnor Township residents. The exhibition features a wide range of styles and media, highlighting the local artistic community through both 2D and 3D work created within the past two years.

Eligible residents may submit up to two works, and all accepted pieces will be exhibited in the Davenport Gallery at Wayne Art Center. While the exhibition is not juried for entry, awards are selected by an invited juror.

Key details

• Organizer: Wayne Art Center
• Location: Wayne, PA
• Eligibility: Artists 18+ residing in Radnor Township, Delaware County, PA
• Accepted work: 2D and 3D work created within the last two years and not previously shown at Wayne Art Center
• Works allowed: Up to two
• Sales: All work must be for sale
• Exhibition dates: February 17 – March 14, 2026
• Deadline: February 5, 2026
• Entry fee: Paid entry

👉 View full details and apply on EntryThingy

4. Young Artists' Showcase 2026 – St. Louis Artists' Guild

The St. Louis Artists' Guild is hosting Young Artists' Showcase 2026, a juried exhibition featuring work created by high school students ages 15–19 living within 150 miles of St. Louis. The exhibition is open to all media and highlights emerging student artists working across a wide range of styles and approaches.

Selected works will be exhibited at the St. Louis Artists' Guild gallery, providing young artists with early exhibition experience in a professional setting.

Key details

• Organizer: St. Louis Artists' Guild
• Location: St. Louis, MO
• Eligibility: High school students ages 15–19 living within 150 miles of St. Louis
• Accepted work: All media
• Exhibition dates: March 3 – March 28, 2026
• Deadline: February 7, 2026
• Entry fee: Paid entry

👉 View full details and apply on EntryThingy

5. The Breath and the Clay 2026 Art Exhibition

The Breath and the Clay announces its 2026 conference exhibition in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. This exhibition is open to artists working across a wide range of media and will be presented as a physical exhibition alongside an online gallery.

All media are welcome, including painting, drawing, printmaking, photography, ceramics, fiber, sculpture, installation, and mixed media. Video and sound-based works are accepted, with artists responsible for providing any required equipment for display.

Key details

• Organizer: The Breath and the Clay
• Location: Winston-Salem, NC
• Accepted media: All media (including painting, sculpture, fiber, installation, photography, and video)
• Number of works: Up to 3 pieces per artist
• Eligibility: Original work completed within the last 2 years; not previously shown with The Breath and the Clay
• Exhibition dates: March 20–22, 2026
• Deadline: February 8, 2026
• Entry fee: $25 per artist (up to 3 works)

👉 View full details and apply on EntryThingy

6. 2026 USA Jigsaw Nationals – Artist Alley

The USA Jigsaw Puzzle Association is launching its first-ever Artist Alley at the 2026 USA Jigsaw Nationals in Atlanta. This new section of the event is designed to connect visual artists with the jigsaw puzzle community and puzzle manufacturers, offering a different kind of exhibition setting where visitors spend time closely engaging with each artwork.

Artist Alley will run alongside the national championship and convention, bringing together speed puzzlers, collectors, puzzle companies, and art lovers in one place.

Key details

• Organizer: USA Jigsaw Puzzle Association
• Location: Atlanta, GA
• Event dates: March 27–29, 2026
• Application deadline: February 8, 2026
• Entry fee: Free to apply
• Exhibition format: In-person artist alley (booth-based)
• Who can apply: Visual artists of all mediums whose work translates well to puzzles

👉 View full details and apply on EntryThingy

7. Gallery North 2026 Small Works Show

Gallery North in Edmonds, Washington is now accepting submissions for its annual Small Works Show, a month-long exhibition focused exclusively on 2-D artwork. This exhibition highlights painting and drawing in a compact format, making it a good fit for artists working in traditional and contemporary 2-D media.

Key details

• Organizer: Gallery North
• Location: Edmonds, WA
• Exhibition dates: March 1–30, 2026
• Application deadline: February 8, 2026
• Entry fee: Paid entry
• Accepted media: Painting and drawing only (2-D work)
• Not accepted: 3-D work, photography, or computer-generated media

👉 View full listing and apply on EntryThingy

8. Crackpot Logic: Crazy Ideas That Work – K Space Contemporary

K Space Contemporary is hosting Crackpot Logic, a juried exhibition celebrating unconventional ideas and creative risk-taking. This show is focused on work that breaks rules of technique, logic, or material and embraces experimentation, misuse, and unexpected outcomes.

The exhibition is open to artists living in Texas and welcomes work across all media, including painting, drawing, and mixed media.

Key details

• Organizer: K Space Contemporary (nonprofit arts organization)
• Location: Corpus Christi, TX
• Eligibility: Artists 18+ currently residing in Texas
• Accepted media: All media, including painting, drawing, sculpture, fiber, video, mixed media
• Exhibition dates: March 6 – April 10, 2026
• Deadline: February 10, 2026
• Entry fee: $35 (non-members) / $25 (members) for 1–3 works; $5 per additional work (max 8)

👉 View full details and apply on EntryThingy

9. My Pacific NW – Gresham Area League for the Arts

Gresham Area League for the Arts is inviting submissions for My Pacific NW, an exhibition exploring how artists interpret life in the Pacific Northwest. The exhibition welcomes work inspired by everyday experiences such as community, nature, culture, city life, and personal connections in the region.

This show is open to artists working across all media, including painting, drawing, and mixed media, with a focus on perspectives rooted in the Pacific Northwest.

Key details

• Organizer: Gresham Area League for the Arts (GALA)
• Location: Gresham, OR
• Eligibility: Artists residing within 30 miles of Gresham, OR
• Accepted media: Painting, drawing, mixed media, photography, digital art, sculpture, jewelry, pottery, glass, 3-D work
• Exhibition dates: March 9 – June 5, 2026
• Deadline: February 11, 2026
• Entry fee: Paid entry

👉 View full details and apply on EntryThingy

10. 16th Annual Art and Earth Juried Exhibit

The Berkeley Arts Council is accepting submissions for the 16th Annual Art and Earth exhibition in Martinsburg, West Virginia. This juried show focuses on work that reflects your relationship with nature, the environment, or Earth Day–related themes.

The exhibition is open to visual artists across the continental United States and welcomes both 2D and 3D work in any fine art or fine craft medium, including painting.

Key details

• Organizer: Berkeley Arts Council
• Location: Martinsburg, WV
• Eligibility: Visual artists 18+ across the continental United States
• Theme: Art and Earth: My Art – My World
• Accepted media: All fine art and fine craft media (2D and 3D)
• Exhibition dates: April 16 – June 14, 2026
• Deadline: March 12, 2026
• Entry fee: $40 for first two works; $10 per additional work (max 4)
• Awards: Best in Show, Merit Award, Honorable Mention (up to $1,000 total)

👉 View full details and apply on EntryThingy

11. 5th Annual Celebrating the Figure – Workshop13

Workshop13 is hosting the 5th Annual Celebrating the Figure exhibition, a juried show focused on artistic representations of the human form. The exhibition welcomes both clothed and unclothed figure work and highlights artists who demonstrate strong understanding of anatomy, form, and structure.

This call is especially relevant for painters and drawing-based artists working with figurative subjects.

Key details

• Organizer: Workshop13, Cultural Arts & Learning Center
• Location: Ware, MA
• Eligibility: Open to artists 18+
• Accepted media: Painting, drawing, sculpture, printmaking
• Not accepted: Photography or electronic media
• Exhibition dates: April 11 – May 9, 2026
• Deadline: March 12, 2026
• Entry fee: Paid entry

👉 View full details and apply on EntryThingy

12. Our Planet, Our Inspiration – WHAM Art Association

WHAM Art Center is accepting submissions for Our Planet, Our Inspiration, an exhibition focused on the beauty, resilience, and complexity of the natural world. The exhibition welcomes a wide range of interpretations, from landscapes and wildlife to abstract and conceptual responses to life, environment, and place.

This call is open to artists of all experience levels and includes strong opportunities for painters working with nature, environment, or Earth-related themes.

Key details

• Organizer: WHAM Art Association
• Location: Surprise, AZ
• Eligibility: Open to artists of all levels
• Accepted media: Drawing, painting, photography, clay, mixed media, recycled/upcycled art
• Theme: Earth, environment, life, and connection
• Exhibition dates: April 1 – April 29, 2026
• Deadline: March 15, 2026
• Entry fee: $40 for up to 5 entries (series counts as one)

👉 View full details and apply on EntryThingy

13. 2026 NCOA National Photography Awards

The National Council on Aging is inviting submissions for its 2026 national photography awards, an exhibition focused on family, community, and connection among adults aged 60 and older. The call highlights images that reflect relationships, shared experiences, and the ways people stay engaged and connected as they age.

Selected works will appear in an online gallery, with award-winning photographs also printed and exhibited at the NCOA 2026 Age+Action Conference and other public venues in the Washington, D.C. area.

Key details

• Organizer: National Council on Aging (NCOA)
• Location: Arlington, VA (plus online exhibition)
• Eligibility: Professional and amateur photographers based in the United States
• Theme: Stronger Together: Family, Community, Connection
• Accepted media: Photography
• Exhibition dates: 2026 (multiple venues + online gallery)
• Deadline: March 16, 2026
• Entry fee: Free
• Awards: Cash prizes up to $1,000, plus merit and honorable mention awards

👉 View full details and apply on EntryThingy

14. Clearly Human VI – St. Louis Artists' Guild

Clearly Human VI is an all-media group exhibition focused on artistic representations of the human figure. The show brings together work ranging from traditional to contemporary approaches, exploring the many ways artists depict identity, memory, beauty, and everyday life through figurative subjects.

This exhibition welcomes diverse interpretations of the human form, making it a strong opportunity for painters working with figurative, narrative, or conceptual themes.

Key details

• Organizer: St. Louis Artists' Guild
• Location: Missouri
• Accepted media: All media, including painting, drawing, sculpture, and mixed media
• Theme: The human figure and contemporary interpretations of humanity
• Exhibition dates: April 17 – May 23, 2026
• Deadline: March 21, 2026
• Entry fee: Paid entry

👉 View full details and apply on EntryThingy

15. Delicious – Corgi Clay Art Center

Corgi Clay Art Center is inviting submissions for Delicious, an open-theme exhibition celebrating imagery that feels tempting, indulgent, nourishing, or emotionally satisfying. The show is open to literal and metaphorical interpretations, from food and abundance to memory, pleasure, desire, and excess.

This call welcomes artists working in all styles and media, including painting and drawing, and encourages playful, bold, and imaginative approaches.

Key details

• Organizer: Corgi Clay Art Center
• Location: Stafford, VA
• Eligibility: Open to artists of all experience levels
• Accepted media: Painting, drawing, ceramics, sculpture, photography, printmaking, fiber, mixed media, digital work
• Work requirements: Must be completed within the last two years
• Exhibition dates: April 11 – May 31, 2026
• Deadline: March 28, 2026
• Entry fee: Paid entry
• Submission limit: Up to 3 separate works (each counted as a separate entry)

👉 View full details and apply on EntryThingy

16. Color Play – Gresham Area League for the Arts

Gresham Area League for the Arts is accepting submissions for Color Play, an exhibition exploring how color is used to tell stories, shape emotion, and create visual impact. The theme is open to a wide range of interpretations, from bold and expressive palettes to subtle, restrained uses of color.

This call is open to artists working across all media, including painting and drawing, with a focus on personal and conceptual approaches to color.

Key details

• Organizer: Gresham Area League for the Arts (GALA)
• Location: Gresham, OR
• Eligibility: Artists residing within 30 miles of Gresham, OR
• Accepted media: Painting, drawing, mixed media, photography, digital art, sculpture, jewelry, pottery, glass, 3-D work
• Theme: Color as storytelling and expression
• Exhibition dates: June 8 – August 28, 2026
• Deadline: May 13, 2026
• Entry fee: Paid entry

👉 View full details and apply on EntryThingy

17. EMPIRE OF ART 2026 – International Art Competition

The New York Boyer Foundation is accepting submissions for EMPIRE OF ART 2026, an international online art competition open to artists worldwide. This competition welcomes work across multiple categories, including painting and drawing, and offers cash awards for selected entries.

All accepted works will be exhibited online through the Foundation's blog and social channels, with results announced shortly after the submission deadline.

Key details

• Organizer: The New York Boyer Foundation
• Location: Online (New York, NY)
• Eligibility: Artists 18+ worldwide
• Accepted media: Painting, drawing, mixed media, collage, sculpture, photography
• Exhibition dates: August 10 – September 10, 2026
• Deadline: August 1, 2026
• Entry fee: $50 (members) / $75 (non-members) for 1–3 images
• Awards: Cash prizes up to $1,000 + certificates for all participants

👉 View full details and apply on EntryThingy

18. In Plain Sight – Greenwich Art Society (Online Juried Exhibition)

Greenwich Art Society is hosting its first annual In Plain Sight online juried competition, an exhibition exploring what is visible yet often overlooked. The theme invites artists to reflect on everyday objects, systems, gestures, and conditions that exist openly but are easily missed through familiarity or proximity.

This call is open to artists working across a wide range of media, including painting and drawing, and will be presented as a fully online exhibition.

Key details

• Organizer: Greenwich Art Society
• Location: Online
• Eligibility: Open to members and non-members
• Accepted media: All media (including painting, drawing, mixed media, sculpture, photography)
• Theme: Visibility, perception, and overlooked details
• Exhibition dates: March 9 – April 10, 2026
• Deadline: February 19, 2026
• Entry fee: Paid entry
• Sales: All accepted works must be for sale
• Awards: Cash prizes

👉 View full details and apply on EntryThingy

Browse More Painting Calls on EntryThingy

Every painting opportunity is tied to a real gallery, nonprofit, or art organization, with clear exhibition details and submission requirements shown before you apply.

You can filter calls by medium, location, deadline, and entry type to find opportunities that fit your work and timeline.

All listings include visible organizer information and are reviewed to reduce misleading or incomplete calls, so you can see where work will be shown and who is running the exhibition before applying.

For painters who care about where their work ends up and who's handling it, EntryThingy offers a more transparent way to find opportunities.