Call Description

EXHIBITION AND TOUR 
Small Works on Paper (SWOP) is an annual, juried art exhibition sponsored by the Arkansas Arts Council. Each year, the artwork of both emerging and established Arkansas artists is showcased in a year-long traveling exhibition.  

The SWOP exhibition tours the state and can be viewed at up to ten locations in Arkansas. The exhibition will open in January 2026 at the Arts and Science Center in Pine Bluff and make stops in Russellville, Fort Smith, Bentonville, Batesville, North Little Rock, Stuttgart, Helena, West Memphis and Forrest City. 
 
ELIGIBILITY  
SWOP is open to all visual artists who are residents of Arkansas, aged 18 years or older. Current Arkansas Arts Council advisory board members, staff of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism (ADPHT) or members of their immediate families are not eligible.
  

JURIED ARTIST DIRECTORY
Artists chosen by the juror to be part of Small Works on Paper will be added to the Juried Artist Directory, which was created to support, market and recognize creatives who have earned awards and recognition through the Arkansas Arts Council. 
 
JUROR                                                                                            
The 2026 juror is artist and educator, Kelli Scott Kelley. She is a Professor of Art with a focus on painting and drawing at Louisiana State University (LSU) in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from LSU and a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. Kelley's paintings have been exhibited widely, including solo exhibitions at the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art in Boulder, Colorado; the Bradbury Art Museum at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro; and the LSU Museum. She has been awarded numerous grants for research and travel, including a 2023 Emerging Research Faculty Grant to study and travel to Japan. Kelley authored a book, Accalia and the Swamp Monster, which features her artwork and was published by LSU Press in 2014. 

PURCHASE AWARDS 
Up to $2,000 will be available for juror selected awards. Artwork selected as a purchase award will be purchased at the price listed by the artist at time of entry. The artwork will become part of the SWOP permanent collection.  

SPECIFICATIONS 

• Eligible mediums include painting, photography, drawing, printmaking, mixed media and collage.
• Only original artwork will be accepted.
• Do not submit work copied or reproduced from another artist's creation. Artwork created by using reference material must be significantly different from its source.
• Do not submit AI generated artwork.
• All artwork must be created on paper. Artwork created on canvas is not eligible.
• Dimensions of actual work can be any size, but accepted work must be matted or mounted to fit a frame that is one of the following sizes: 18" x 18" or 18" x 24" (H x W or W x H).
• The Arkansas Arts Council reserves the right of approval of any work submitted, and, in its editorial discretion, any work that is deemed offensive or political in nature will not be accepted.

 ACCEPTED WORK  

• A maximum of 40 works will be selected by the juror.
• Accepted work is due in the Arkansas Arts Council office by Nov. 7, 2025. Artwork may be hand-delivered or shipped.
• Artwork may be refused if the digital image is not an accurate representation of work.
• Accepted work must fit in a standard low-profile frame measuring 18" x 18" or 18" x 24" (H x W or W X H).
• Frames will be provided by the Arkansas Arts Council.
• Artists must provide a hinged window mat and rigid backboard for their artwork. Mounted artwork, plus a backing board is acceptable.
• All mats should be of conservation quality mat board.
• The entire thickness of artwork, mat, and backing board should not exceed 1/2" thickness to fit the Arkansas Arts Council's frames.
• Do not deliver a copy or reproduction of the original artwork that was selected by the juror.

SALES 
Please indicate the sale price for each work submitted. If the work is not for sale, please list a monetary value. Commissions are not taken on sales. All proceeds go to the artists.  
 
ARTIST NOTIFICATION 
All artists will be notified regarding acceptance of work in September 2025.  
 
ENTRY FEES AND DEADLINE 
Entry fees are $15 to submit one digital image, $20 for two digital images or $25 for three digital images.  
 
INFORMATION 
Contact Cheri Leffew with questions about entry procedures or the exhibition at (501) 324-9767 or cheri.leffew@arkansas.gov.   
 

Application Requirements

All artwork must be original, on paper and completed within the last two years. Non-original art (copied from another artist's creation, whether painting, drawing or photography is not eligible). AI generated artwork is not eligible. The Arkansas Arts Council reserves the right of approval of any work submitted, and, in its editorial discretion, any work that is deemed offensive or political in nature will not be accepted.

Eligibility Criteria

SWOP is open to all visual artists who are residents of Arkansas, aged 18 years or older.  

Current Arkansas Arts Council advisory board members, staff of the Arkansas Department of Heritage, Parks and Tourism (ADHPT) or members of their immediate families are not eligible.

(NOTE: Do not enter if you do not reside in Arkansas.)