Finding an open call that accepts sculpture is only the first step. Sculptors also need to know whether their work fits the size and weight limits, how it must be delivered, and who is responsible for installation.
Many general art calls say they accept “all media,” but give very little information about three-dimensional work. Every opportunity on this list clearly accepts sculpture or 3D art, from small indoor pieces and online exhibitions to a public garden commission.
Below, you will find the deadlines, entry fees, eligibility rules, size restrictions, shipping details, installation requirements, and what selected artists receive.
You can also explore our broader guide to the best art competitions and calls for entry in 2026 if you work across several mediums.
How I Built This List of Sculpture Calls
I started with the EntryThingy calls list and filtered the active opportunities by sculpture. Then I opened each listing and manually reviewed its description, submission instructions, accepted media, dates, and terms.
I used three criteria to decide which calls to include:
- A clear fit for sculptors: Sculpture or 3D work had to be explicitly accepted. I also checked the materials, dimensions, weight limits, and whether the opportunity was for indoor, outdoor, wall-mounted, freestanding, or site-specific work.
- A legitimate organizer: Each call needed to come from an identifiable gallery, museum, nonprofit, festival, artist organization, or public art group with a verifiable exhibition or project.
- Manageable requirements: The listing needed to explain the entry fee, delivery or shipping process, installation responsibilities, insurance, commission, or what happens if the work is selected.
Some opportunities provide more sculpture-specific information than others. Where a listing does not publish a fee amount, size limit, or pedestal rule, I have said so clearly rather than filling in the gap.
10 Open Calls for Sculptors in 2026
1. Above, Around, Below – New York, NY
Above, Around, Below is a contemporary group exhibition about spatial perception and how people experience their surroundings. The theme explores urban environments, rural landscapes, and the relationship between the built and natural worlds.
Key details:
- Organizer: Van Der Plas Gallery
- Location: New York, NY
- Deadline: September 30, 2026
- Entry fee: Paid entry
- Medium: Painting, sculpture, photography, printmaking, mixed media, drawing and digital art
- What you get: Selected work will be exhibited at Van Der Plas Gallery from October 15 to 28, 2026
About the Organizer: Van Der Plas Gallery is an independent contemporary gallery at 156 Orchard Street on New York’s Lower East Side. Its program includes modern and contemporary work, with a particular interest in outsider, street, visionary, graffiti, folk, and experimental art.
Why I Included This: This is a useful option for sculptors who want to place their work in a physical New York gallery and whose practice deals with space, landscape, architecture, or perception. The theme is broad enough to accommodate freestanding, wall-based, and mixed-media sculpture, although artists should ask the gallery about dimensions, weight, delivery, and pedestal availability before applying.
Submission Highlights:
- Submit 1 to 4 artworks
- Up to 4 entries per artist
- Upload JPG or PNG files, up to 50MB each
2. 2026 New Exhibiting Members BSA – Buffalo, NY
This is a portfolio-based application to become an exhibiting member of the Buffalo Society of Artists. Applicants submit a broader selection of work so the jury can evaluate their overall artistic practice rather than one piece for a specific exhibition.
Key details:
- Organizer: Buffalo Society of Artists
- Location: Buffalo, NY
- Deadline: October 2, 2026
- Entry fee: $25
- Medium: Sculpture, ceramics, assemblage, painting, printmaking, photography, fiber, mixed media, digital art, and video
- What you get: Successful applicants become exhibiting members of the Buffalo Society of Artists and can participate in its member exhibition program
About the Organizer: Founded in 1891, the Buffalo Society of Artists is one of the oldest continuously operating art organizations in the United States. It promotes artists in Western New York and runs at least three exhibitions each year, along with workshops, lectures, and studio visits for members.
Why I Included This: This is different from a one-time exhibition call. A successful application can give a sculptor an ongoing relationship with a long-running artist organization and future opportunities to exhibit work. It is especially relevant for artists who want regional visibility and professional connections in Western New York. The application costs $25, so artists looking for no-cost opportunities can also browse our list of verified free art calls in 2026.
Submission Highlights:
- Upload 9 to 13 artwork images
- Each image must be at least 1MB
- JPG and PNG files are accepted for visual artwork
- Include an artist statement and résumé
3. 46th Annual Faber Birren National Color Show – Stamford, CT
The Faber Birren National Color Show is an annual exhibition dedicated entirely to the creative use of color. Established in 1980, the competition brings together artists who use color as a central part of their work across different styles and subjects.
Key details:
- Organizer: Stamford Art Association
- Location: Stamford, CT
- Deadline: October 9, 2026
- Entry fee: $35 for the first work for non-members or $30 for members, plus $15 for each additional work
- Medium: Original 2D and 3D art, including sculpture up to 60 pounds; installations and electronic media are excluded
- What you get: Selected work will be exhibited at the Townhouse Gallery and online. The exhibition offers more than $1,600 in total cash awards, including a $1,000 first prize. Second and third prizes will also be awarded, along with honorable mentions selected by the juror.
About the Organizer: The Stamford Art Association is a nonprofit founded in 1971 whose members include sculptors, painters, printmakers, photographers, and multimedia artists. It runs juried shows in its three-story Townhouse Gallery and has presented the Faber Birren Color Award Exhibit since 1980.
Why I Included This: The sculpture rules are unusually clear for a general-media competition. Artists know the 60-pound limit before entering, can compete for substantial cash awards, and receive both physical and online visibility if selected. The show also suits sculptors who use color as a central part of their work rather than a finishing detail.
Submission Highlights:
- Submit 1 to 9 works as JPG files
- Sculpture must weigh no more than 60 pounds
- Installations and electronic media are not accepted
- Hand-deliver work to the gallery or ship through Fine Art Security Transport rather than directly to the association
- Artists cover shipping and insurance
- Stamford Art Association takes a 30% commission on sales
This exhibition also accepts painting and original prints. See our lists of art calls for painters and open calls for printmakers if those are part of your practice.
4. About Face – Online
About Face is an online exhibition for artwork centered on faces. Entries can feature humans, animals, dolls, robots, statues, or imaginary subjects, as long as the face remains the main focus.
Key details:
- Organizer: Catch Light Exhibitions
- Location: Online
- Deadline: October 11, 2026
- Entry fee: $25 for up to 10 images
- Medium: Photography, painting, illustration, sculpture, fiber art, collage, mixed media, digital art, and found-object art
- What you get: Selected work will appear in an online exhibition, exhibition catalog, Catch Light magazine, and an Instagram feature
About the Organizer: Catch Light Exhibitions is run by photographer, juror, and editor Joy Sussman. It produces themed online exhibitions connected to Catch Light magazine, digital and print exhibition catalogs, and promotional features for selected artists.
Why I Included This: Sculptors can participate without shipping the physical work, which removes the cost and risk of transporting a portrait or figurative piece. Artists can also list selected work for sale and keep 100% of the sale price because the organizer connects interested buyers directly with the artist.
Submission Highlights:
- Submit 1 to 10 JPG images, up to 50MB each
- The image must focus on a face and include nothing below the shoulders
- AI-created or AI-altered work is not accepted
- Recognizable human subjects require consent; recognizable photographs of children under 18 are excluded, but imaginative sculpted or illustrated children’s faces are allowed
5. Small Works, Big Joy 2026 – Vernon, CT
Small Works, Big Joy celebrates the creativity and craftsmanship artists can achieve within a limited format. The exhibition brings together compact, affordable pieces across several mediums during Arts Center East’s holiday season.
Key details:
- Organizer: Arts Center East
- Location: Vernon, CT
- Deadline: October 16, 2026
- Entry fee: $35 for one work or $40 for two; ACE members pay $30 or $35. Fees increase for up to five works and are non-refundable.
- Medium: Sculpture, ceramics, metal, fiber, painting, photography, printmaking, textiles, and mixed media; sculptures must fit within a 12-inch cube
- What you get: Selected work will be exhibited in the Eureka Gallery during the Annual Holiday Artisan Fair
About the Organizer: Arts Center East is a community arts center in Vernon with free, public gallery spaces, exhibitions, classes, events, and artist membership programs. Its Marmer and Eureka galleries present work across traditional and contemporary media.
Why I Included This: The 12-inch cube rule is specific and easy to check before applying. The exhibition also runs during a holiday artisan fair and encourages prices below $200, which may suit sculptors who make smaller collectible pieces. Arts Center East can provide some pedestals, although artists are encouraged to bring their own when needed.
Submission Highlights:
- Every sculpture must fit within a 12 inch cube
- Work must arrive complete and ready to display
- Artists may hand-deliver or ship accepted work with a prepaid return label
- Ask in advance if you require a gallery pedestal
- Commission is 35% for non-members and 25% for artist members
- The center does not guarantee against shipping damage
6. Geometric: Shapes, Symmetry, & Repeating Patterns – Online
Geometric explores the visual language of shapes, symmetry, grids, repetition, and mathematical forms. Artists can submit abstract or representational work, but geometric structure should play a clear and intentional role in the composition.
Key details:
- Organizer: CEV Art Gallery
- Location: Online
- Deadline: October 16, 2026
- Entry fee: $27 for up to 4 works; extended entry starts at $42 for 5 works, with each additional work costing $3 up to 10
- Medium: Sculpture, ceramics, woodwork, paper art, textile and fiber art, painting, photography, digital art, printmaking, collage, drawing, and mixed media
- What you get: Selected work may appear in the gallery’s online portfolio, 3D virtual exhibition, digital catalog, website, social media, and email promotions
About the Organizer: CEV Art Gallery is an online gallery established in Phoenix, Arizona. It presents juried virtual exhibitions and solo shows for emerging and established artists worldwide, supported by digital catalogs and promotional campaigns.
Why I Included This: The theme works naturally for sculptors exploring form, proportion, repetition, architecture, and dimensional patterns. There are no published size limits, and the virtual format means artists do not need to arrange shipping or installation.
Submission Highlights:
- No physical shipping, pedestal, or installation is required
- The temporary 3D gallery will close after the exhibition, while selected work may remain in the gallery’s permanent 2D archive
- Artists retain ownership and copyright while granting CEV Art Gallery limited permission to exhibit and promote the submitted work
7. Alex J. Ettl Grant 2027 – United States
The Alex J. Ettl Grant is a $7,500 award for a figurative or realist sculptor with a mature body of work. Unlike most opportunities on this list, applicants submit a portfolio of sculptures rather than one piece for an exhibition.
Key details:
- Organizer: National Sculpture Society
- Location: United States
- Deadline: October 19, 2026
- Entry fee: Free
- Medium: Figurative or realist sculpture in any material, including human and animal subjects
- What you get: One selected sculptor will receive a $7,500 grant
About the Organizer: Founded in New York in 1893, the National Sculpture Society is the oldest organization of professional sculptors in the United States. It supports sculpture through exhibitions, grants, awards, education, publications, and professional resources.
Why I Included This: This is the most sculpture-focused opportunity on the list and one of only two with no entry fee. The $7,500 award can support studio time, materials, casting, or the continued development of an established body of work.
Submission Highlights:
- Submit images of 11 to 15 sculptures
- Provide at least two views of work that is sculpted in the round
- Up to 45 JPG images are allowed in total
- Include the title, medium, and dimensions for every sculpture
- Add a CV or biography summarizing your career
8. Politics and Art 2026 – Laguna Beach, CA and Online
Politics and Art invites artists to respond to political, cultural, and social issues from any viewpoint. The exhibition began as an online platform for political artwork and is now expanding to include a curated physical show in Laguna Beach.
Key details:
- Organizer: Las Laguna Art Gallery
- Location: Online and Laguna Beach, CA
- Deadline: October 24, 2026
- Entry fee: $35 for up to 5 images, plus a display fee if selected for the physical gallery
- Medium: Sculpture, 3D art, ceramics, assemblage, glass, fiber, painting, photography, printmaking, digital art, video, and mixed media
- What you get: At least one work will appear online, with selected pieces also exhibited in the Laguna Beach gallery
About the Organizer: Las Laguna Art Gallery is a contemporary and fine art gallery in Laguna Beach. It has run open calls since 2013 and presents work from regional, national, and international artists across a wide range of media.
Why I Included This: The gallery welcomes sculpture and 3D work directly, and online-only participation lets artists avoid shipping and display costs. For the physical exhibition, the gallery says it has one display area for small sculpture and notes that some artists provide their own pedestal.
Submission Highlights:
- Submit up to 5 images per entry; the system allows multiple entries
- Artists may decline physical placement and remain in the online exhibition
- Formal terms state a 35% gallery commission, with 65% paid to the artist
- Artists cover shipping, provide a completed prepaid return label, and arrange their own insurance
- Small sculptures may use the gallery’s limited display area; ask whether you need to provide a pedestal
9. West Coast Biennial Juried Art Exhibition – Redding, CA
The ninth West Coast Biennial will bring together 30 to 50 works by contemporary artists from four western states. The exhibition brings together different styles, subjects, and mediums to represent the region’s wider art community.
Key details:
- Organizer: Turtle Bay Exploration Park
- Location: Redding, CA
- Deadline: November 6, 2026
- Entry fee: $40 for up to 3 artworks
- Medium: Painting, drawing, photography, printmaking, sculpture, and mixed media
- What you get: Selected work will appear in a nearly three-month museum exhibition, with up to $3,000 in cash prizes
About the Organizer: Turtle Bay Exploration Park is a nonprofit 300-acre cultural and educational campus in Redding. It includes a museum, the Sundial Bridge, a forestry and wildlife center, an arboretum, and botanical gardens.
Why I Included This: The 11-foot height allowance makes this one of the more flexible physical exhibitions for larger sculpture. Accepted work is also insured while it is at Turtle Bay, the commission is 25%, and the long exhibition period gives artists sustained museum visibility.
Submission Highlights:
- Submit up to 3 artworks
- Provide up to two images for each 3D work
- Maximum artwork height is 11 feet
- Every piece must pass through a 96 x 64-inch doorway
- Turtle Bay insures accepted work from arrival until release to the artist or shipper, based on the declared insurance value
- Turtle Bay takes a 25% commission on sold work
10. America, Beautiful, and... Juried Exhibition 2027 – Falmouth, MA
This exhibition invites artists to explore how America is lived, remembered, celebrated, questioned, and reimagined. The unfinished title leaves space for personal, historical, cultural, and critical interpretations of the American experience.
Key details:
- Organizer: Highfield Hall & Gardens
- Location: Falmouth, MA
- Deadline: November 20, 2026
- Entry fee: $20 for the first work and $15 for each additional work
- Medium: Sculpture, ceramics, stained glass, mosaic, fiber, painting, photography, original printmaking, and mixed media
- What you get: Selected work will be exhibited at Highfield Hall & Gardens. One artist will receive the $200 Best in Show award, four artists will receive $100 each, and four others will receive Honorable Mentions.
About the Organizer: Highfield Hall & Gardens is a historic estate and cultural center in Falmouth. Its program combines visual art exhibitions with gardens, music, lectures, family activities, and community events.
Why I Included This: The exhibition accepts several forms of 3D work and can provide a display unit if an accepted artist contacts the venue in advance. The historic house and garden setting also gives sculpture a different context from a standard white-wall gallery.
Submission Highlights:
- Artists may submit multiple works, but only one work per artist will be displayed if selected
- Work larger than 40 inches in either direction is less likely to be accepted
- If your accepted 3D work needs a display unit, contact Highfield Hall in advance
- Shipped work must arrive by February 1, 2027 with a prepaid return label
- Hand delivery takes place on February 8
- Highfield Hall takes a 40% commission and the artist receives 60%
- The organizer takes care when handling work but does not accept responsibility for damage, loss, or theft
Find More Open Calls for Sculptors on EntryThingy
New sculpture opportunities open throughout the year, so this list will never include every option available. On EntryThingy, you can filter the calls list by Sculpture, then narrow the results by location, deadline month, or free entry.
Each call page shows the organizer, fee, eligibility, accepted media, important dates, submission requirements, and application details. Just remember to check the practical side before applying, especially the dimensions, weight, shipping, pedestal, installation, insurance, and commission terms.
Browse open calls that accept sculpture, with clear entry fees, deadlines, and submission requirements.
Browse Open Calls for Sculptors