Call Description

2026 NATIONAL WATERCOLOR SOCIETY 106th INTERNATIONAL OPEN EXHIBITION
AWARDS:  Estimate $40,000+ in Cash and Merchandise includes NWS $6,000 (CASH) Permanent Collection Purchase Award.

Acceptance is one count toward NWS Signature status and qualifies you for Signature Review.

Entry Fee:  $45 NWS Members (click here for Promo/Coupon Code) / $70 Non Members  

Click here for PROSPECTUS                                                               

Exhibition Dates: October 1 – November 1, 2026

Exhibition Dates: 
April 1- May 22, 2026      Entries accepted at www.callforentry.org 
Friday, May 22, 2026     Entry deadline – 11:59 PM, Mountain Time
June 17, 2026                 List of accepted artists posted on NWS website 
July 17, 2026                  Deadline for shipped art                                      

October 11, 2026            Awards Presentation & Reception    

JURORS OF SELECTION: 
Juror: Ratindra Das  Ratindra's YouTube Video     Ratindra Das is a signature member of the National Watercolor Society (Gold Master), American Watercolor Society (Dolphin Fellow), Transparent Watercolor Society of America (Distinguished Master), and six other societies. He has earned numerous awards and exhibited internationally, including the Shanghai Zhujiajiao International Watercolor Biennial, International Watermedia Masters (Nanjing), and the Taiwan World Watercolor Competition.

He has juried national exhibitions, taught workshops across the U.S. and abroad, and authored two books: Watercolor Beyond Obvious Reality and Watercolor with an Eye for Design.

Juror: Robbie Laird  http://www.robbielairdartstudio.com                         Robbie Laird is an innovative painter, teacher, and juror based in Lake Almanor, CA. Known for blending fluid ambiguity with intricate detail, her work—often inspired by natural cycles and connections—has earned numerous national and international awards.

With a Master’s degree in Art Education, she has over 40 years of experience as a fine arts curriculum consultant and workshop leader across the U.S. and abroad. She is President Emeritus of the National Watercolor Society, Past President of the San Diego Watercolor Society, and former director of the Kanuga Watermedia Workshops. Robbie has juried many state and national exhibitions.

Juror: Gale Webb  http://www.galewebbart.com/
Gale Webb is a nationally recognized artist from Lubbock, Texas, known for vibrant, textured acrylic paintings that have earned awards nationwide. She holds signature status with the National Watercolor Society, American Watercolor Society, Watercolor West, the Western Federation of Watercolor Societies (Master Status), and several Texas watercolor societies, and has served as president of both the West Texas Watercolor Society and the Watercolor Society of South Texas.

With over 50 years devoted to art, Gale has studied with noted instructors across the U.S. and works in both realism and non-objective styles, often blending realism with abstraction.

JUDGE OF AWARDS: Stephen Quiller   https://QuillerGallery.com Stephen Quiller is an internationally renowned painter with numerous signature distinctions, including Master status in the National Watercolor Society and Dolphin Fellow in the American Watercolor Society, among others.

He is the author of seven best-selling books and 20 instructional videos on color, composition, and watermedia, and developed the widely used Quiller Color Wheel, along with signature lines of paints, palettes, and brushes. His work has appeared on major art magazine covers, and he has served as a juror and seminar instructor nationwide. He lives and paints in Creede, Colorado.

General Questions about the exhibition and entry contact
Exhibition@NationalWatercolorSociety.org

ARTWORK REQUIREMENT: 

1. Artists must be 18 years or older.
2. Each artist may enter one (1) painting into the exhibition
3. Paintings previously exhibited in any National or International Open Exhibition, including NWS Member Exhibits, are NOT eligible (Member, State, Regional, Invitational exhibitions are exempt). All entries are vetted by the Exhibition Team.
4. Painting must be watermedia paintings on natural or synthetic paper, Yupo, Aquabord and Claybord must be framed. No stretched canvas or canvas board. Collage may be used but aqueous medium must constitute 80% or more of the work. All collage materials must be original designs executed on watermedia paper by the artist.
5. Other media, if used, must be in conjunction with the water media, which must be dominant.
6. Digital media, photography, prints, reproductions, diptychs or triptychs are not permitted.
7. Your entry must be original; not derived from published or purchased images; artist's own idea, composition, and design (not computer generated), nor done in a class; or repainted of another painting, by the same artists, from the exact same source image. Photo reference material must have been taken by you. Family vintage photos are not permitted.
8. Painting must be at least 8" x 10" minimum. Maximum size is 40" on the longest dimension and must be entered in inches.
9. All accepted artists are required to ship their paintings.
10. NWS recommends that all International Artists designate a U.S.A. Representative to handle the shipment of your artwork. Review the attached Exhibitors Shipping Documents for details and additional fees.*

SUBMISSION: Paintings can only be submitted online via CaFE.  If you do not already have an account,  click here  to create your free account. (CaFE Specs / file type-jpeg or jpg / 1200 pixels or greater on longest side / max 5MB). Images must be cropped to exclude mat, frame and any background.  Images that are not correctly formatted are liable to be excluded from jurying.

FEES, SALES AND LIABILITY: 

1. The non-refundable entry fee is $45 for NWS active members and $70 for non-members. Members must go to the MEMBERS ONLY page of the NWS website to get the discount code for members.  Click here for link. Any overpayment of any fee will be considered a donation and will NOT be refunded (without  exceptions).
2. A Non-Member may join as an Associate Member by paying the $60 annual dues BEFORE entering. To join or pay dues before entering at https://nationalwatercolorsociety.org
3. All paintings will be considered for sale at the price set forth by the artist unless marked NFS (Not for Sale) or 0.  Prices may not be changed once accepted into the exhibition. Your price should reflect the cost of the frame and shipping.  Any painting sold will be subject to a 30% donation to NWS. Purchase Award recipients must ship framed artwork to the Donor (price accordingly / shipped within USA).
4. All accepted artists will be included in the 2026 NWS Annual Exhibition Catalog.  International artists receive a digital copy.
5. Attention International Artists:  NWS wants to make sure you receive all proceeds, including awards.  NWS will provide all documents and tax forms necessary.
6. NWS and its representatives will take the utmost care; but are not responsible for misrepresentation.
7. Unclaimed award money will be forfeited after 12/01/2026.
8. If accepted, you grant permission to reproduce the painting in promotion of the exhibition and to use this image for educational and publicity purposes.

** Click here for CAFÉ Tips – including how to find and enter Promo/Discount Code for Members Discount. Code must be entered when completing entry (NOT after payment).  Sorry no refunds. Need help; contact Exhibition Director before paying and completing entry.

NWS SIGNATURE STATUS INFORMATION:

NWS Associate members and non-members who are juried into this exhibition shall be invited to apply for Signature Membership. NWS By-Laws, Article III, Section 3.01 (A) (B) state that: 

1. Associate and Non-members shall submit three (3) additional paintings, to be viewed by the members of the Jury of Selections; at a time to be set by the Board of Directors.  The Jurors of Selection will make the decision regarding granting Signature Membership.
2. Associates and Non-members shall submit a signed application for Signature Member status providing evidence that he or she has had three (3) paintings accepted and exhibited in the NWS International Open Exhibitions.  Acceptance in the NWS Membership Exhibitions and any other NWS Exhibitions shall not be considered for such application.

Tutorial for Signature Applicants will be Saturday, June 20th, 2026 at 8:00 AM (Pacific Time) via Zoom. The Zoom link will be emailed to artists after acceptance. 

For general questions about the exhibition and/or entry, contact: Exhibition@NationalWatercolorSociety.org

Please submit early, so we can assist you with any technical issues that may arise in the entry process. 

Artists are responsible for monitoring their emails and the NWS website for postings. 

Application Requirements

Artwork previously exhibited in any National or International Open Exhibition including NWS Member Exhibition is NOT eligible (Member, State, Regional, Invitational exhibitions are exempt).

 All entries are vetted by the Exhibition Team.  Please thoroughly read the prospectus and ask questions prior to entering. 

Eligibility Criteria

Refer to Artwork Requirements.