Call for Submissions – Voices and Visibility: Women, Art, and Political Change

2026 Annual Juried Exhibition at Kawartha Art Gallery

Call for Submissions
Voices and Visibility: Women, Art, and Political Change

Submission Deadline: Monday, September 28, 2026, by midnight ET
Artwork Delivery Deadline: Thursday, October 1, 2026, 11am–8pm
Exhibition Dates: October 7 – December 19, 2026
Awards Reception: Saturday, November 7, 2026, 2–4pm

Democracy thrives when all people can participate, contribute, and have their voices heard.

Throughout history, women have played a vital role in expanding rights, advocating for change, building communities, and shaping the democratic landscape.

Kawartha Art Gallery invites artists to explore the relationship between women, participation, and democracy through an exhibition that explores the power of civic engagement, collective action, representation, and social change.

From the fight for voting rights to contemporary movements for equality, justice, and inclusion, women have often been at the forefront of efforts to strengthen democratic values and expand opportunities for participation.

Kawartha Art Gallery welcomes works that challenge perspectives, commemorate achievements, inspire dialogue, or imagine a future where all people can participate fully in civic and community life.

Participation can be expressed in many ways…a raised hand, an open door, a gathering of voices, a bridge built between communities, a path forward, an act of courage, or a vision of change.

This theme offers powerful opportunities for metaphor and symbolism, and artists are encouraged to consider both tangible and symbolic representations of participation and democracy through the following themes:

• Democracy
• Advocacy
• Leadership
• Human Rights
• Identity
• Protest
• Belonging
• Representation
• Community Engagement

Artists are invited to interpret the theme through personal experiences, historical narratives, contemporary issues, or imagined futures. Whether reflective, celebratory, provocative, or aspirational, submissions should approach the subject with sensitivity, authenticity, and creative intention

An artist’s rendering of KAG’s new location at 19 Cambridge Street South, in Lindsay, Ontario

Eligibility

• Open to all artists 18 years and older living within Ontario
• One entry per Artist
• Maximum size of artwork 48in wide x 72in tall
• Cost per entry for Gallery Member Artists is $35.00
• Cost per entry for non-Gallery Member Artist is $50.00
• All entry fees are non-refundable
• All works to have been completed with the past 24 months
• Each entry to include an Artist statement. This is an explanation of your overall vision and the issues/ideas that you have presented in your work (maximum 300-word count)
• Each entry to include two good quality images of the submitted piece of work with submitted images in a 300 dpi in JPG (or JPEG) format. With image files not exceeding 2.5MB
• Image files submitted with entry form are to be named using the following convention: FirstName, LastName, Title of Work, Date of Work, Format (i.e.: Jane Doe, Title,.jpg)
• Mediums welcomed are painting, drawing, printmaking, mixed media, sculpture, textile and fibre art, photography and digital art
• No AI generated works will be accepted
• Artists are responsible for the transportation of accepted artworks to and from the Gallery
• The Gallery assumes insurance responsibility only while works are onsite
• All works must be delivered ready to install, d-hooks and wire
• Works selected for the exhibition must remain on view for the full duration of the exhibit
• By submitting, artists agree to allow the Gallery to use images of selected works for promotional purposes
• The Gallery reserves the right to decline any artwork that does not meet the exhibition standards or eligibility criteria

Awards

• Highest Achievement – $1,000.00
• Award of Merit – $500.00
• Award of Distinction – $250.00
• Award of Distinction – $250.00

Jurying

Notification of acceptance will be sent via email on Saturday, October 3, 2026.

The juror’s decision is final. Only work that has been accepted by the juror will be included in the exhibition.

All works not accepted will be required to be picked up from the Gallery on Monday, October 5, 2026, between 11am and 5pm.

How to Submit

Entries can only be submitted via the online submission form.

Submission Deadline: Monday, September 28, 2026, by midnight ET

For additional information or questions, please contact:
Susan Taylor
art@kawarthagallery.com | 705-324-1780

Kawartha Art Gallery
19 Cambridge Street South
Lindsay, ON K9V 3B7
kawarthagallery.com
art@kawarthagallery.com
(705) 324-1780

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Accessibility:
Kawartha Art Gallery is fully accessible. For more information, visit kawarthagallery.com

Image Descriptions:
1. A black-and-white photographic collage featuring a person’s side profile with imagery of protests, buildings, books, and floral designs.
2. An artist’s rendering of KAG’s new location at 19 Cambridge Street South, in Lindsay, Ontario