Pastel Society of America
Exhibition artwork

Pastel Society of America

International Online Exhibition

Member Only Online Exhibition

The Digital Galleries of the Pastel Society of America

March 5, 2027 – March 3, 2028

Deadline is February 15th. 21 weeks left to enter.
Find Open Calls

Overview

The PSA International Online Exhibition is a member only juried exhibition presented by the Pastel Society of America.

The exhibition was created to expand opportunities for PSA members to exhibit outstanding work, gain professional recognition, and advance within the Society. By removing the expense and logistical challenges of shipping artwork, it provides greater access for members while maintaining the high standards of excellence that have long distinguished PSA exhibitions.

Accepted artwork will be presented in the online exhibition gallery hosted by ShowSubmit and promoted through the PSA website, email communications, and social media.

Exhibition Structure

The PSA International Online Exhibition features two competitive divisions.

Associate Division
Open to all Associate Members.

Signature & Master Pastelist Division
Open to all Signature Members and Master Pastelists.

Artists compete only within their respective membership division.

Awards

Associate Division
Best of Show — $1,000
First Place — $750
Second Place — $500
Third Place — $250
Honorable Mention (5) — $50

Signature & Master Pastelist Division
Best of Show — $1,000
First Place — $750
Second Place — $500
Third Place — $250
Honorable Mention (5) — $50

Promotion Counts

Promotion counts are awarded only for Best of Show, First Place, Second Place, and Third Place. Associates receiving one of these awards earn one promotion count toward Signature Membership. Signature Members receiving one of these awards earn one promotion count toward Master Pastelist status. Master Pastelist members are eligible for awards but do not accrue additional promotion counts. Honorable Mentions do not earn promotion counts.

Eligibility

  • Open to all PSA members who have a current membership.

    Apply for membership by January 11, 2027, to be eligible to submit paintings to the exhibition.
  • You must pay your annual dues in full to enter as a PSA member. ShowSubmit does not process member dues at the time of entry. You must complete your dues payment through the PSA website at pastelsocietyofamerica.org.
  • Artwork previously accepted into any PSA sponsored exhibition, including The Enduring Brilliance Annual Exhibition, is not eligible. Artwork previously exhibited in the PSA Showcase remains eligible.
  • The Juror and Judge may consider an artwork's prior exhibition and award history when making acceptance and award decisions.
  • Accepted artwork may not be exhibited in another virtual exhibition during the dates of the PSA International Online Exhibition.
  • Artwork must be created with traditional soft pastels. Oil pastels are not permitted.
  • The final surface of the artwork must be at least 80% traditional soft pastel.
  • Your work must be original and based on your own references, not copied from other artists or published materials.
  • Any reference provided by an instructor is not eligible, including instructor provided photographs, still life arrangements, or model setups.
  • Work completed in a classroom, workshop, or online group setting is not eligible.
  • Artwork created over photographic transfers or AI generated imagery is not eligible.
  • There are no size restrictions for this exhibition.
  • All subjects and styles, from traditional realism to modern abstraction, are welcome.
  • Artwork must have been completed within the past four years.
Please meet all eligibility requirements to avoid disqualification. PSA reserves the right to exclude any artwork it determines is offensive or otherwise inconsistent with the standards of the exhibition.

Foreign Entries

PSA requests that all artists submit their applications individually. Entries submitted through an international or domestic art broker or other third party will be disqualified and will not be processed.

Cash awards will be issued through PayPal.

Artists are responsible for maintaining a valid PayPal account capable of receiving funds.

If an award recipient is unable to accept payment through PayPal, the award amount will be considered a donation to the Pastel Society of America.

Sales

Artwork may be offered for sale or designated Not For Sale (NFS).

The Pastel Society of America does not participate in the sale of artwork exhibited in the PSA International Online Exhibition. Any inquiries regarding the purchase of artwork will be directed to the artist, and all sales arrangements are solely between the artist and purchaser.

Entry Fees

  • PSA members: $50 for one, two, or three entries.
  • Artists may submit up to five entries.
  • Each additional entry beyond the initial three is $15 per artwork.
  • Only one artwork per selected artist will be accepted into the exhibition.
  • Entry fees are nonrefundable.
You must pay your annual dues in full to enter as a PSA member. ShowSubmit does not process member dues at the time of entry. Membership renewals and new memberships must be completed through pastelsocietyofamerica.org.

Online Entry

  • Entry is available exclusively online.
  • Follow the directions for entry.
  • Payment may be made using a valid credit or debit card.
  • Incomplete entries will be disqualified.

Notification

  • Participants may submit up to five entries.
  • Once judging is complete, all artists will receive an email notification.
  • Please add [email protected] to your safe sender list to ensure delivery of notifications.

Accepted Work

Only one artwork per selected artist will be accepted into the exhibition.

Accepted artwork will be displayed in the PSA International Online Exhibition gallery hosted by ShowSubmit.

Liability

Neither the Pastel Society of America, Inc., its officers, directors, volunteers, nor ShowSubmit shall be responsible for loss, unauthorized use, or reproduction of submitted digital images beyond the promotional uses authorized by the artist.

Submission to this exhibition grants the Pastel Society of America permission to reproduce accepted artwork for exhibition, educational, archival, and promotional purposes related to the exhibition.

Submitting an entry signifies agreement that the Exhibition Chair has final authority regarding all matters of eligibility.

Submitting an entry confirms acceptance of all conditions outlined in this prospectus.

Juror and Judge

Jimmy Wright, PSA-MP, HFH, NA

Jimmy Wright is President of the Pastel Society of America, a Master Pastelist, Hall of Fame Honoree, and National Academician. Recognized as one of America's foremost contemporary pastel artists, his work is represented in the permanent collections of major museums including The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Hammer Museum. Throughout his distinguished career, Wright has been a passionate advocate for the pastel medium and has received numerous national and international honors.

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 (February 15, 2027.)
  • 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.

Notifications Are Posted in Your Account

Results will be posted in your ShowSubmit account by the end of the day on March 5, 2027. You will also receive an email.

Log in and check your account. We are unable to answer individual inquiries about results.

Support

Questions about this exhibition?
Contact ([email protected]) for questions about the prospectus, PSA, eligibility, artwork requirements, 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.