THE MANIFEST PRIZE

About the Open Call

The Manifest Prize, now in its 16th annual iteration, has seen its award doubled this year to $10,000, thanks to the support of Manifest's Annual Fund and generous donors. This significant increase reflects a recognition of the challenges artists face and Manifest's commitment to direct support. The prize is open to works of any media, genre, or style, and any size, with no stylistic or media-based preference or bias in the blind jury process involving up to 18 professional jurors. Works submitted must have been completed within the past five years (2020-2025) and must be available for the exhibition period of early December 2025 through mid-January 2026. While not required for sale, if offered, artists receive a 70% commission. The winning work will be unveiled at a ticketed preview event on December 11th, with the exhibition running from December 12, 2025, to January 9, 2026. In addition to the main prize, four runners-up will receive $250 each and will be formally recognized and documented in the Manifest Exhibition Annual publication. Manifest's mission is to reward, showcase, celebrate, and document exceptional artwork, promoting mastery and quality in visual art within a non-commercial public context. Eligibility extends to everyone, provided entries are exceptional original works of visual art, design, or high craftsmanship, and are capable of being exhibited in one of Manifest's five galleries. Accepted media includes video, photography, sculpture, installation, painting, drawing, printmaking, and furniture design, with no size limits beyond gallery display capability. The selection process involves multiple rounds of anonymous jurying. The winner receives a free copy of the large-format hardcover Manifest Exhibition Annual book. All accepted works must arrive ready to install, exhibit good craftsmanship, and match entry images. Artists are responsible for all shipping costs to and from the gallery. Works are insured by Manifest on premises, but not for shipping damage, artist-installed mounting failures, or material degradation.

What is Offered

$10,000 cash award, a four-week solo exhibition, and inclusion in the Manifest Exhibition Annual publication. Four finalist artists will each receive $250 and be included in the publication.

Requirements

Open to everyone. Entries must be exceptional original works of visual art, design, or high craftsmanship, completed within the past five years (2020-2025), and available for exhibition from early December 2025 through mid-January 2026. Works must arrive gallery-ready with professional-level presentation and craftsmanship. Artists are responsible for shipping costs to and from the gallery.

How to Apply

To apply, artists must submit an entry form available at https://www.manifestgallery.org/one/entry/index.html. Digital images/files of artworks must be uploaded via a provided Dropbox link after form submission. Video-based or interactive submissions require a link to a viewable online copy of each work and a single representative JPEG image. Entry fees can be paid by U.S. check/money order or credit card via PayPal. Ensure files are named correctly (e.g., Lastname_Firstname_1.jpg) and meet specified image requirements (high-quality JPEG, minimum 1000 pixels in any direction, 72 dpi).