Call Description

OPEN CALL:
Drawing Rooms Solo Project Space #4: 2/5/26 - 3/1/26
Submissions Due 1/9/26

Anything goes for our Drawing Rooms Solo Project Space 4 exhibition! 

We are looking for an exciting and compelling cohesive body of work or installation on any theme or concept and of any size or media for our Solo Project Space. 

MULTIPLE SOLO ARTISTS will be chosen by the curator:

ONE artist for Project Space and Up to FOUR artists for additional solo gallery areas!

Please provide an Artist Statement that describes your intention and motivation behind the body of work to give the curator insight into better understanding the work. Installation artists are welcome: please provide a detailed description of your installation, including materials and a timeline in hours/days needed to install.

A layout of the Project Space can be found at the Site Plan area of the application.

Artists will also be considered for inclusion in our other programs, such as The Art Project JC lobbies, and online Artsy.net exhibits throughout the year. Drawing Rooms will feature selected works from this exhibition for sale on Artsy.net
See: https://www.artsy.net/partner/drawing-rooms 

Artists chosen to be in any of our 2026 shows will have preferred status for our end-of-the-year holiday blow-out exhibition, The Big Small Show. The Big Small Show is like a party in appreciation of the artists we work with throughout the year, along with new artists we hope will continue to be part of our community. 

Drawing Rooms is a nonprofit art space and gallery in the Topps Building on the Mana Complex in the Journal Square neighborhood in Jersey City. We show two and three-dimensional works by emerging and mid-career artists in NJ and the NY metropolitan area, as well as nationally and internationally. Our innovative and exciting exhibitions, public programs and publications enrich the lives of our community through an appreciation of and involvement with contemporary art.

Drawing Rooms art gallery at the Mana Contemporary complex in Jersey City is a project of Victory Hall Inc., a 501c3 non-profit organization producing exhibitions, programs, and public art projects in the NJ/NY area with a national and international reach since 2001. www.drawingrooms.org

About the Curator

Anne Trauben is the Curator and Gallery Director at Drawing Rooms, a non-profit art center and gallery. Anne began working with Victory Hall Inc. in 2009, and was a founding artist of Drawing Rooms in 2012. Since 2013, she has organized, curated and created programming for year-round exhibitions of multiple artists at Drawing Rooms in the former convent on Grand St in Jersey City, and in 2018, at the new Drawing Rooms gallery in the Topps Building. In 2020, during the pandemic, she organized, curated and created programming for Prayers for the Pandemic, a 4 part Drawing Rooms national public art exhibition, and solo / two-person exhibitions at Dvora Gallery. In 2022, after the pandemic, Drawing Rooms reopened in a newly expanded space in the Topps Building where she has since been organizing, curating and creating programming for gallery exhibitions and public art programs. Anne is the Founder, Publisher and Editor of Nieuw Art Blog since 2017.

Learn more about the call below.

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EVENTS
*Opening Reception Sat 2/7/26
*Meet The Artists Sundays  2/15/26 and 2/22/26, 3-5p,
*Closing Reception Sun 3/1/26 4-6p

SPACE see site-plan below
or see images at https://www.drawingrooms.org/solo-project-space-open-call.html      

ACCEPTABLE WORKS 

• 2-dimensional works that are unframed, framed, or mounted on cradled panel as well as 3-dimensional works will be considered. Please make sure any unframed paper works are durable enough to be exhibited with clips. We will not accept ripped, torn, wrinkled, or otherwise damaged or overly fragile paper.
• Media:  painting or drawing on paper, canvas, or other media; collage or textiles, photography, prints, sculpture. Works must be original. No AI or reproductions of original works.
• All works must be For Sale.

HANGING PREPARATION

Please use simple frames in white, black, or wood tones, no floating acrylic frames. All works must be ready-to-hang. Works can be hung from picture wire (not fishing line), D-rings, saw-tooth hangers, or the top of the frame or cradled panel. Please self-assess if your frame is strong enough for this. Cleats or any hanging systems that require the use of screws in the wall are not acceptable. 

Works that present hanging problems may not be included in the exhibit. 

SALE OF ARTWORK
All works in the exhibit must be for sale with 60% to artists and 40% to Drawing Rooms. 

SUBMISSIONS DUE 1/9/26
ARTIST NOTIFICATION 1/13/26

DROP OFF 
*Fri 1/23/26, 4-7p, Sat, 1/24/26, 2-5p
Accepted work may be delivered by yourself or someone you assign. Our entrance is on Newark Avenue. Drivers: turn into Mana/Topps building driveway. Free parking lot.

MAIL-IN
Must ARRIVE by Monday, 1/26/26

SHIPPING REQUIREMENTS
We prefer works to be dropped off at Drawing Rooms. If you live at a distance or live locally and have an extenuating issue, you may ship to our location below. If you are shipping here and not picking up in person, you MUST include a return label or postage. 

Please follow these instructions. 

3D shipping: Please pack well in a box  30" x 36" x 36" or less. Work not packed well may be rejected.

EXHIBITION LOCATION 
Drawing Rooms
926 Newark Ave. T101
Jersey City NJ, 07306
Closest PATH stop is Journal Sq
Free parking lot. Entrance is on Newark Avenue. 
Drivers: turn into Mana/Topps building driveway.

PICKUP
*Sun, 3/1/26 6-7p, Mon, 3/2/26 4-7p

MAIL BACK
*Starts Tues, 3/3/26

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Application Requirements

JPGS

• You may submit up to 3 images of your work, unframed.
• Each jpg must measure at least 1200 pixels on the shorter dimension.

FAQ
What resolution and size should my images be? 
Any resolution (pixels per inch) is fine. We only care about the overall dimensions (how many pixels height by pixels wide). This is called pixel dimensions on the Image Size function of Photoshop. Minimum size 1,200 pixels on short dimension. Please crop any background out of your 2D images. 

Is the work insured?
All works are insured when they are in our possession. 

How are sales handled?
Commissions from any sales will be paid to the artist within 30 days of our receiving the payment, via check, PayPal or cash depending on the situation.

Why did my work not get chosen?
There are many factors which influence final selections and ultimately not all submissions can be included. We hope all the artists submitting work understand this and continue to respond to future calls.

Eligibility Criteria

must be over 18