There is something exciting about finding an open call at just the right moment. Maybe you have a finished artwork sitting in your studio that has never found the right exhibition. Maybe you have been waiting for an opportunity that feels aligned with the work you are making now. Or maybe you simply need a little reminder that there are spaces out there looking for new voices, fresh perspectives, and stories told through art.

Open calls can be a wonderful way to step outside your usual creative routine. They can introduce your work to new audiences, add to your exhibition history, and sometimes open doors to opportunities you were not even looking for.

For women artists especially, there are more platforms than ever creating dedicated spaces for female voices across painting, photography, sculpture, mixed media, textiles, digital art, and beyond.

So, if you have been thinking about submitting your work somewhere new, we have gathered four opportunities that are currently open for applications. From an international virtual exhibition exploring emotion to a fellowship supporting women artists in Portugal, these calls offer different ways to share your work, grow your practice, and become part of a wider artistic conversation.

Here are four open calls worth knowing about.

01. The Things We Feel – Women in Arts Network

Deadline: October 5, 2026

What happens when an artwork begins with a feeling?

The Women in Arts Network’s latest international virtual exhibition, The Things We Feel, invites women and non-binary artists aged 18 and above from around the world to explore emotions, memories, experiences, sensations, and the inner worlds that often find their way into creative practice.

The theme is intentionally open. Artists can interpret feelings through painting, photography, sculpture, textiles, digital art, collage, mixed media, or other visual mediums. A work does not necessarily have to depict an obvious emotion either. It might come from a memory, a relationship, a place, an experience, or simply an atmosphere that has stayed with you.

Artists can submit up to three artworks, which will be reviewed through a juried selection process. Selected artists will become part of an international virtual exhibition hosted by Women in Arts Network, giving their work the opportunity to reach audiences beyond a traditional gallery space. Selected artists will also receive a digital certificate of participation that can be added to their CV, website, portfolio, or exhibition history.

There is also an optional Artist Interview Feature for artists who would like to share more about their journey, inspirations, and creative process alongside their artwork.

Who can apply: Women and non-binary artists aged 18+ worldwide
Mediums: Open to visual art mediums
Submission fee: $15 USD for the exhibition submission
Deadline: October 5, 2026

Sometimes the hardest things to explain are the things we feel most deeply. This open call gives artists a chance to let their work speak for those feelings.

02. Women Artists 2026 Art Competition – Fusion Art

Deadline: November 25, 2026

For artists looking for a little more room to experiment, the Women Artists 2026 Art Competition by Fusion Art offers an international open call with no prescribed subject matter.

The competition is open exclusively to women artists aged 18 and above, regardless of their location, experience, or educational background. Artists can submit representational or abstract work, and there are no restrictions on the subject matter.

The competition welcomes a particularly broad range of mediums. Traditional 2D work can include painting, drawing, pastels, inks, printmaking, encaustic, fabric, collage, and mixed media. Photography and digital categories include digital photography, digital painting, digital collage, vector drawing, and digital mixed media. Three-dimensional artists can also submit sculpture, pottery, installation, kinetic and conceptual work, among other forms.

The competition is entirely international, and selected work will be presented in an online exhibition. Best in Show winners can receive a cash prize or a complimentary one-year membership to the Fusion Art Members Gallery, alongside promotion and publicity for award-winning artists.

There is an entry fee of $25 for one to two images or $40 for up to five images.

Who can apply: Women artists aged 18+ worldwide
Mediums: 2D, photography, digital art, mixed media, sculpture and other 3D mediums
Entry fee: $25 for 1–2 images / $40 for up to 5 images
Deadline: November 25, 2026

If you have a body of work that does not quite fit into a narrow theme, this could be one to keep on your radar. Sometimes an open theme is exactly what an artist needs.

03. Women in Art Fellowship 2026/27

Deadline: September 20, 2026

Not every opportunity has to end with an exhibition. Some can help you build what comes next.

The Women in Art Fellowship 2026/27 is designed to strengthen the presence and voice of women in the arts in Portugal. The fellowship brings together funding, mentorship, professional development, and public visibility, supporting women artists as they develop original projects and move their practices forward.

The programme is organised by WAF in partnership with VIA Outlets Portugal, Portugal Manual, SOTA, and the Sociedade Nacional de Belas Artes. Its focus extends across visual arts, sculpture, design, textiles, crafts, and other forms of artistic expression.

The fellowship is particularly interesting because it looks beyond simply selecting finished artworks. It is about supporting an artist’s development and giving creative projects the space, resources, and visibility they need to grow.

The 2026/27 edition offers a total fellowship value of €27,500, and participation is listed as free. The programme is based in Portugal, so artists should carefully review the official eligibility requirements before applying.

Who can apply: Women artists meeting the fellowship’s eligibility requirements
Focus: Visual arts, sculpture, design, textiles, crafts and related practices
Fellowship value: €27,500
Entry fee: Free
Deadline: September 20, 2026

For artists who are looking not just for another place to display their work but for support in developing their practice, a fellowship can be a particularly meaningful opportunity.

04. LumiNoir ART Open Call

And finally, for artists who love the energy of a physical exhibition, LumiNoir ART is inviting submissions for a group exhibition taking place in London from October 28 to November 1, 2026.

The open call welcomes women and non-binary artists and offers the opportunity to have selected work presented in a physical exhibition environment rather than solely online.

For emerging artists especially, opportunities to see your work in a gallery setting can feel like an important step. There is something different about encountering your artwork on a gallery wall, surrounded by other artists and viewed by people in person.

The LumiNoir exhibition also gives artists an opportunity to become part of a wider creative community in London, a city with an incredibly active contemporary art scene.

Who can apply: Women and non-binary artists
Location: London, UK
Exhibition dates: October 28–November 1, 2026


If you have been wanting to take your work from your studio, screen, or portfolio into a physical exhibition space, this could be one to explore.

A Little Reminder Before You Apply

Open calls can sometimes feel intimidating, especially when you are submitting work alongside artists from different backgrounds and at different stages of their careers. But you do not always need a huge exhibition history or a perfectly polished body of work to begin applying.

Read the requirements carefully. Choose work that genuinely connects with the opportunity. Check your images, artist statement, biography, and submission details before sending everything off.

And most importantly, do not wait until you feel completely ready.

Your work deserves to be seen while it is growing, changing, and finding its voice too.

Whether you are drawn to an intimate virtual exhibition, an international art competition, a fellowship, or a physical gallery show, these opportunities offer different ways to take that next little step.

Sometimes one application does not lead anywhere. Sometimes another one does. And sometimes, one submission becomes the beginning of something much bigger than you expected.

So, if one of these calls feels right for your work, take a look at the full requirements, gather your favourite pieces, and give it a try.

Happy submitting!