Call Description

Drawing Rooms
Duets Too

Duets Too is an exhibition where you choose a Duets Partner artist to exhibit with! 

This large group show will be a pairing of many Duets Partners arranged and installed in a way that highlights connections between the pairings, as well as strengthens the work individually.

We invite you to submit work for consideration in our Drawing Rooms exhibit, “Duets Too”.

Want to be more connected with other good artists and exhibit your work with friends and meet new ones? Studies indicate that for many artists, working alone is a preferred, and sometimes essential, condition for deep creative focus, though it may be accompanied by the challenges of social and professional isolation. Artists require community, collaboration, and support, want their work reviewed by smart curators :), and have their work seen. If you identify with the above, this show is for you.

Acceptable media includes painting, drawing, printmaking, collage, photography, sculpture, or any other fine art. 

In keeping with our love of music, “Duets Too” is dedicated to the song “Just the Two of Us” by pop singer Bill Withers, known for his baritone vocals and soul arrangements. "Just the Two of Us" is a classic 1981 soul/jazz fusion hit that highlights themes of love, companionship, and committed partnership to overcome life's obstacles. Withers has been widely sampled by hip-hop and pop music artists, including Will Smith, Chubb Rock, Kendrick Lamar, Tupac Shakur, Jennifer Lopez, and more. “Just the Two of Us” has had a resurgence in recent years, generating many new cover versions. It's one of those feel-good songs (like his ever-popular "Lovely Day"), and we like it.

How it Works: 

1. FIND a Duets Partner 
An artist you like exhibiting with, or someone you have never exhibited with but would like to, whose work connects with yours in some way as a match or counterpoint for your own 

2. AGREE
Reach out to that artist and make sure they want to be your Duets Partner. 

3 CHOOSE
Up to 3 works each that you would like the Curator to consider per submission. You can submit up to three times with three different partners, and the Curator may include multiple submissions. You can not use the same images for multiple submissions.

4. APPLY
You and your Duets Partner create two separate submissions, each loading your own images into CaFE. Make sure to identify your partner by name in the Form Question. In the description box, tell us why you think the works go together or why you are interested in exhibiting together.

5. The Curator will take it from there by looking at Duets Partners submissions together. She will assess your choices and, if chosen, will make the final pairings of your works-- one of your works with one by your Duets Partner. Note: Pairings may (not a definite) work best if the work submitted is similar (doesn't have to be exact!) in size.

Artists chosen will also be considered for 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 included in any of our 2026 shows will have preferred status for our end-of-the-year holiday blow-out exhibition, The Big Small Show, replete with a full weekend Opening, wine, delicious holiday snacks, and a catalog. 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. 

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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 501(c)3 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 Saturday, 5/2/26, 6-8p
*Meet The Artists Sunday, 5/10/26 and Saturday, 5/17/26, 3-5p, 
*Closing Reception Sunday 5/24/26 4-6p 

ACCEPTABLE WORKS 

• Size: Works that will be dropped off can be any size. Shipped work can be 2D: unframed, 18” x 24” or less, and 3D: 30" x 36" x 36" or less. 
• 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 3/26/26

ARTIST NOTIFICATION 3/30/26
Please remember to check your spam and promotions folder. If you haven't received a notification by 3/30/26, please check the status of your submission in CAFE. Accepted works will be listed as "invited."

DROP OFF 
*Fri 4/17/26,  5-7p, Sat, 4/18/26, 2-5p 
Sun 4/19/26 3-5p

Size: works that are dropped off can be any size.
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, 4/20/26

SHIPPING REQUIREMENTS
If you live at a distance or live locally and have an extenuating issue, you may ship to our location below. 

Please Follow These Instructions. 

2D: ONLY unframed 18” x 24” or less, works on paper or panel/canvas may be mailed in and must fit in a padded or cardboard shipping envelope, (stay flat photo envelope / rigid mailer) and you may include a piece of cardboard inside the envelope if you choose, or a tube, and you MUST include a return label or postage. NO BOXES, please. Send to the Drawing Rooms location listed.

3D: Please pack well in a box 30" x 36" x 36" or less. Work not packed well may be rejected. (Drop-off preferred)

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, 5/24/26 6-7p, Tues, 5/26/26 4-7p

MAIL BACK
Starts Tues, 5/26/26

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.The work is looked at individually, as well as how it relates to the other submissions in order to make a strong overall exhibit. We hope all the artists submitting work understand this and continue to respond to future calls.

Eligibility Criteria

You must be over 18