Small Wonders – Artist Call

Artist Call & Submission Form

Great art doesn’t have to be grand in scale!

Some of the most powerful art you will ever encounter fits in your hands. A miniature portrait that holds an entire personality. A small landscape that opens into a world. A still life no bigger than a paperback that stops you cold. Scale is not ambition — and Small Wonders is here to prove it.

Working small demands a particular kind of discipline. Every mark counts. Every decision is visible. There is nowhere to hide and no room to waste — which means that when a small work succeeds, it succeeds completely. This exhibition celebrates that achievement: original work that is compact in size, accessible in price, and uncompromising in vision.

What We’re Looking For

Original 2D & 3D works in any medium. Subject matter is open — the only requirement is that the work be strong, finished, and made by the artist’s own hand. We are looking for pieces that demonstrate skill, vision, and a clear artistic voice within the discipline of a small format.

• Maximum size: 10” x 10” including frame, if any.
• Maximum sale price: $150 per work.
• Artists may submit up to four (4) works for a single entry fee of $25.

Judging – People’s Choice Award 

Visitors to the gallery will vote on a People’s Choice ballot throughout the run of the exhibition.
The winner will be announced at the Closing Reception on Sunday, December 13th, 12 pm.
We encourage artists to spread the word — your community is your judge.

Location & Key Dates 

• Location: Firehouse Gallery — 81 Naugatuck Ave, Milford, CT
• Online Submission Deadline: Sunday, November 8, 2026, at midnight
  • Online Form link is found below.

• Acceptance notification: November 10–11, 2026
• Works intake: Friday, November 20, 5–7pm and Saturday, November 21, 10am–12pm
• Installation: Tuesday, December 1, 10am–1pm
• Opening reception: Thursday, December 3, 6–8pm
• Gallery hours: December 4–13, Fri/Sat/Sun 12–4pm
• Closing reception: Sunday, December 13, 2026 —
  • People’s Choice winner announced
  • Shortened hours Sunday, Dec 13 — closing day; time TBD)
• Art pickup: Monday, December 14, 3–6pm and Tuesday, December 15, 3–6pm

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.
• 2D and 3D works are eligible.
• Maximum size:  2D – 10” on any  side.  3D- must fit on a 18” square pedestal.  
• Maximum weight: 20 lbs.
• Accepted media: 2D – painting, drawing, photography, printmaking, and mixed media; 3D – any safe material*

Not eligible

• Work created in a class or workshop
• Reproductions of another artist’s work
• *Any perishable, hazardous, corrosive material
• AI-generated works
• Giclée prints
• Audio or video works

How to Submit

Entry limits and fees

• You may submit up to 4 works for consideration.
• Entry fee: $25 flat fee for up to 4 works
• Member discounts do not apply to this exhibit.
• All entry fees are non-refundable.
• Only submissions with a paid entry fee received by the deadline are considered.

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 during the review 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.

Acceptance

Submitted work is reviewed by MAC staff for eligibility, size, and available space. This is not a juried competition — there is no judged selection of award winners.

• 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.

Awards

People’s Choice Honor — no cash award
Awards are determined by visitor ballot during the exhibit run. Visitors vote for their favorite work; the winner is announced at the closing reception.
The People’s Choice winner is announced at the closing reception on Sunday, December 13, 2026.

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.

Sales

• All sales are handled by MAC staff during the exhibit.
• Connecticut state sales tax applies to all sales.
• The MAC receives a 30% commission on all sales — please price your work accordingly.
• Works may be listed as NFS (not for sale).

General Terms of Entry

A non-refundable entry fee must be paid for work to be considered for this exhibit. Submission does not guarantee acceptance. Fees paid for unaccepted works are NOT REFUNDABLE.

The Milford Arts Council takes reasonable care of all works deposited in our galleries. However, works are accepted on the condition that the MAC and its staff are not liable for loss or damage to artwork while it is in our care or in transit. Artists are encouraged to maintain their own insurance coverage.

It is the artist’s responsibility to deliver accepted work that meets the specifications in this prospectus — correct media, dimensions, and wiring. The MAC reserves the right to decline work at intake that does not comply.

Artwork not collected within 30 days of the scheduled pickup date becomes the property of the Milford Arts Council.

Questions?

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

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

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.

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