JUBILEE: A Call for Works About Celebration

About the Open Call

Roaring is the sound of a thousand clapping hands. The moment of victory is brief. When oxygen finally settles in our lungs, we step back to take in the monument of our achievement—tangible proof of choice, perseverance, and resolve. Reality wavers. Vindication hardens into history, marked by the sweet crack and whistle of fireworks. Though fleeting, celebration echoes. It lingers in the inescapable glint of glitter, in the aching muscles that worked too hard for too long, in works of art that commemorate, symbolize, or embody the moment. JUBILEE is a call for work about celebration—about grit, survival, and the moment struggle shifts into triumph. Whether formal or symbolic, descriptive or expressive, quiet or thunderous, personal or collective, this exhibition invites work that honors the exhale, the spark, the reverberation of having made it through and marking history. The exhibition dates are December 12, 2025 - January 9, 2026.

What is Offered

Every exhibiting artist receives a $50 cash honorarium. Manifest Gallery will award $1,000 to one work during each of its nine exhibition periods in the 22nd season (totaling $9,000 in Grand Jury Awards). Exhibiting artists will also have the option to purchase the season's hard-cover publication (MEA) at half price.

Requirements

JUBILEE is open to everyone internationally. Entries must be original works addressing the theme of celebration, open to all traditional and non-traditional media. There are no size restrictions other than what can fit in the gallery spaces, and no timeframe requirements for when works must have been made. Submitted works must be gallery-ready with professional presentation and craftsmanship. High-resolution, print-quality images are required for accepted works (min. 1000 pixels in any direction, 72 dpi, JPEG format). Video links must be direct and not require login. Artists must agree to make their work available and arrange shipping/delivery with prepaid return shipping if selected for exhibit.

How to Apply

Applicants must submit an online entry form. Digital images/files must be named with artist's last name_first name_entry number (e.g., Jones_Mike_1.jpg) and uploaded to the project Dropbox. Video/interactive entries require a link to a viewable online copy (e.g., YouTube, Vimeo) that does not require login, in addition to a representative JPEG image. Entry fees must be paid via U.S. check or PayPal, referencing the applicant's name.