Call Description

The Artists Gallery (TAG) Presents

L.A. Open 2026

Wednesday, January 7 through Friday, January 23, 2026

Awards Reception: Saturday, January 10, 2026, 5 - 8 pm

TAG's LA Open 2026 celebrates the visual art of emerging and established artists of Los Angeles County. We invite you to submit your creations to LA Open 2026.  

This call is open to broad interpretation with a variety of mediums accepted. Artists may submit: Painting, Drawing, Photography, Printmaking, Mixed Media, Sculpture, Digital, and Video art.  No AI accepted.

THREE CASH AWARDS and EIGHT AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE

1st Place: $600   2nd Place: $400   Third Place: $250

TAG's L.A. Open celebrates art and creativity in Los Angeles County

JUROR: Gene Sasse

Gene Sass is a long time commercial, fine art photographer in Southern California, adjunct Professor and the founder of the Sasse Museum of Art. His work has been featured in numerous magazines, books and many other publications. In 2013 Sasse founded the Inland Empire Museum of Art with a desire to provide more opportunities for the community to bring their families to enjoy art that’s free to the public. In 2019 the name of the museum was changed to the Sasse Museum of Art. The museum has a permanent collection of well over 1,400 objects and is developing a strong international reach.

ELIGIBILITY:

L.A. OPEN 2026 call for art is open to artists 18 years and older residing in Los Angeles County. 

IMPORTANT DATES:

Exhibit Entries Open Tuesday, September 30, 2025

Deadline for Entries Monday, December 1, 2025, 10:59 pm PST 

Notice of Acceptance Monday, December 8, 2025

Delivery: In-Person Drop-Off Dates Friday - Sunday, January 2 - 4, 2026, 1 - 7 pm

Delivery / Installation of Large-scale Sculpture and Video equipment Large-scale sculpture and video equipment are required to be delivered between Friday and Saturday, January 2 - 3,2026 and curated and installed on Sunday, January 4, 2026 between 1 - 7 pm.

Shipped Artwork Deadline - Art Must be Received by Saturday, January 3, 2026, 6 pm PST. 

Exhibit Opens Wednesday, January 7, 2026, 1 pm

Reception & Awards Ceremony Saturday, January 10, 2026, 5 - 8 pm

Exhibit Closes Friday, January 23, 2026, 7 pm

Artwork Pick-Up Date  Saturday, January 24, 2026, 1 - 7 pm

Shipped Artwork Return Range: February 10 - 16, 2026

SUBMISSION CRITERIA AND CONTENT:

To be eligible for submission, your artwork must meet the following criteria:

All entries must be original works created solely by the artist. The artwork must be available for sale. The artwork has not been previously exhibited at TAG Gallery. Art created in a classroom or under the direct supervision of an instructor is not eligible. Submissions must not violate any copyright laws. Once submitted, artwork cannot be withdrawn, substituted, or altered. This includes changing the size of printed works between submission and delivery. Do not submit work that is already scheduled for another exhibition between January 2 and February 24, 2026. All selected artworks must remain on display at TAG Gallery for the entirety of the exhibition, until 7 pm on Friday, January 23, 2026. Proper preparation is required to ensure your art can be displayed safely. All hanging artwork must be fitted with a sturdy wire suitable for a single hook. The hardware must support the piece's size and weight. Ensure your artwork hangs flush with the wall. For heavier pieces, please use D-Rings or a French Cleat system. If your work requires a complex installation, you must provide clear instructions and photographs to guide the process. The gallery reserves the right to refuse any artwork that is improperly prepared for installation (e.g., too fragile, too heavy, or lacking appropriate hardware) to prevent risk of damage.

ARTWORK FORMAT, PRESENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

Artwork submissions are limited to six (6) individual visual artwork images per artist, submitted as JPGs. Maximum size is 70 inches high and 48 inches wide framed. Maximum weight for sculpture is 25 lbs. If the accepted sculpture weighs 25 lbs the artist must be present for installation. The digital image(s) you upload must faithfully represent the artwork, size, and medium you submit. The artwork has not been previously exhibited at TAG Gallery. See CaFÉ guidelines for Video Uploads: https:// www.callforentry.org/artist-help-cafe/uploading-media

FORMAT FOR DIGITAL IMAGE UPLOADS (JPGS)

All entries must be submitted as a high resolution (at least 1MB) digital JPEG. Images should be cropped to remove background and/or frame. Image quality is critical. Poor photography and presentation may affect acceptance by the juror. The digital image (JPG) must faithfully represent the submitted artwork, size and medium.

ENTRIES & FEES

One entry is $35.00. Artist may add up to 5 additional entries at $5.00 each.

Payment is made through CaFÉ via credit card. Fees are non-refundable. There is no guarantee of acceptance into the exhibit.

SALES

All artwork MUST be for sale. All sales will be handled by TAG Gallery. Artist will be notified when a sale is made. TAG Gallery will receive 40% commission for artwork in this exhibition, after acceptance and for 30-days after the exhibition ends, and the artwork is picked up. If you are interested in TAG membership, visit https://www.taggallery.net

SHIPPING

Invited artists will receive an email with shipping and delivery information. Artists who ship artwork(s) must provide prepaid RETURN shipping labels along with their shipped artwork(s). TAG is not responsible for storing or shipping artwork that is shipped without a return label. Shipped Artwork Must be Received by Saturday, January 3rd, 2026, 6 pm PST.  

RECEPTION

The in-person reception and Awards Ceremony for L.A. Open 2026 will be Saturday, January 10, 2026, 5 - 8 pm at TAG Gallery, 5458 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036. Street parking is available, ride sharing is recommended.

PROMOTION OF THE EXHIBIT

Promotional images and email marketing is provided by TAG Gallery, and we strongly encourage cross-promotion on social media. 

EXHIBITION LOCATION

TAG Gallery, 5458 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036

ABOUT THE GALLERY

TAG, The Artists Gallery is a fine art gallery located on Museum Row in Los Angeles California. The Gallery represents award-winning contemporary Southern California local artists, exhibitions, and events every month.

Founded in 1993, The Artists Gallery is an artist-founded and operated not-for-profit arts cooperative that provides mutual benefit and creative freedom to its members, encouraging the exploration of new media, collaboration, and artistic focus among the members in hopes of enriching individual artists, our community, and the art world at large.

Application Requirements

See Submission Criteria and Content

Eligibility Criteria

TAG Gallery invites artists 18 years and over and residents of Los Angeles County to submit to L.A. Open 2026. Artists may submit: Painting, Drawing, Photography, Printmaking, Mixed Media, Sculpture, Digital, and Video art. No AI accepted. Artwork dimensions including the frame are limited to 70 H x 48 W in.