Call Description

A National Call for Art - The Fabric of Life

Open to all artists, aged 18 or older, residing in the US.

This is an in-person exhibition, selected works are expected to be shipped to, or dropped off at, Webster Arts by Friday, December 19, 2025.

Webster Arts invites art submissions for The Fabric of Life. 

What connects us? What threads hold together our experiences, cultures, and memories into a shared human tapestry? The Fabric of Life invites artists to explore the threads that weave together the human experience. Artists are encouraged to submit work that contemplates texture, interconnection, and the ties that bind our world together. Artists are encouraged to submit original 2D & 3D work in any medium. No video.

Entry Deadline: December 1, 2025.

Entry Fee: $25 for the first three images, $5 for each additional entry up to 10 images. Entry fees are non-refundable.

Exhibition Dates: January 9-February 13, 2026.

Please call or email Webster Arts if you have questions about the suitability of your medium. info@webster-arts.org

Originally known for its annual art fair, Art & Air (now The Webster Arts Fair), which began in 2003, Webster Arts has grown into a vital community organization that invites people of all ages to explore and enjoy art. Our patrons are sophisticated art consumers. Over the past 20 years Webster Arts has expanded its programs to include exhibits, workshops, the annual Plein Air event Paint Webster, artists markets, concerts, and family-friendly community engagement programs. The Webster Arts gallery features artwork from around the country. Regular hours are Tuesday through Friday, 9:30 – 5:00 PM.

Juror
Melshonda Lowe-Dobbins. She is a figurative artist, educator, and lifelong advocate for the visual voice, based in St. Louis, Missouri. Her work in acrylic and spray paint acts as a powerful form of social commentary and a deeply personal exploration of the human experience.

Lowe-Dobbins' signature "faceless" figures are a deliberate artistic choice. By omitting specific identity, she invites viewers to look beyond the surface and focus on the universal stories of experience, emotion, and resilience that her subjects embody. Through this visual language, she weaves narratives that speak to the interconnection of shared humanity. Her art is a testament to her personal journey as a Black woman, creating an uplifting visual narrative defined by profound faith, the complexities of identity, and unwavering strength.

A graduate of the Kansas City Art Institute ('94) and holding a master's in education from the University of Missouri-St. Louis ('10), Melshonda has dedicated over two decades to teaching art and nurturing young minds. She will further her commitment to academic excellence by beginning her doctoral program at Maryville University in January 2026.

Lowe-Dobbins has gained significant attention following her solo exhibition, Echoes (July 2025), which debuted in St. Louis. This visibility is sustained by her presence in current exhibitions such as The Unseen Thread: Women's Art as Movement Art at The Studio@620 in St. Petersburg, Florida (November 2025), and the Webster Arts Small Works XXII show (October 2025). Her dedication to public art includes mural work at Northwest Academy of Law High School (St. Louis Public School District) and Brittany Woods Middle School (University City School District). Her exhibition record also includes the St. Louis Artist's Guild Summer Exhibit, Urb Art Gallery, the Soulard Art Gallery, the MySLArt 33 exhibition, and she is a Paint Webster Plein Air Best in Show recipient.

An independent juror will select work for inclusion in the exhibit and cash prizes ($250 Best in Show, one $100 Award of Excellence.) Sales are encouraged.

Dates and Deadlines:

Monday, December 1, 2025 11:59 PM: Submission Deadline

Tuesday, December 9, 2025: All artists notified by email

December 16-19, 2025: Deadline for local drop-off of artwork

December 19, 2025: Deadline to receive shipped artwork to Webster Arts Gallery before the new year. Gallery will be closed over the holidays. We will be able to receive packages for this show January 6 and 7 if more time is needed to ship the artwork. 

Friday, January 9, 2026 at 6:30 PM: Opening Reception at Webster Arts, #2 Summit Ave, Webster Groves, MO 63119

Entry Fee

$25 for first 3 images, $5 for each additional entry up to 10 images.

Eligibility

Open to all artists, aged 18 or older, residing in the US.

Specifications - PLEASE READ CAREFULLY

The exhibit will consider artworks of all mediums except for video. Framed wall pieces must be wired for hanging and no larger than 48” x 48”. All wall works on paper must be framed. Three dimensional works must not exceed 32” x 32” x 60” or weigh more than 50 pounds. Accepted work cannot be substituted and must be available for the duration of the exhibit. No ceiling installed work. Unassembled work must come with detailed assembly instructions. No video.

All work must be the original conception and execution of the artist listed on the application. No reproductions. Please do not submit work that has been exhibited in any Webster Arts gallery in the past.

Submissions

Submit up to 10 JPEG digital images

Upload options for image files:

Between 1000 and 1920 pixels  on the longest side

72 PPI/dpi (standard web resolution)

5 MB maximum side

Shipping/Delivery of Accepted Artworks

The artist is responsible for the cost of shipping or mailing artwork to and from Webster Arts using FedEx, UPS, USPS, or DHL. A return shipping label must be included with the artwork or emailed as a pdf to info@webster-arts.org. Artwork may also be hand-delivered and picked up from Webster Arts on the appropriate dates during the scheduled times.

Insurance and Sale of Artwork

All artwork is insured for its declared value from the time it is received through the time it is picked up by the carrier. Artists are responsible for insuring artwork during transit. Webster Arts received a 30% commission on all exhibition sales. Sales are encouraged.

Photography

Photographs of accepted artwork may be used for promotional purposes.

Release of Liability

Receipt of the completed form constitutes your agreement with all conditions established. All reasonable care is taken with artworks, and you understand that by completing this form you release Webster Arts, their officers, employees, agents, directors, and volunteers of and from any and all liability for any loss, damage, or theft of any exhibited art or exhibition materials.

Application Requirements

This exhibit is open to all media, excluding video. Framed wall pieces must be wired for hanging and no larger than 48” x 48”. All wall works on paper must be framed. Three dimensional works must not exceed 32” x 32” x 60” or weigh more than 50 pounds. Accepted work cannot be substituted and must be available for the duration of the exhibit. No ceiling installed work. Unassembled work must come with detailed assembly instructions. No video.

All work must be the original conception and execution of the artist listed on the application. No reproductions. Please do not submit work that has been exhibited in any Webster Arts gallery in the past.

Eligibility

Open to all artists, aged 18 or older, residing in the US.

Rules and Terms to Apply

I agree to abide by the terms and conditions set forth in this registration and established from time to time by Webster Arts and further understand that failure to do so may result in the loss of my eligibility to exhibit accepted work at Webster Arts Center, forfeiture of my registration fee and liability for any actual or consequential damages. I hereby grant Webster Arts a non-exclusive and royalty-free license to use any jury image that I have submitted or will in the future submit to Webster Arts for purposes of promotion or publicity of the exhibit and to promote each artist on the website and through social media. No artist image will be used to promote items for sale.

Application Requirements

This exhibit is open to all media, excluding video. Framed wall pieces must be wired for hanging and no larger than 48” x 48”. All wall works on paper must be framed. Three dimensional works must not exceed 32” x 32” x 60” or weigh more than 50 pounds. Accepted work cannot be substituted and must be available for the duration of the exhibit. No ceiling installed work. Unassembled work must come with detailed assembly instructions. No video.

All work must be the original conception and execution of the artist listed on the application. No reproductions. Please do not submit work that has been exhibited in any Webster Arts gallery in the past.

Eligibility Criteria

Open to all artists, aged 18 or older, residing in the US.