PhotoMidwest Festival 2024

Presented by PhotoMidwest in collaboration with FlakPhoto Projects and the Arts + Literature Laboratory

In fall 2024, PhotoMidwest will produce its signature event, the PhotoMidwest Biennial Festival in Madison, Wisconsin. Festival exhibitions occur at various galleries, including the Arts + Literature Laboratory, Overture Center for the Arts, PhotoMidwest Studio, and the Pyle Center on the UW Campus.

The festival’s capstone event is the 13th PhotoMidwest Biennial Juried Exhibition, which showcases photographers from 13 Midwest U.S. states. PhotoMidwest seeks work from photographers living and working in Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.

2024 Juror | Kris Graves

Kris Graves (b. 1982, New York, NY) is an artist and publisher based in New York and California. Graves creates artwork that deals with societal problems and aims to use art to inform people about cultural issues. Graves received his BFA in Visual Arts from S.U.N.Y. Purchase College. He has been published and exhibited globally, including at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Getty Institute in Los Angeles, and the National Portrait Gallery in London. Permanent collections include the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Getty Institute, Schomburg Center, and the Whitney Museum of American Art.

A message from Kris Graves:

I am excited to serve as the juror for the PhotoMidwest Biennial Exhibition and eagerly anticipate all the wonderful artist submissions.
The universal language of photography has the power to provoke thought, evoke emotion, and change the world. It is of the utmost importance for artists to carve out their own voice, and this challenge leads to growth.
I eagerly anticipate the diverse range of perspectives and stories that will be showcased. With a keen interest in culture and agency, I look forward to encountering images that not only captivate visually but also resonate deeply with their intended messages.

Awards And Recognition

Best of Show: $500 cash award*
Images of Distinction: (5) $100 awards*
*Selected by Juror Kris Graves 

Key Dates & Deadlines

The exhibit will be on view at the Art + Literature Laboratory from September 17 to November 9, 2024. Images from the exhibition will also feature in an online gallery, our website, and social media platforms.

Submission deadline: July 1, 2024 (Closes at 11:59 PM Mountain Time)

All artists will receive an email notification of which image(s), if any, were accepted by August 5, 2024.

All images must be received at the Arts + Literature Laboratory by September 6, 2024.

Opening Reception: September 27, 2024, at 6-8 p.m. CST

Application Requirements

Submission Guidelines

Entry fees: $45 for up to three images

Additional Images: Up to two additional images may be submitted for $10 each

PhotoMidwest members receive a $10 discount. Not a member? Sign up for a membership here, and we’ll email you the discount code you can use upon checkout on the CaFÉ website.

Note: You must enter the discount code before clicking “proceed to checkout” during the application process.

All submissions must be made digitally through CallForEntry.org. Interested artists must create a free CaFÉ profile to apply. Profiles can be created and saved for future use. Artists with existing profiles should verify their contact information.

Eligibility Criteria

For the purposes of this exhibition, the Midwest is defined as including the states of Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. All photographic imagery is eligible for submission, including traditional film, alternative process, digital, and all post-production techniques.

Images entered in prior years' festivals selected as finalists will not be included in the current festival year's judging. However, images that have been entered in previous years but have yet to be selected as finalists are always welcome.

Exhibition Information

Contributing artists are responsible for shipping, return costs, and transit insurance. The exhibition venue provides insurance for installation and exhibition. Accepted artists will receive instructions for shipping or hand delivery.

Entries will be handled with care, but neither PhotoMidwest nor its representatives are liable for loss or damage. The acceptance email will provide additional packing and shipping details.

All work must arrive ready to be hung. The PhotoMidwest Festival Committee reserves the right to reject unsuitable images or those with framing that doesn't meet professional standards for exhibition at the Arts + Literature Laboratory.

For a complete festival schedule and additional information, visit PhotoMidwest.org.

About PhotoMidwest 

PhotoMidwest is a 501(c)3 organization founded in 1998 as The Center for Photography at Madison. Now in its 24th year, PhotoMidwest serves as a home for the photographic arts in the region, with a mission to connect, educate, and inspire all who create, support, and appreciate photography as a means to personal expression.

For more information, e-mail festival@PhotoMidwest.org

About Arts + Literature Laboratory

Arts + Literature Laboratory (ALL) is a community-driven center for the visual, literary, and performing arts that engages people of all ages and backgrounds in meaningful cultural experiences. Its mission is to steward a community laboratory for creative experimentation, collaboration, and excellence in contemporary visual, literary, and performing arts. Our vision is a thriving creative culture where artistic labor is valued, and all people can have meaningful experiences with the arts and literature of today. ALL supports over 250 events per year, year-round adult and youth arts education, professional development programs, and city-wide arts outreach partnerships.