THE MANIFEST PRIZE

About the Open Call

The Manifest Prize was last increased in our 12th season (2015) to $5,000. A decade later, recognizing that artists face greater challenges, the Prize is being doubled this year to $10,000, thanks to the steady support of our Annual Fund and the generosity of our community and key donors. This is one of the most direct and impactful ways Manifest supports artists alongside honorariums for every exhibitor and nine $1,000 Grand Jury Awards each season. The Prize is open to works of ANY media, ANY genre/style, ANY size. The jury and judging process has no stylistic or media-based preference or bias. Works submitted must have been completed within the past five years (2020-2025). The winning work must also be available for the exhibition period of early December through mid-January in order to be eligible for the prize, but is not required to be available for sale. Exhibition Dates: December 12, 2025 - January 9, 2026. The Manifest Board of Directors committee has approved additional cash awards for the works selected as the runners-up. The artists of these four works will each receive $250 in recognition of their accomplishment and be documented in the Manifest Exhibition Annual publication. The $10,000 award-winning work will be unveiled at the gallery on December 11th during a ticketed preview event (7-9pm). Manifest's mission is centered on championing the importance of mastery and quality in visual art. This project is one aspect of the realization of that mission which now continues in our 22nd season. The concept of the Manifest Prize is based on the creative principle of reduction, pushing the competitive peer-review jury process to select ONE work to be exhibited in one of our five galleries for the period of four weeks, alongside juror and artist statements. Eligibility: THE MANIFEST PRIZE is open to everyone. Entries must represent exceptional original works of visual art, design, or high craftsmanship of any kind and be available and capable of being exhibited in one of Manifest's five galleries. Works submitted for this award must have been completed within the past five years (since 2020). Works submitted MUST be available for the exhibition period of early December through mid-January in order to be eligible for the prize. Works need not be for sale, but may be at the artist's discretion. Media: Open to any and all traditional and non-traditional visual arts genre and media, including video, photography, sculpture, installation, painting, drawing, printmaking, furniture design, etc. There is no size limit or minimum size required, other than what is capable of being displayed in our gallery space. Jury and Curator: Manifest's normal selection process involves a complex two-part system. This exhibit and award will be juried by an anonymous 7-15+ person volunteer panel of professional and academic advisors and gallery alumni from across the U.S. and beyond. Works approved by the first jury will be passed through a second, and possibly a third jury round, with jury makeup being shuffled from round to round. The work receiving the highest average score will be awarded the prize. The four next highest scoring works will be the finalists (runners up). These works will each be awarded $250. Publication: Manifest produces a large, high-quality hardcover retrospective publication documenting each entire season of exhibits, artists, and works shown. The winner of the Manifest Prize will receive their copy of this book for free once it is produced. Delivery and Return of Winning Work for Exhibition: All work accepted for the exhibition must arrive ready to install. Works not gallery-ready, or not exhibiting good craftsmanship, may be omitted from the exhibit and declined the prize. Accepted work that differs significantly from the entry images or suffers from poor presentation, will be disqualified. Work may be hand delivered or shipped in an easily reusable container/packaging with return shipping prepaid. The artists are responsible for all shipping costs to and from the gallery. Insurance: Works will be insured by Manifest while on gallery premises against theft, vandalism, and damage caused by gallery patrons or staff. Insurance does not cover damage caused during shipping, damage caused by failure of the work itself or its mounting systems, or incidental damage to works whose artist-directed presentation methods put them at risk.

What is Offered

A $10,000 cash award, a four-week solo exhibition of the single winning work, inclusion in the Manifest Exhibition Annual publication, and a free copy of the large-format hardcover book. Four finalist works will also receive $250 each and be published.

Requirements

Works submitted must have been completed within the past five years (2020-2025). The winning work must be available for the exhibition period of early December through mid-January. Entries must represent exceptional original works of visual art, design, or high craftsmanship, and be capable of being exhibited in one of Manifest's five galleries. All accepted work must arrive gallery-ready to install, demonstrating professional-level presentation and craftsmanship. Submission constitutes a formal agreement to provide the work for exhibit should it be selected.

How to Apply

Find the required entry form here: https://www.manifestgallery.org/one/entry/index.html. Images must be uploaded using the Dropbox button provided after entry form submission. This link will also be included on the emailed copy of your entry form. If paying by PayPal, use the link provided on the page that follows the submission of the online entry form. If sending entry fee by check, please be sure it is postmarked by the deadline and mailed to: Manifest Creative Research Gallery, 16th Annual MANIFEST PRIZE, P.O. Box 6218, Cincinnati, OH 45206. Video links should be provided on the entry form for each work in the VIEWING LINK section, linking directly to viewable online content that does NOT require a login, password or membership.