Call Description

Resist and Persist: Social (in)Justice

An Exhibition at Sebastopol Center for the Arts 

Exhibition Dates: Saturday June 20th - Sunday July 26th, 2026

July 4th, 2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in the United States of America. This exhibition seeks to explore the promise, contradictions, and ongoing struggle of liberty, democracy, and justice. 

Artists have always responded at the forefront of cultural change. In times of unrest, art does not stay silent. It speaks truth, demands change, mourns loss, and envisions hope. We invite artists of all backgrounds and mediums to submit work to “Resist and Persist: Social (in)Justice,” a juried exhibition that explores personal responses to social upheaval.

We are seeking powerful, original works that reflect the moment: art that confronts injustice, reclaims identity, honors resistance, or envisions hope.

Call For Entry:

Call Opens: February 15th, 2026  

Call Closes: May 1st, 2026 

Jurying dates: May 2nd - May 7th, 2026 

Notifications to artists: May 8th, 2026

Deadline for Mailed Artwork to arrive at SCA: June 15th, 2026 

In Person Drop Off: Sunday June 14th 2026 2PM-4PM or Tuesday June 16th, 2026 10-2PM 

Opening Reception: Sat. June 20th, 2-4 PM

Medium & Dimensions 

All mediums are welcome. The only size limitation is that the work needs to be able to fit through a 7’ by 7’ gallery door and to fit on our 10 foot high wall. Our experienced installation team can install your piece with any method with your clearly written instructions. 

Please Note In order to promote artists currently working, we are asking for work produced in the last 3 years. 

SebArts reserves the right to make minor amendments to the juried choices to balance the needs of the exhibitions in our gallery. 

Questions? Damian Estrella at destrella@sebarts.org or 707-829-4797 x 1003

Application Requirements

Entry-Fees:
$35 per entry

$5 fee with any additional entry/detail photo

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility 

● Open to artists worldwide.

● Maximum of 3 pieces of artwork per artist. 

● Wall mounted work needs to include fixtures and sleeves, with the exception of rods and wood bars which we can provide for those pieces mailed from out of the area. Work should have hanging instructions if necessary. 

● All work must not have been previously shown in the SebArts Gallery. 

● All work must have been completed in the last 3 years. 

● $35 per entry (with a $5 fee with any additional entry)

Awards 

1st place $300, 2nd place $200, 3rd place $100, $50 coordinator awards

Commission 

Artists will receive 60% of the sales price of the work sold. 

Jurors Biography 

Alan Beckstead is a local artist, art collector, and board member of the Sebastopol Center for the Arts. Alan’s artwork predominantly focuses on the joy, pride and struggles of the LGBTQ+ community.  He has an extensive art collection assembled over 40 years.   In 2023, 116 pieces from the collection were donated to the University of Texas San Antonio art collection and art endowment.

Submissions must be entered online only 

● Please ensure that all images are 5MB or less in size and are in JPEG format. 

● Please submit a high quality image that best represents your work. Work that differs from the submission image may not be included in the exhibition.

SHIPPING SPECIFICATIONS: 

All work must have the artist’s name and contact information on or attached to the piece of work. 

● Ship to ATTN: VISUAL ARTS TEAM SebArts, 282 S. High St, Sebastopol, CA 95472 

● Shipped work must arrive by June 15th, 2026

● Artist is responsible for all shipping and handling costs to and from the exhibit. 

● Each shipped entry must be packaged in a reusable container for the return of work: 

● Include installation and re-packing instructions if necessary. 

● In order to return your unsold art, each shipped entry MUST include a prepaid return label and a prepaid return shipping form (UPS or FedEx). 

● Unsold work, with valid return forms for shipping, will be shipped within 15 days after the last day of the show. 

● PLEASE unpack and inspect your returned artwork and communicate any concerns with SebArts within 14 days of receipt. SebArts is not responsible for damage to art after 15 days. 

Artwork left 30 days after the closing of the exhibition will be considered SebArts property 

Hand Delivered Art 

● Must be dropped off  Sunday June 14th 2026 2PM-4PM or Tuesday June 16th, 2026 10-2PM

● Must have artist name and contact information on the back of the work. ● Selected work must be on view for the duration of the exhibit. Work may not be withdrawn prior to close of the exhibition. 

● Selected artists agree to allow work to be photographed for media use, for educational and publicity purposes. 

● Artists receive 60% of the sales price of work that is sold. 

● Indicate clearly on form if not for sale NFS. 

Notifications 

Artists will be notified by email of acceptance by May 8th, 2026