5 International Opportunities Open to Women Artists This October
If you have been waiting for the right moment to put your work forward, this could be a good week to start looking. Open calls can sometimes feel overwhelming, especially when you are moving between deadlines, portfolios, artist statements, and the everyday work of making art. But the right opportunity can also be a lovely way to bring your work in front of a new audience, connect with curators, or simply give yourself a reason to share what you have been creating.
This October, there are several international opportunities open to women artists, with options ranging from virtual exhibitions and curated showcases to art books and women-focused publications. Some are designed specifically for women and non-binary artists, while others are open to artists of all backgrounds and offer women artists another space to share their work internationally.
With some deadlines coming up in just a few days, now is a good time to take a look, see which ones feel right for your practice, and give yourself enough time to put together a thoughtful submission. Here are five international opportunities currently welcoming artists from around the world.
1. Women United ART Magazine Issue XV
Deadline: October 15, 2026
Women artists looking for a publishing opportunity can submit to Women United ART Magazine Issue XV, the Autumn 2026 edition of the international quarterly publication dedicated to women in the arts.
The magazine welcomes women artists from around the world and works across a wide range of practices, including painting, drawing, printmaking, photography, digital art, collage, fibre and textile art, sculpture, and installation. Selected artists will be featured in the magazine, with additional social media exposure and a complimentary digital copy.
The publication also operates a sliding-scale submission fee, ranging from €10 to €35 depending on the artist’s circumstances. Artists should prepare a bio and artist statement of up to 300 words each, along with up to four high-resolution images of their work.
For artists who want to see their work become part of a publication rather than a traditional exhibition, this is an opportunity to keep on the radar.
Deadline: October 15, 2026
Eligibility: Women artists worldwide
Mediums: Multiple visual art mediums
Fee: €10–€35
2. The Things We Feel by Women in Arts Network
Deadline: October 5, 2026
With the deadline approaching, The Things We Feel is currently in its final days of submissions.
Women in Arts Network is inviting women-identifying and non-binary artists aged 18 and above from anywhere in the world to participate in a virtual exhibition centred around emotions, memories, inner states, and personal experiences.
The theme leaves plenty of room for interpretation. An artwork does not have to literally depict happiness, grief, nostalgia, loneliness, love, or any other emotion. It can instead explore a memory, atmosphere, relationship, experience, or feeling that sits underneath the work.
Artists working in painting, drawing, photography, sculpture, digital art, video, installation, and other visual mediums can apply. Selected artists will be presented in the online exhibition and receive a digital certificate of participation, with an optional artist interview available as an additional feature. The submission fee is $15.
If you have an existing artwork that already carries a strong emotional connection, this could be a particularly natural fit.
Deadline: October 5, 2026
Eligibility: Women-identifying and non-binary artists, 18+, worldwide
Mediums: Multiple visual art mediums
Fee: $15
3. 101 Art Book: Texture Edition by Arts to Hearts Project
Deadline: October 15, 2026
What does texture mean in your practice?
The 101 Art Book: Texture Edition by Arts to Hearts Project is inviting artists around the world to answer that question through their work. This is the fifteenth edition of the 101 Art Book series, bringing together 101 artists around one shared theme.
And importantly, this call is open to all artists, not only women artists.
Texture can appear in many different ways. It might be the physical surface of a ceramic piece, layers of paint, fabric and fibre, the marks left by a handmade process, weathered materials, found objects, or even texture created digitally.
Painting, drawing, photography, sculpture, ceramics, textiles, fibre, printmaking, collage, found objects, paper, digital media, and installation are among the practices considered for the edition. The project is open internationally to artists aged 18 and above, from emerging to established stages of their careers.
Selected artists receive a dedicated two-page spread in the hardcover publication and a Certificate of Recognition. The edition also includes additional recognition for three artists, including a $500 cash award and four-page feature for the winner.
If your work is particularly material-driven, tactile, layered, or process-focused, this is one to look at before the October deadline.
Deadline: October 15, 2026
Eligibility: All artists, worldwide, 18+
Mediums: Multiple visual art mediums
Entry fee: Starts at $21
4. Small Works by Women Artists
Deadline: October 19, 2026
Small artwork can make a big impression, and Yellow Studio’s Small Works by Women Artists is built around exactly that idea.
The international open call invites women and non-binary artists to submit intimate-scale works measuring 11 × 14 inches or smaller. Selected works will become part of a curated retail exhibition at Beehive in Cross River, New York, running from November 14, 2026 through February 21, 2027.
The exhibition is particularly suited to artists who enjoy working on a smaller scale, whether through drawings, paintings, mixed media, or photography. There is also a clear price point: submitted artworks must be available for $500 or under, making the exhibition focused on smaller, more accessible original works.
The submission fee is $25, while Yellow Studio members can submit for free. Selected works will be offered for sale during the exhibition.
It is worth preparing early if you have several smaller works already available, especially because the application window opens October 7 and closes October 21.
Deadline: October 21, 2026
Eligibility: Women and non-binary artists, international
Mediums: Painting, drawing, photography, mixed media
Artwork size: 11 × 14 inches or smaller
Artwork price: $500 or under
Fee: $25
5. Women Artists 2026 Art Competition by Fusion Art
Deadline: November 25, 2026
For artists who want a little more time to prepare, Fusion Art’s Women Artists 2026 Art Competition is another international opportunity dedicated specifically to women artists.
The competition is open to women artists worldwide aged 18 and above, with no restriction on subject matter or artistic style. Both 2D and 3D work can be submitted, including painting, drawing, printmaking, collage, fibre, photography, digital art, mixed media, sculpture, ceramics, installation, and other practices.
Artists can submit one to two images for $25 or up to five images for $40. The competition is open to both emerging and established artists, and the Best in Show winners can choose between a cash prize and a complimentary one-year membership to Fusion Art’s Members Gallery.
Unlike the October calls above, this one gives artists considerably more time. That makes it useful if you want to select a stronger body of work, photograph new pieces, or update your portfolio before submitting.
Deadline: November 25, 2026
Eligibility: Women artists worldwide, 18+
Mediums: 2D and 3D visual art
Fee: $25 for 1–2 images; $40 for up to 5 images
A Few Deadlines To Keep In Mind
October is moving quickly, so artists interested in these opportunities should start preparing their submissions now. The Things We Feel closes October 5, followed by Women United ART Magazine and the 101 Art Book: Texture Edition on October 15. Small Works by Women Artists closes October 19.
Before submitting, keep your artist bio, statement, artwork titles, dimensions, mediums, high-resolution images, and portfolio links in one place. Having these ready can make the final stages of an application much easier.
And if one opportunity does not fit your current body of work, that does not mean the work has nowhere to go. Sometimes the best submission is simply the one whose theme already feels close to what you have been making.
