Call Description

“Unbridled” 

Unbridled celebrates women who refuse to be fenced in by genre, by geography, or by expectation. This exhibition welcomes the full spectrum of Western visual culture: from ranch and rodeo to borderlands and back alleys, from high plains light to urban grit, from historical re-visioning to speculative futures. Artists are encouraged to take risks, push scale and material, and submit work that feels most true to their own wild, Western imagination.

Key details:

• Eligibility: Open to women and women-identifying artists, working in any visual medium.
• Media: Painting, drawing, printmaking, mixed media, sculpture, photography, fiber, ceramic, digital, 
  and other fine art media; no AI-generated work.
• Theme: Artists may submit work of their choice that, in any way, connects to Western subjects, 
  geographies, identities, or visual vocabularies.
• Exhibition Venue: The A. R. Mitchell Museum of Western Art
• Exhibition Dates: August 7, 2026– September 19, 2026
• Opening Reception: August 7, 2026, 5pm – 8pm

Entry and deadlines:

• Entry Deadline: March 31, 2026
• Notification of Acceptance: April 15, 2026 via email.
• Artwork Delivery:
  • Shipped works due: July 11, 2026
  • Hand-delivered works due: July 11, 2026 by 4pm
• Artwork Return/Pickup:
  • by October 31, 2026.
• Entry Fee: $35 up to 3 pieces
  • Number of Entries: Up to 3 works per artist; sets (diptychs/triptychs) count as one entry if 
    presented as a unified work.

Juror, awards, and sales:

• Juror:  Peggy Judy, Artist
• Awards:
  • Best in Show - award to be announced
• Sales and Commission:
  • All work must be available for sale.
  • A. R. Mitchell Museum of Western Art will retain a 30%commission on all sales; the artist receives 
    70%
  • Prices may not be changed after acceptance; all prices must include commission.
  • Artists grant the venue permission to use submitted images for promotion of the exhibition and related 
    programming, with credit to the artist.

Application Requirements

Submission guidelines:

• Image Requirements:
  • High-quality JPG or PNG files, at least 1200 px on longest side.
  • File naming: LastName_Title_1
  • For 3D work, up to 3 views per work.
• Artwork Requirements:
  • Original work created within the last 3 years and not previously exhibited at the A. R. Mitchell 
    Museum of Western Art
  • No reproductions, copies, or works made in workshops or under direct instruction.
  • No AI-generated or purely prompt-based digital work.
• Size/Weight Limits:
  • 2D: Maximum framed size 48" x 48"; minimum size 8" x 10"].
  • 3D: Maximum 36" in any dimension, weight limit, 50 lbs
• Presentation:
  • 2D work must be ready to hang, wired with D-rings; no sawtooth hangers or keyhole slots.
  • Works on paper must be framed or archivally mounted under glazing.
  • Sculpture and alternative media must include any special display hardware or instructions.
  • The organizers reserve the right of refusal for any work that arrives damaged, not as represented, 
    unsafe, or not professionally presented.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility: 

• Open to women and women-identifying artists, working in any visual medium.