ELIGIBILITY
Eligible artists include all currently enrolled undergraduate students, as well as those who completed, or will complete, an undergraduate degree in 2025 or 2026. (Former limits of junior/senior status no longer apply.)

MEDIA
All 2D and 3D visual art is welcome—traditional or non-traditional, in any genre, subject, or medium. Manifest’s multi-member juries change with each project and do not favor any particular style of work.

SIZE LIMIT
There are no size restrictions beyond what can physically fit through our doors and into our galleries. If you’re unsure whether a work is feasible to ship or install, feel free to email us at (info@manifestgallery.org)

DATE RESTRICTIONS
Unless specified otherwise by the exhibit or project parameters Manifest has no requirements on timeframe when submitted works must have been made. At Manifest we do not believe great art has an expiration date. Furthermore we believe that older work gains new meaning when contextualized in a new space alongside different works by different artists. Why should an exceptional work of art cease being experienced by the public once it is just a few years old? In fact, why should it ever stop being experienced? While most work submitted to our exhibits has been made within the past five years or so, sometimes works are submitted (and accepted) that are older. Our jury process does not consider this information when scoring or selecting works for exhibit, however for RITES we expect that the work will have been made during or since enrollment in the relevant academic program.

RITES-SPECIFIC AWARDS
• Best of Show — $500
• Director’s Choice Award — non-monetary recognition by Manifest’s Executive Director
• All exhibitors are automatically considered for the $1,000 Grand Jury Award for this exhibit period (details below).

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*EXHIBITING ARTIST HONORARIA

Exhibiting artists will receive a $50 honorarium in recognition of their participation. The honorarium is unconditional and may be used at the artist’s discretion, including for shipping, framing, or travel expenses.*

 

*$9,000 IN GRAND JURY AWARDS

Since Manifest’s 13th season, the annual Grand Jury Award has recognized one exhibited work each year with a substantial cash prize—our way of honoring the “best of the best” across all exhibitions. As we entered our 20th season, we expanded this commitment in a major way.

The Grand Jury Award is now granted once per exhibition period, awarding $1,000 to one work during each of our nine annual exhibition periods. This change increases our support from one artist per year to as many as nine, and represents an 80% increase in direct funding to artists.

For each exhibition period, the winner is selected through a secondary jurying process drawn from the highest-scoring works of that period’s shows. This structure applies to all exhibitions in our 21st season, beginning September 26, 2025 and continuing through August 2026—including this one.*

* All Manifest awards are supported in large part by the Manifest Annual Fund, which is made possible by direct contributions by individuals around the country and beyond. As such, awards are subject to revision based on pandemics, funding circumstances, and circumstances beyond our control. Honorarium will be transferred by check or electronically at Manifest's discretion within 30 days of the close of each exhibition.

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ENTRY FEE
$25 for one entry, $40 for two to four entries, and $5 per each additional entry. Fees are non-refundable. Number of entries is unlimited. Entry fee must be paid by U.S. check or money order made payable to MANIFEST, or by credit card via PayPal. (If paying by PayPal please use the paypal link provided on the page that follows the submission of the online entry form.)

Any fee payment must reference your name, or we must be notified if another party is paying your fee.

WHAT IS MY FEE USED FOR?
Manifest is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, run by artists and educators who believe deeply in the importance of opportunity, access, and visibility for emerging creators. We don’t have a large reserve or endowment; instead, the projects themselves are made possible by the people who participate in them. Entry fees go directly toward producing each exhibition—much like paying to enter a marathon helps make the event real for everyone who runs.

For students and recent graduates, this is part of learning the business of art. Professional opportunities—exhibitions, publications, juried platforms—exist because artists collectively make them possible. By taking part, you are contributing to an ecosystem that, in turn, exists to support you.

For over twenty years, Manifest has built a reputation for producing high-quality exhibitions on a shoestring budget, always with the goal of serving artists and the public. Our board and small staff work very hard to ensure that your involvement is meaningful and that the experience provides real value as you begin your career.

The entry fee is the only cost charged by Manifest.

When you submit your work, you’re not just entering an exhibition. You’re joining a community of artists who help create the conditions in which art—and artists—can thrive. You’re investing in something that ultimately invests back in you.

 

HOW MANY WORKS SHOULD I SUBMIT?
Most artists submit four or more works to a typical Manifest project. You are welcome to submit fewer—or more—depending on what best represents you. There is no advantage to submitting a larger number of works, but giving the jury a few options can be helpful. Seeing multiple pieces together often gives context that strengthens our understanding of your work.

We frequently accept pairs or small sets once an artist becomes a finalist.

If you submit the entry form more than once, we will only keep your most recent submission and delete all earlier ones. If you decide to add more work later, you’ll need to submit a new form that includes all the works you want considered.

Please include detail images only when truly necessary to understand the piece, and be sure to name those files as instructed below.

JURY AND CURATOR
Manifest's selection process involves a complex two-part system. This exhibit will be juried by an anonymous volunteer panel of professional artists and academic advisors with a broad range of expertise relative to art and design. The jury will then pass along their recommendations to the exhibit curator who will finalize and design the exhibit from the jury-approved pool. (Read more about Manifest's jury process here.)

SUBMISSION OF IMAGES
Manifest accepts only digital images/files for consideration. See specifications below. The Gallery will retain the submitted images of accepted artwork and reserves the right to use the images in publications and gallery publicity. Beyond such use, the artist retains full copyright of exhibited work.

After submitting your entry form, you’ll receive a Dropbox upload link (also included in the confirmation email). Upload all entry images using that link. If your work is accepted, we will request high-resolution, print-quality images for the exhibition and annual publication. If suitable hi-res files are not provided, the work may not appear in the publication.

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FILE NAMING

• Name each file: LastName_FirstName_EntryNumber.jpg
  Example: Jones_Mike_1.jpg

• Detail or alternate-view images must include the word detail in the filename:
  Example: Jones_Mike_1detail1.jpg

• Only include “detail” files if they are genuinely needed to understand the work.

• If a file is uploaded without “detail” in its name, our system will count it as a separate entry and expect a fee.

  EXAMPLE:

  
         

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IMAGE SPECS

• JPEG format, high quality

• Minimum 1000 px on the longest side (approx. 13”)

• 72 dpi (typical screen resolution)

• Images should be properly oriented, cropped cleanly, and show only the artwork—no added borders or text.

WHAT NOT TO UPLOAD

Upload only entry images unless this prospectus specifically asks for something else.
Do not include résumés, bios, receipts, or statements in your image upload.

 

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PRESENTATION MATTERS

Good documentation is essential. The jury must understand how the work is presented, especially for:

• installation or sculptural works

• unframed or alternative presentations

• photographic prints with nontraditional formats

• anything where physical presentation is central to the work

Use the notes section on the entry form to briefly describe presentation if it isn’t obvious from the images.

Our goal is always a museum-quality exhibition, and clear documentation helps us evaluate your work accurately.

 

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VIDEO, MOTION, & INTERACTIVE WORK

If your entry involves video or time-based media:

• Upload one JPEG still image of the work to Dropbox (named like other entries).
  
  
• Provide a public viewing link (YouTube, Vimeo, Dropbox, etc.) in the “Viewing Link” field on the entry form.

- No passwords, accounts, or logins should be required.

- The link should show the work in full, without extra content or unrelated material.

• Links must stay active until after jury notifications.

If anything is unclear, email us at info@manifestgallery.org —we’re happy to help.

 

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AGREEMENT TO PARTICIPATE
Submitting the entry form indicates that you agree with the conditions of entry and exhibit as outlined in this prospectus, that you are reserving spots in our jury, that you will send the entry fee, and that you agree to make your work available and will ship/deliver it to the gallery should it be selected for exhibit.

DO NOT submit an entry form if you cannot follow through. Do not double-book your work, commit it to other conflicting exhibitions, or sell it and compromise its availability for our exhibit after submitting to this project. Doing so will significantly impact our efforts to create a cohesive exhibition, cost valuable resources, and result in delays and further complications.

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ENTRY CHECKLIST

Completed entry form (online submission is required)

Fee paid by check or credit card via PayPal (payable to Manifest)

Digital images formatted as directed, or linked video/interactive work referenced on the entry form.

ONCE WORK IS SELECTED

PUBLICATION: THE MANIFEST EXHIBITION ANNUAL (MEA)

For its first nine seasons, Manifest Press produced 74 individual full-color exhibition catalogs. Beginning with Season 10 (2013–14), we shifted to a single, high-quality hardcover annual that documents the entire year of exhibitions, artists, and works shown in our galleries.

This change strengthened our mission: to create lasting, museum-quality records of contemporary work and to give artists broader visibility across time and geography. Each MEA is large, beautifully printed, and produced with the same care as our award-winning INDA, INPA, and INPHA books. (The MEA for Season 10 earned a Silver IPPY Award; Season 17 earned a Bronze and an American Graphic Design Award.)

The MEA complements—not replaces—our media-specific publications.

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ARTIST OPTIONS & DISCOUNTS

• Exhibiting Artists: may purchase copies of their season’s MEA at half price for their first order, anytime while supplies last.

• All Entrants: may pre-order that season’s MEA at 40% off during entry (the option appears after entry fee payment).

• Supporting Donors: Artists who join Manifest’s Annual Fund at the eligible level receive a free MEA for the season underway, plus recognition in print and membership materials.

• Solo Exhibitors: receive a free copy of the MEA.

  
  

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PUBLICATION TIMELINE

As a purposefully retrospective book, the MEA is designed and printed after the season ends, and typically ships within the following year. (Manifest’s exhibition season runs from September to September.)

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SEE PAST PUBLICATIONS

You can explore previous catalogs and our award-winning INDA, INPA, and INPHA books at Manifest Press.

Become a supporting member here.

DELIVERY AND RETURN OF WORK
All work accepted for the exhibition must arrive ready to install. Works not gallery-ready, or not exhibiting good craftsmanship, may be omitted from the exhibit. Accepted work that differs significantly from the entry images or suffers from poor presentation, will be disqualified. Please note that professional-level presentation and craftsmanship is a must. Work may be hand delivered or shipped. Shipped works must be sent in an easily reusable container/packaging with return shipping prepaid. Works will be returned in the same manner as delivered or via UPS/USPS. All work must arrive at Manifest by the specified date (see calendar below). Accepted work will remain on display for the duration of the exhibition. Works not claimed within 30 days of the end of the exhibit will become the property of Manifest. The artists are responsible for all shipping costs to and from the gallery.

INSURANCE
Works will be insured while on gallery premises. Insurance covers theft, vandalism, damage caused by gallery patrons or staff (in accordance with insurance policy). PLEASE NOTE: Insurance does not cover damage caused during shipping due to any reason, including mishandling by carrier or failure of packaging to protect works in transit. Also not covered is damage caused to work by failure of the work itself, its mounting systems installed or provided by the artist, disintegration/degradation due to the nature/quality of materials or craftsmanship, or incidental damage to works whose artist-directed presentation methods put them at risk. For any claim the artist may be required to provide proof of value. In general artists are encouraged to insure their works in transit with the carrier, and/or obtain personal articles insurance that covers works sent for exhibit (not just with us, but anywhere the artwork will travel in the future.)

SALE OF ARTWORK
Artworks are not required to be for sale in order to be included in our exhibitions. It is required that works are indicated as either "for sale" or not for sale (NFS) on the submitted entry form. Manifest Gallery will retain a commission of 30% of the sale price on all artwork sold during the exhibition. Artists set the sale price on the entry form, and in doing so should account for all logistical costs, framing, etc. related to making the work exhibit-ready. Sale price and status cannot be changed after the deadline to submit.