16 Verified Art Calls With No Entry Fee in 2026

This list includes art calls that do not charge an entry fee.

Each opportunity below comes from a real gallery, nonprofit, art organization, or institution and includes clear information about the organizer, location, deadline, and exhibition or project dates.

For each call, I added a link to the original listing so you can review the full details and apply if it's relevant to your work.

The calls in this list include exhibitions, festivals, grants, residencies, and awards, all scheduled throughout 2026.

How I Built This List of Free Art Calls

I built this list by filtering EntryThingy's call database to show only art calls with a $0 entry fee.

Every call listed here comes from EntryThingy and includes key information that organizers must provide before a listing is published:

• the exhibition or project location
• submission deadline and exhibition dates
• entry fee (shown as $0 for all calls in this list)
• accepted media and submission requirements
• organizer name and venue details
• and more

EntryThingy only publishes calls with information upfront, so you can review where the opportunity leads and what's required before you start a submission.

Also, the team reviews calls and removes listings that are reported as misleading or inaccurate, which helps keep the database focused on legitimate opportunities.

I included a direct link to each call so you can open the full listing, review the details, and decide whether it's a fit for you.

16 Best Art Calls With No Entry Fee (2026)

1. Oyster, Art & Fiddle Fest 2026 at Nimbus Arts

Nimbus Arts is hosting a curated pop-up exhibition during its annual Oyster, Art & Fiddle Festival in Napa Valley.

You submit ocean- or sea-inspired work that will be displayed and offered for sale at a live, in-person event with hundreds of visitors.

Key details

• Organizer: Nimbus Arts
• Location: Saint Helena, CA
• Deadline: January 30, 2026
• Exhibition dates: Feb 21–22, 2026
• Entry fee: Free
• Format: Curated pop-up exhibition
• Theme: Ocean and sea-inspired work
• Works accepted: 2D, ready-to-hang work

View full details and apply on EntryThingy

2. Carnival in Black & White

NOLA Film Plug is hosting a juried photography exhibition focused on black-and-white images captured during Mardi Gras season. You submit film or digital black-and-white photography that explores carnival culture beyond color and spectacle.

Key details

• Organizer: NOLA Film Plug
• Location: New Orleans, LA
• Deadline: February 1, 2026
• Exhibition dates: Feb 12 – Mar 13, 2026
• Entry fee: Free
• Format: Juried photography exhibition
• Theme: Black & white Mardi Gras photography
• Works accepted: Photography (film or digital)

View full details and apply on EntryThingy

3. Artist Corner Call Out

Artist Corner is a curated online space created by artist Fabiola Retamozo to showcase creative voices across disciplines. You get featured in a dedicated section of the website, where your work, bio, and links live together in one place.

Key details

• Organizer: Fabiola Retamozo
• Location: Online
• Deadline: February 1, 2026
• Entry fee: Free
• Format: Curated online feature
• Theme: Multidisciplinary creative work
• Works accepted: Photography, sculpture, installation, performance, music

View full details and apply on EntryThingy

4. Creative Climate Awards 2026

The Creative Climate Awards is an annual, juried program that highlights art addressing climate action and collective impact. You submit work that explores how communities come together to respond to the climate crisis through creativity and shared vision.

Key details

• Organizer: Human Impacts Institute
• Location: Multiple venues (public exhibitions)
• Deadline: February 2, 2026
• Exhibition dates: Apr 16 – May 14, 2026
• Entry fee: Free
• Format: Juried exhibition and public programs
• Theme: Collective Power and Climate Action
• Works accepted: Multidisciplinary visual and performance-based work

View full details and apply on EntryThingy

5. In Small Measure

In Small Measure is a fundraising exhibition that invites you to create a postcard-sized artwork for a group show at The Contemporary Dayton. You donate the work, and it gets exhibited as part of a two-day in-person show at Dayton's contemporary art center.

Key details

• Organizer: The Contemporary Dayton
• Location: Dayton, OH
• Deadline: February 4, 2026
• Exhibition dates: Feb 13–14, 2026
• Entry fee: Free
• Format: Fundraising group exhibition
• Theme: Small-format works
• Works accepted: Postcard-sized 2D or small 3D work

View full details and apply on EntryThingy

6. Artists on the Rise

Brookfield Craft Center is hosting its 10th annual juried exhibition for high school–aged artists in the Greater Danbury, Connecticut area. You submit original work to be shown in a hybrid exhibition that runs both in person and online.

Key details

• Organizer: Brookfield Craft Center Inc.
• Location: Brookfield, CT (in-person + virtual)
• Deadline: February 4, 2026
• Exhibition dates: Mar 7 – Mar 29, 2026
• Entry fee: Free
• Format: Juried group exhibition
• Theme: Student and emerging youth work
• Works accepted: Clay, drawing, fiber, glass, jewelry, metal, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, wood, video

View full details and apply on EntryThingy

If you have an EntryThingy account, you can fill out a short profile form once and get personalized call recommendations based on your medium, location, and interests.

EntryThingy also sends email alerts when new calls match your work, so you don't have to search manually every time.

7. 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. You showcase artwork that translates into jigsaw puzzles and connect directly with an audience that spends hours engaging with visual details.

Key details

• Organizer: USA Jigsaw Puzzle Association
• Location: Atlanta, GA
• Deadline: February 8, 2026
• Exhibition dates: Mar 27 – Mar 29, 2026
• Entry fee: Free
• Format: Curated artist alley at national event
• Theme: Visual art for jigsaw puzzle format
• Works accepted: Painting, illustration, digital art, mixed media, design

View full details and apply on EntryThingy

8. Augusta Savage Grant

The Augusta Savage Grant is an annual award that supports emerging sculptors with an unrestricted $2,500 prize. You apply for this grant to support your practice, with a focus on excellence in sculpture and work inspired by nature.

Key details

• Organizer: National Sculpture Society
• Location: New York, NY
• Deadline: February 9, 2026
• Entry fee: Free
• Format: Grant award
• Theme: Excellence in sculpture
• Works accepted: Sculpture (nature-inspired work preferred)

View full details and apply on EntryThingy

9. "Heartbeat of the City" Public Art Artist Residency

coLAB Arts is offering a 10-month public art residency in New Brunswick, New Jersey, for artists creating large-scale, site-specific work. You receive a private studio space and a $10,000 commission to design and install a temporary public artwork for the city's inaugural arts festival.

Key details

• Organizer: coLAB Arts
• Location: New Brunswick, NJ
• Deadline: February 13, 2026
• Entry fee: Free
• Format: Paid public art residency
• Theme: Public art, placekeeping, and cultural storytelling
• Works accepted: Murals, sculpture, installation, landscape-based work

View full details and apply on EntryThingy

10. Laura Ziegler Participation Scholarship

The Laura Ziegler Participation Scholarship supports an emerging sculptor by covering most expenses to attend the Sculpture Celebration Weekend in Connecticut. You apply for this scholarship to take part in a professional, in-person sculpture event without the usual financial barriers.

Key details

• Organizer: National Sculpture Society
• Location: Old Lyme, CT
• Deadline: February 23, 2026
• Entry fee: Free
• Format: Scholarship for event participation
• Theme: Early-career sculpture
• Works accepted: Sculpture

View full details and apply on EntryThingy

11. 2026 Haddonfield Crafts & Fine Art Festival

Renaissance Craftables is hosting a two-day outdoor fine art and craft festival in downtown Haddonfield, New Jersey. You showcase and sell your work at an established summer event surrounded by shops, galleries, and heavy foot traffic.

Key details

• Organizer: Renaissance Craftables
• Location: Haddonfield, NJ
• Deadline: March 8, 2026
• Exhibition dates: Jul 11 – Jul 12, 2026
• Entry fee: Free
• Format: Outdoor art festival
• Theme: Fine art and craft
• Works accepted: Painting, photography, craft, mixed media, sculpture

View full details and apply on EntryThingy

12. 2026 NCOA National Photography Awards

The National Council on Aging is inviting professional and amateur photographers to submit work for its annual national photography awards, with multiple cash prizes and exhibition opportunities. You submit images that celebrate adults aged 60+ and the connections that shape family, community, and belonging.

Key details

• Organizer: National Council on Aging (NCOA)
• Location: Arlington, VA (exhibition + virtual gallery)
• Deadline: March 16, 2026
• Entry fee: Free
• Format: Juried photography awards and exhibition
• Theme: Stronger Together: Family, Community, Connection
• Works accepted: Photography

View full details and apply on EntryThingy

13. 46th Annual Art in the Park – Lake Geneva

The Geneva Lake Arts Foundation is hosting its 46th annual juried art fair on the shores of Geneva Lake in Wisconsin. You exhibit and sell your work at a long-running outdoor event that attracts collectors and art lovers from Chicago and across the Midwest.

Key details

• Organizer: Geneva Lake Arts Foundation
• Location: Lake Geneva, WI
• Deadline: March 31, 2026
• Exhibition dates: Aug 8 – Aug 9, 2026
• Entry fee: Free
• Format: Juried outdoor art fair
• Theme: Fine art and craft
• Works accepted: Painting, photography, sculpture, craft, mixed media

View full details and apply on EntryThingy

14. 4th Annual Homewood Collection Competition & Exhibition

Homewood Living Frederick is hosting its fourth annual photography exhibition created specifically for senior audiences. You submit work that invites viewers to experience the world through your eyes — from intimate portraits to landscapes, nature, and architectural scenes.

Selected images will be exhibited for a full year, making this a long-running opportunity for visibility.

Key details

• Organizer: Homewood Living Frederick
• Location: Frederick, MD
• Deadline: April 1, 2026
• Exhibition dates: Jun 19, 2026 – Jun 18, 2027
• Entry fee: Free
• Format: Juried exhibition
• Theme: See What I Imagined
• Works accepted: Photography (color and black & white)

View full details and apply on EntryThingy

15. Elected Sculptor Membership 2026

The National Sculpture Society is accepting applications for elected sculptor membership in 2026. You submit a focused body of your strongest work to be reviewed by the Membership Committee and voted on by the full membership.

This is a professional recognition opportunity designed for sculptors working in permanent materials and looking to join a long-standing national organization.

Key details

• Organizer: National Sculpture Society
• Location: New York, NY
• Deadline: April 6, 2026
• Entry fee: Free
• Format: Juried membership selection
• Theme: Open
• Works accepted: Sculpture in permanent materials (stone, wood, steel, bronze, resin, fired clay, plaster)

View full details and apply on EntryThingy

16. Origins

Mon Curates invites you to submit work for a professionally curated group exhibition exploring the idea of origins. Personal, cultural, historical, or environmental. You can show painting, mixed media, sculpture, installation, or photography in a carefully curated gallery setting where each work has space to breathe.

If you're looking for a polished exhibition experience with strong documentation, promotion, and collector-facing visibility, this is a great fit.

Key details

• Organizer: Mon Curates
• Location: London, UK
• Deadline: May 1, 2026
• Exhibition dates: June 1–10, 2026
• Entry fee: Free
• Format: Curated group exhibition
• Theme: Origins (beginnings, roots, sources of inspiration)
• Works accepted: Painting, mixed media, sculpture, installation, photography

View full details and apply on EntryThingy

Apply to Verified Calls Easily on EntryThingy

Searching for free art calls usually means sorting through incomplete listings, expired posts, and unclear requirements.

EntryThingy solves that by keeping verified, no-fee opportunities organized in one place, with all key information shown upfront.

Every listing includes the organizer, location, deadlines, exhibition dates, and eligibility, so you can quickly decide if it's worth applying.

To help you move faster, EntryThingy lets you filter calls by:

• Browse by state or city
• Filter by medium (painting, photography, sculpture, etc.)
• Sort by deadline month
• Show free calls only
• View EntryThingy-only opportunities
• Hide past deadlines

You can also create a free account to receive personalized recommendations and email alerts when new opportunities match your work.