Call Description

Yourist Studio Gallery in Ann Arbor, MI, invites regional ceramists to submit work for consideration in the Great Lakes Cup Show. This juried exhibition and sale takes place October 23 - November 14, 2026 in our gallery. The show will feature a diverse range of clay cups - from functional to figurative to sculptural - that aim to connect with a wide audience. Our hope is to inspire shared appreciation for Great Lakes ceramics – with the cup as our vessel!

Open to artists 18+ years of age who work in the medium of clay and reside in MI, IN, IL, WI, MN, OH, NY and PA, or ON, Canada.

Application Period:  April 1 - Sept 1

Entry Fee: $25 for 3 cups that constitute a body of work

Artist Statement (<150 words) Required

Notification Date: no later than September 15

Awards: a total of $650 in cash prizes will be presented for Best in Show, 2nd and 3rd Place, and Peoples Choice

Artwork due to Gallery: October 11, either hand delivered or shipped (postage paid by artist)

Opening Night Reception: October 23, 6:30pm - 8:30pm

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The Great Lakes interconnect, not just via waterways and shorelines, but in the myriad ways that they link people. They sustain economies, ecosystems and cultures. Their natural beauty inspires creative expression. Like the Great Lakes, art has the awesome power to transcend the physical and foster human connection.

The Great Lakes Cup Show is seeking high-quality ceramics that feature the diverse forms, colors, textures, imagery and techniques used by artists across our region. Judges (TBA) will consider the originality, composition, craftsmanship, cohesion of the body of work and the Artist Statement in their decisions. Photos submitted with the application should be of the actual cups that, if accepted, would be on display in the gallery.

Juried cups will be shown alongside those of Invited Artists (TBA), and will be eligible for Best in Show and 2nd and 3rd Place monetary prizes presented at the Opening Night Reception; there will also be a Peoples’ Choice vote during the run of the show with a cash award. All work will be for sale (priced by artist). A separate “cash and carry” section of the gallery will give artists an opportunity to sell additional work of the same caliber. Commission on all sales is 35% with payment by check within 10 days of the show's conclusion.

Artists will be notified whether they have been accepted into the show by September 15, at which time we will communicate how to deliver artwork and details about the "cash and carry" section of the gallery. Please also read Rules and Terms to Apply for further details about participation.

For any questions, contact Kay Yourist, YSGCupShow@gmail.com, (734) 662-4914

Application Requirements

Open to artists 18+ years of age who work in the medium of clay and reside in MI, IN, IL, WI, MN, OH, NY and PA, or ON, Canada. Applicants are asked to submit 3 original ceramic cups to be juried from digital photos. Works can be functional, figurative, sculptural or any amalgam of clay, as long as they are open-topped vessels, skillfully made, with space to hold water. Judges will consider originality, composition, craftsmanship, cohesion of the body of work and the Artist Statement in their decisions.

Please be prepared to submit the following in your application (asterisked items required): 

• Contact Information (Name, Address, Phone, Email)*
• Studio Name
• Artist Website/Instagram
• Artist Statement <150 words*
• Title / Dimensions / Material / Firing Process / Price for each of 3 Cups*
• Digital Photo for each of 3 Cups*.

To upload photos to your application:

Create an artist account on CaFE, if you have not done so already. Add cup photos - 1 for each of 3 cups - to your CaFE Portfolio, following the CaFE Guidelines for Uploading Photos.

Minimum Image Requirements are:

• Dimensions: At least 1200 pixels on the longest side
• File size: Under 5MB
• File Format: JPG or JPEG

Use the following File Name format for digital photos:  Lastname_Firstname_Cup#.jpg (e.g. Yourist_Kay_Cup1.jpg)

Include the Title, Material and Firing Process in the "Description" section provided with each cup photo in your CaFE Portfolio.

Find the "Choose Work Samples" feature at the bottom of the application to add cup photos from your CaFE Portfolio to your application.

Eligibility Criteria

The Great Lakes Cup Show is open to all artists 18+ years of age who work in the medium of clay and reside in the states of MI, IN, IL, WI, MN, OH, NY and PA, or ON, Canada.