10/02/2026
It’s been a while since I shared a curator’s perspective for artists. There have been so many exhibitions lately that I’ve fallen a little behind on these posts)))
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Recently, I was talking with an artist about why open calls matter, why they’re worth applying to, and how to handle rejection.
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Let me start by saying that we, curators and art managers, also regularly apply to competitions and open calls. And we often get rejected too. It’s a normal part of our work, even if it never feels particularly good.
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But rejection doesn’t necessarily mean your project is weak or your art “isn’t at the right level.” There can be many reasons: hundreds of applications, limited space, a budget, a specific concept. Sometimes a curator sees a strong work, but it doesn’t fit with the rest of the exhibition. We can’t include everyone.
If you’re selected, wonderful. If you aren’t, your application may still have done something valuable: introduced a curator to your practice.
Here’s a little professional secret. Many curators keep a folder of portfolios by artists they liked but couldn’t include in a particular project. When a new exhibition comes along, we revisit those portfolios. And an invitation may arrive later, without another competition.
With hundreds of thousands of artists on Instagram, finding each other isn’t easy. Through an open call, your work reaches someone who is actively looking for artists and taking the time to consider their practices. There’s no guarantee of a future invitation, but you’ve created a possibility that wasn’t there before you applied.
So keep applying. Just read the concept and conditions carefully, and choose projects your work can meaningfully connect with.
We’ll soon be announcing a new open call for photographers. Stay tuned 👀
