2026 North American Print Biennial

About the Open Call

The Boston Printmakers 2026 North American Print Biennial presents the best in contemporary and traditional printmaking, recognized as one of the most prestigious events in the field. Founded in 1947, The Boston Printmakers' mission is to promote public knowledge of printmaking, encourage and support artists working in printmaking, and promote excellence and innovation within the field. Juror: Esther Adler, Curator in the Department of Drawings and Prints at The Museum of Modern Art, New York. She has organized numerous exhibitions including 'New Ground: Jacob Samuel and Contemporary Etching' (2023) and 'Joseph E. Yoakum: What I Saw' (2021). She holds a BA from Brandeis University and an MA from the University of Maryland. Biennial Venue: 808 Gallery, Boston University, 808 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, Massachusetts. Prizes: $10,000 is available in juror-designated purchase prizes and materials awards. Purchase prizes are placed into permanent collections at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; the Art Complex Museum, Duxbury, MA; Boston Athenaeum; and the Boston Printmakers Collection at the Boston Public Library. The show also generates a large number of sales through patron and public purchases. Calendar 2025-26: July 15, 2025: Application process opens Feb. 15, 2026: Application process closes April 1, 2026, or before: Notifications emailed April 27 – May 12, 2026: Period to receive all shipped work June 6, 2026: Hand delivered work received at 808 Gallery, Boston University Saturday, September 19, 2026: Public Reception and Juror’s Talk Saturday November 21, 2026: Exhibition closes November 21, 2026: Pick up of hand delivered work at 808 Gallery November 30, 2026: Return of shipped work. Entry Procedure: All entries must be submitted online at www.callforentry.org on or before February 15, 2026. Review all entry information carefully before submitting. No changes can be made once submitted. Upload requirements for image files: JPEG only, no smaller than 1920 pixels on the longer side, 72/ppi/dpi resolution, 5 MB maximum file size. Further Information: www.bostonprintmakers.org • email: biennial2026@bostonprintmakers.org

What is Offered

$10,000 in juror-designated purchase prizes and materials awards. Purchase prizes are placed into permanent collections at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; the Art Complex Museum, Duxbury, MA; Boston Athenaeum; and the Boston Printmakers Collection at the Boston Public Library. The show also generates a large number of sales through patron and public purchases.

Requirements

North American artists 18 years and older are eligible to enter. Original, innovative works in all printmaking media are eligible. Photographs, offset reproductions, or reproductions of artwork originally produced in another medium will not be considered. Submitted work may not have been exhibited in any other Boston Printmakers exhibition. Artists may submit up to three digital images of original prints completed within the time frame of 2023-2026. All delivered work must match the juried image. All work must be framed in simple (e.g., Nielsen) black metal or black wooden frames no more than ½” thick on the front edge. All frames should have Plexiglas, and a standard white or off-white window mat, minimum 3 inches wide. Prints must be securely mounted to the backing board. Frames must be ready to hang with wire or D-rings. Where appropriate, due to size or aesthetics, alternative presentation may be requested and must be fully described in your entry on the CaFE site. Clearly defined special hanging or installation instructions must be included. Work not protected by a frame is considered at risk and may not be covered by gallery insurance. All shipped work must be sent in sturdy, re-usable packaging, pre-paid via UPS, and include a UPS pre-paid return-shipping label with insurance. Artists from outside of the U.S. unable to provide a return UPS label will be billed for return ground shipping and insurance.

How to Apply

All entries must be submitted online at www.callforentry.org. Review all entry information carefully before submitting. No changes can be made once submitted, including price revisions. Entries must be submitted on or before February 15, 2026.