Milford Photo Expo 2027 – Artist Call

Theme

Our yearly collaboration with Milford Photo welcomes photographers of all experience levels.   There is no specific theme or subject for this show.  The choice is yours.  Original photographs or photographically derived work are accepted. Works may be created with a digital or a traditional film process.   AI works are NOT eligible.

Location & Key Dates 

• MAC Downtown Gallery — 40 Railroad Ave South, Milford, CT
• Online Submission Deadline: Sunday, February 21, 2027, at midnight
• Acceptance notification: February 23–24, 2027
• Works intake: Saturday, March 6, 10am–1pm and Sunday, March 7, 12–3pm
• Installation: Tuesday, March 9, 9am–1pm
• Opening reception: Thursday, March 18, 6–8pm
• Gallery hours: March 11 – May 28, Tuesday–Friday, 12–4pm
• Art pickup: Friday, June 4, 4–6pm and Saturday, June 5, 10am–12pm

About the Judge

In the two most recent Milford Photo Expos, we have been fortunate to have experienced and passionate Milford Photo staff members do the exhibit judging.  We will be seeking them out again this year.   The judge’s name will be posted here. 

Eligibility

• Submissions are open to any artist at least 18 years old.
• Work must be original — your own concept and design.
• Work must have been created within the past three years and not previously exhibited at a Milford Arts Council gallery.
• Dimensions accepted: Two-dimensional works only (MAC Downtown Gallery).
• Maximum size: 36” on any side including frame. Contact us for any exceptions.
  – Acceptance of any work will be juried for overall fit among all the submitted works and the impact that the piece has on the overall exhibit. 
• Maximum weight: 20 lbs.
• Accepted media: Original photographs or photographically derived work, created using a digital or traditional film process. AI-generated works are not eligible.

Not eligible

• Work created in a class or workshop
• Reproductions of another artist’s work
• AI-generated works
• Audio or video works

How to Submit

Entry limits and fees

• You may submit up to 2 works for consideration.
• Your first entry is automatically accepted by into the show.
  • The second entry is juried for acceptance.
• Entry fee: $20 for the first work / $10 for each additional work
• MAC member discounts apply — log in to the shopping cart to access your member rate.
• All entry fees are non-refundable.
• Only submissions with a paid entry fee received by the deadline are considered by the jury.

Submitting your work

All submissions are made through our online Google Form. Click the Submission Form button on this page to get started.

Google Forms requires you to be signed into a Google account to open the form. Once the form is open, you may enter any valid email address — it does not need to be a Gmail address. That email is how we will reach you about acceptance and exhibit details.

If you don’t have a Google account, you can create one free at gmail.com, or ask a trusted friend to open the form for you.

Section 1 — Your contact information

• Enter your name, email address, and mobile phone number.
• Double-check your email address — this is the only way we can reach you about acceptance.
• Include a mobile number. We may call or text if we need to reach you quickly.

Section 2 — Your artwork

• Upload one photo per artwork. The photo is used by the jury during the selection process.
• Photograph your work against a plain background. Include the entire piece — with frame if framed.
• Accepted file formats: JPEG, PNG, HEIC, WEBP
• Name your photo file: YourName_TitleOfWork
• Provide for each work: title, medium, dimensions (including frame), and price or NFS.
• Optional but helpful: include a brief artist statement about the work.

Section 3 — Terms of entry

• Read the Terms of Entry carefully before submitting.
• After you submit, a confirmation page will appear with payment links.
• You can also pay from the payment links at the bottom of the exhibit page — they are equivalent.

Jury & Acceptance

This is a semi-juried exhibit.
Your first entry is automatically accepted by into the show.
Your second entry is juried for acceptance.

Works selected by the juror are based on the eligibility criteria described in this prospectus as well as photographic excellence / innovation, quality of presentation, and overall impact of the work on the exhibit. 

• All accepted and declined artists are notified by email within 2–3 days of the submission deadline.
• Notification emails come from visualarts@milfordarts.org — add this address to your contacts to make sure it doesn’t go to spam.
• The MAC reserves the right to decline work at intake if it does not meet the specifications in this prospectus.

Your first submitted work is automatically accepted, provided it meets the eligibility requirements and is submitted by the deadline with the entry fee paid. Additional works are juried for available space.

Awards

Judge(s) select the award winners based upon their interpretation of creativity, photographic excellence, and ability to evoke reaction.
Awards will be certificates to Milford Photo; good towards equipment, products, printing and more.

• Best in Show  $300
• 1st Place Color  $150
• 1st Place Black & White  $150
• 2nd Place Color  $100
• 2nd Place Black & White  $100
• Honorable Mention (4) $50

Judges generally evaluate work based on how well it interprets the award category, as well as originality, craftsmanship, composition, and presentation. Framing and mounting are considered.

Award winners are notified by email before the opening reception.

Preparing Your Work

A well-presented piece reflects on you and your work — and makes it more likely to sell. Please bring work that is clean, dry, and properly prepared for display before intake.

Work on paper

• Mount under glass or Plexiglas, matted and framed.
• Choose a frame and mat that complement your work.
• Make sure glass and mat are clean.

Work on canvas or panel

• May be submitted unframed.
• Edges should be finished — continue the painting around the edge, or paint the sides a solid black or complementary color.

Wiring your work

All 2D work must be wired with a twisted steel picture-hanging wire before intake. Work that is not properly wired will not be accepted.

• Use D-ring hardware attached to the frame (not the backing). Screw eyes are not accepted — they don’t lie flat on the wall.
• Attach wire approximately one-third of the frame height down from the top.
• Leave enough slack so the wire peaks about 2 inches below the top of the frame — this hides the picture hook.
• Use wire rated to hold the weight of your work securely.
• For more detail about wiring, see this best practices guide. 

Not accepted: clip frames, sawtooth hangers, French cleats, or brackets.

Labeling your work

• Permanently label the back of each work with your name, title, and contact information.
• Attach a temporary paper tag to the front so our curator can match your work to its wall label during installation.

Shipping artwork

• If shipping your work to the gallery, please contact us before sending.
• Include a prepaid return shipping label with insurance coverage.
• We will repack your work as carefully as possible in the original materials, unless other packaging is provided.

General Terms of Entry

• Selection. For juried exhibits, artwork is selected through a competitive process. Artists submit images and information for the artworks they hope will be selected by the juror.  A non-refundable fee, (required for many MAC exhibits), must be paid to be included in the jury selection process.
• Reasonable care and precautions are taken for the safe custody of works of art deposited at MAC galleries. Works of art can, however, only be received in the gallery on condition that neither the MAC nor its staff shall be liable for any loss or damage to works of art, which might occur while they are in the gallery or in transit.
• Delivery of Works. It is the responsibility of the artist to deliver accepted work(s) according to the specifications of the prospectus (media type, dimension limits, etc.) and to ensure that all works are properly and safely wired for hanging upon delivery to a MAC gallery. The MAC reserves the right to request complying changes or to reject the work(s) on delivery.
• Delivered artwork that is not picked up within 30 days of scheduled artist pickup date will become property of the MAC.
• Sales Commission. The Milford Arts Council receives a 30% commission fee on all work sold through exhibits, please price accordingly.

Submission Form and Payment Links

FORM –  Open and complete the submission form via the link below.

FEE PAYMENT – Use the payment button that matches the number of items you are submitting to the show.
If you are a MAC member, be sure to log into the shopping cart page to get your member discount. 

Questions?

Contact our Visual Arts team — we’re happy to help.

• Email: visualarts@milfordarts.org
• Phone: 203-878-6647  (Tuesday – Friday, 12–4pm)

milfordarts.org  |  40 Railroad Ave South, Milford, CT

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