NHAA Call for Entry - On Paper 2026

Description

NHAA Call For ArtOn Paper | Open Juried Exhibition
Artists across New England are invited to submit works on or of paper, including drawing, painting on paper, folded paper, sculptural paper works, papier mache, watercolor, printmaking, cut paper, artist books, cyanotype, photogravure and other alternative photographic processes in which paper is a key component of the work. Digital archival pigment prints on photo paper will not be accepted. We encourage artists to submit work that celebrates paper in innovative ways.
EXHIBIT DATES: Wednesday, July 1-Sunday, July 26, 2026
EXHIBIT LOCATION 136 State Street, Portsmouth, NH 
ARTCALL SUBMISSION DEADLINE  June 3, 11:59 p.m.
NOTIFICATION OF ACCEPTED SUBMISSIONS: Tuesday, June 16, EODACCEPTED WORK DROP OFF DEADLINE  Sunday, June 28, 4 p.m.-6 p.m. and Monday, June 29, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.OPENING RECEPTION: Friday, July 3, 5-8 p.m.
PICK-UP SUBMISSIONS: Sunday, July 26, 4 p.m.-6 p.m. and Monday, July 27, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
ELIGIBILITY: Open to all artists living in New England (NHAA members and non-members)LOCATION: NHAA Robert Lincoln Levy Gallery AND online at nhartassociation.orgEXHIBIT FEE: NHAA Members: $20 for one submission/$25 for two submissions/ $30 for three submissions                         Non-Members: $40 for one submission/$45 for two submissions/$50 for three submissions CLICK HERE FOR PAYMENTSubmission fees are waived for Artists Under 30.  If you are not under 30 and the submission fee poses a financial barrier, we have scholarships available. Please contact us.
COMMISSION STRUCTURE: Artists retain 60%, NHAA retains 40% of sale price
ARTWORK ACCEPTED: 

1-3 pieces of paper-based work per artist
2D work – maximum dimension 60” in the longest direction INCLUDING FRAME.
3D work - Wall hanging 3D pieces must fit within the dimensions above. If your work weighs more than 35 pounds, we ask that you arrange a time to help install your work or provide a hanging system with instructions. Freestanding 3D work must not exceed 42” in any dimension. We allow artists to provide special pedestals when necessary or desired by the artist.Diptych and Triptychs accepted provided they are priced and treated as 1 piece of art and follow sizing requirements accordingly.For any category not listed above, please contact the galleryAll artists exhibiting with NHAA must adhere to our PRESENTATION AND FRAMING GUIDELINES and NHAA EXHIBIT AGREEMENT.Artwork created within the last 3 years and cannot have been shown at the Levy Gallery.If you have not already registered with ArtCall, you will be asked to register. (See video below for how to submit work) All artists can use this system to enter submissions and print out their labels. To participate you must submit images of your work. You can upload 2 images for each piece, but only 1 is required. The images will be used to represent your art on the website for online sales. Please use sharp, high-quality images with a neutral background. Remember that the deadline for submission is JUne 3, 11:59 p.m. The online system will automatically close at this time. It is recommended that you DO NOT wait until the last day to submit your work. Artwork not entered into ArtCall will not be accepted. Contact us if you need help using ArtCall.
JURY PROCESS:Our juror is Lisa BarthelsonAll work will be juried blind using a digital formatArtists will be notified of acceptance status by email (via ArtCall) for each submission entered.
AWARDS:Winning artists will also be invited to become juried members of the NHAA. 1st Place: $300: 2nd Place: $200 : 3rd Place: $100, Honorable mentions will be selected
ABOUT OUR JUROR LISA BARTHELSON:Lisa Barthelson is a multidisciplinary artist working in printmaking, mixed media, sculpture, and installation. Raised in a family of artists, her practice is rooted in environmental awareness and sustainability, repurposing the byproducts of everyday consumer life as primary materials. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Design from the University of Connecticut and a Master of Landscape Architecture from the University of Massachusetts, and has studied at the Worcester Center for Crafts, the Worcester Art Museum, and MassArt New England workshops.
Barthelson is a member of the Boston Printmakers, the Monotype Guild of New England, and the New England Sculptors Association, and an associate member of the Boston Sculptors Gallery. She was a longtime member of Worcester’s Blackstone Print Studio collaborative.  Her work has been exhibited throughout New England and New York, including curated exhibitions at the Fitchburg Art Museum, the Newport Art Museum, and the Danforth Art Museum. Her sculpture hangling is in the Newport Art Museum’s permanent collection. Barthelson has completed numerous commissions for organizations including Kronos Inc., Worcester State University, Boston Children’s Hospital, and UMass Memorial Medical Center, and was awarded residencies at Monson Arts, Vermont Studio Center, Playa, and the Kimmel Harding Nelson Arts Center.  She was the recipient of an ArtsWorcester Material Needs Grant to further explore block printing processes and was a finalist for the Massachusetts Cultural Council Artist Fellowship in Drawing & Printmaking. At the ArtsWorcester 2023 Biennial, she received the Evelyn Claywell Absher Award for Abstract Art for her paper sculpture aii form 3, art in isolation, family debris. Her work was included in the Boston Printmakers North American Print Biennial exhibitions in 2022 and 2024. Barthelson works from her studio in Worcester and home in Rutland, Massachusetts.
ABOUT NEW HAMPSHIRE ART ASSOCIATION:The New Hampshire Art Association (NHAA) serves established and emerging contemporary artists to cultivate creativity, community, and culture through education, events, and exhibitions. Founded over 85 years ago, NHAA supports artists throughout the state with satellite galleries to exhibit their work along with their main gallery located in downtown Portsmouth.
FOR QUESTIONS CONTACT: Carol Van Loon (603) 431-4230, carol@nhartassociation.org

 To learn how to enter your submissions, please watch the video below. Please note that this is a juried exhibit.