98th Grand National Exhibition

Guest Jurors of Selection

Juror of Awards

Membership

• Membership is not required. Open to all AAPL members and non-members.
• AAPL membership in good standing is required for the discounted entry fee. Please direct questions about membership to [email protected]
• New members are always welcome. Apply for membership before entering this show to qualify for the discount. AAPLinc.org/levels

Terms and Conditions

• Open to artists who are at least 18 years old and who live or work in the United States and territories.
• Only traditional and contemporary realist works will be considered.
• Artwork may not have been previously exhibited online or in-person with the American Artists Professional League.
• Work must have been completed in the last five years; not before January 1, 2021.
• Acceptable media include, but are not limited to: oil, acrylic, water media, pastel, drawings, graphics (non-mechanical fine art prints; charcoal, graphite, colored pencil, scratchboard, etc.), and sculpture. Choose the dominant media when entering mixed media, and list all media used in the description.
• Fine art prints will be considered, including woodblocks, linocuts, etchings, monotypes, and engravings. Questions about prints: [email protected]
• Giclées, photographs, digital prints, painting on photos, mechanical prints, AI & digitally derived works are expressly forbidden. Functional sculpted works and fine crafts are barred from entry.
• Your entry confirms that the work entered is original, that your own references were used, and copyrighted or public domain images by others have not been incorporated into your work. Licensed images by others and master copies are not allowed. AAPL reserves the right to eliminate submitted artwork if the jurors feel the method of creation is in question. In cases where a work is under consideration for disqualification, efforts will be made to engage in a discussion with the artist regarding the techniques employed before any disqualifications are made. Progress pictures may be requested.
• Framed work may not exceed 50 inches wide. Work that is too large to hang in the gallery will be rejected by the Exhibition Director at their discretion. To discuss the possibility of an exception email [email protected] before applying.
• Per Salmagundi guidelines, sculptures may not exceed 36 inches in height, and no more than 40 lbs. Restrictions do not apply to ‘Online Only’ entries.
• Sale prices for art should be in U.S. currency. Work does not need to be for sale (NFS).
• By entering, you agree that AAPL may reproduce your work for promotional purposes. Selected work will be showcased on AAPLinc.org, and may appear in print ads, in the AAPL newsletter, and on AAPL social media. The artist retains the copyright.
• All art (even if sold) must remain in the gallery for the whole duration of the exhibition. Please do not commit your selected pieces to another gallery or institution during or near our exhibition dates. Except in extenuating circumstances, work withdrawn from the show after acceptance will disqualify the artist from exhibiting at the Grand National for a period of two years.

Entry Fees

• AAPL members: $50 for first entry, $25 for each additional entry.
• Non-members: $70 for first entry, $40 for each additional entry.
• There is no limit to the number of entries. Only one may be accepted.
• No refunds will be made. Mistaken entries will be donated to the American Artists Fund, the charitable arm of AAPL. Please read the prospectus carefully.

Entry Process and Specifications

• All entries are to be submitted through ShowSubmit from Friday, May 29, 2026–Tuesday, August 11, 2026.
• AAPL provides help with any application issues by contacting Alex Tibar at [email protected].
• Submit digital files in the universal jpeg format - 1500 pixels on the shortest dimension - 300 pixels per inch, maximum 30 mb. ShowSubmit will automatically resize large files.
• No frame, mat, or background may be visible. The image must be displayed right side up. For instruction on taking the best image possible of your work, view AAPL’s guide: How to Photograph Artwork
• Sculptors may include 2 images per artwork.
• Applicants may choose “Online Only” or “In-Gallery” per artwork. Finalists will be invited to show at the Salmagundi Club, unless they have chosen Online Only. In that case, the Finalists' work will be showcased on the AAPL website, along with the Finalists exhibiting in the gallery. Semi-Finalists will only be showcased on the AAPL website.
• After submitting an image(s) and making payment, you can change your submission(s) by returning to the ShowSubmit website and following directions. Or contact ShowSubmit or AAPL for help.
• No submissions will be accepted after midnight EST on Tuesday, August 11, 2026.

Jury Process

Notification of Accepted Works

• Notification of accepted works via email: no later than Wednesday, August 26, 2026.
• Names of ‘Accepted Artists’ to be listed on the AAPL website: AAPLinc.org
• Accepted work will be showcased on AAPLinc.org in addition to the gallery show. Works for sale will also be available in the AAPL Artwork Store during the exhibition.

Delivery of Artwork

• Hand delivered work: November 15th, 10am–12noon.
• Hand delivery and shipping instructions will be provided with the acceptance letter. According to Salmagundi policy, shipped artwork must go through a shipping agent, which incurs a fee. The fee schedules for two shipping agents will be included with the acceptance letter.
• Artists who choose to ship artwork are responsible for all shipping costs to and from the shipping agent. Shipped work must include a prepaid return shipping label.
• Work should be packed in an AirFloat StrongBox, or a similar box. Please do not use packing peanuts. Boxes packed with styrofoam or peanuts will not be unpacked.
  
  AAPL has arranged for a discount with AirFloat; code AAPL23.
• All 2D artwork must be professionally presented, framed or gallery wrapped canvas with finished edges, wired, and ready to hang. Pedestals will be available for sculpture.

Awards

• Cash awards exceeding $23,000 and two dozen merchandise awards provided by our sponsors. Reference the 97th Grand National Exhibition for awards: aaplinc.org/97-gne
• Awards are judged in-person. Traditionally, works that are not hanging in the gallery are not eligible for cash awards. Three Award of Merit certificates and merchandise awards (TBD) will be chosen from the online exhibitors.
• Juror of Awards: TBA

Sales

• If artwork is for sale it will be available for purchase on our website and in the gallery for the duration of the show.
• Terms: AAPL receives 30% commission of the sale price, the artist will receive 70%. If the artwork sells after it is accepted, AAPL will receive the stated commission. AAPL promotes accepted work before the opening date. If artwork is introduced to a collector at the exhibition and sells within four months of the show’s conclusion, AAPL would appreciate a 30% donation.
• Shipping of sold work will occur after the show at the buyer’s expense. The artist’s empty box will be returned.

Artist Submission Agreement

Questions

Additional Notification Information

Notifications will be emailed and posted in your ShowSubmit account by the end of the day on August 26, 2026.

If you do not receive your email, login and view the notification in your account. We cannot respond to inquiries regarding the status of notifications.

Image and Filename Specifications

• File Format: Submit original, high-quality JPEG image files. Other formats (e.g., PNG, TIFF) are not accepted.
• Crop Your Image: Ensure only the artwork itself is visible in the image. Do not show any visible matting, frames, or background distractions.
• Orientation: Make sure your image is oriented correctly (right side up) so that the artwork appears in its intended viewing direction.
• Image Size: You do not need to resize your image files before uploading. The system will automatically resize them. Smaller images cannot be enlarged to meet the requirements, so ensure your images are high resolution before uploading.
• File Names: You do not need to rename your files before uploading them. The system will handle any file naming requirements.
• File Size: There is a 30mb maximum file size limit. Larger image files will take longer to upload and process.

Additional Entry Information

• You will pay for your entry by credit or debit card using our secure checkout system.
• After your entry is submitted and paid for, you may log back in to review your entry, edit artist and image information, and add or substitute images up until the entry deadline (August 11, 2026.)
• Entry fees are not refundable and must be submitted and paid by the entry deadline.
• Entries cannot be accepted or changed after the deadline. Incomplete entries will be disqualified.

Support

Questions about this exhibition?
Contact Alex Tibar ([email protected]) for questions about the Prospectus, AAPL, eligibility, artwork requirements, drop-off, pick-up, sales, etc.

Need help with ShowSubmit?
Visit our Help Center or Entry Guide for guidance on image uploads, payments, and managing your entry. If you still need help, email ShowSubmit Support ([email protected]). We respond Monday–Friday, 9am–6pm Eastern.