Weems Gallery
Exhibition artwork

Weems Gallery

Into the Meridian: Art from the New West

A Juried Exhibition of Recent MFA Graduates

Albuquerque, NM

June 12 – July 11, 2026

Deadline is April 20th. 4 weeks left to enter.
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About the Exhibition

The 100th meridian is the geographic threshold of the American West, historically delineating the humid East from the arid West. Into the Meridian: The New West Vanguard exhibition will explore the works of artists who have chosen to ground their practice West of the 100th meridian. The premise of this show is curiosity about artists emerging in a time of immense flattening, when AI permeates our existence both with and against our will, and we are incessantly inundated with information and images from across the planet. So, we feel compelled to ask, What does it mean to be rooted in the Western experience today? Does it matter? Is it meaningful to you? This show seeks artists who contemplate, challenge, define, or investigate the traditional concept of “The West”. We are looking for those who have recently completed their MFA at a school in the region. This is not about the West of the past; it is about defining the power, pride, and presence of the West today.

Eligibility

  • Geographic Bound: Open to artists who recently graduated from an MFA program located west of the 100th meridian.
  • Academic Window: Applicants must have received their MFA degree between 2020 and 2025.

Entry Fee

$35.00 USD

Submission Requirements

  • Submission Statement (300-500 words): Tell us about your relationship to the West and its influence to your work or artistic development.
  • Portfolio: 8–12 images of recent work (within 24 months).
  • Professional CV: Including MFA institution and graduation date.

Why Apply?

Artists will be selected by an esteemed jury of art professionals and academics practicing in the West. Selected artists will be exhibited at Weems Gallery in Albuquerque, NM June 12th - July 11th, 2026. A $2,500 prize will be awarded to one of the participating artists, selected by the esteemed Jury and the Gallery. Artists will be featured on the gallery website and all works will be available for sale online and in the gallery for the duration of the exhibition.

Additional Notification Information

Notifications will be emailed and posted in your ShowSubmit account by the end of the day on May 1, 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 (April 20, 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 Weems Gallery ([email protected]) for questions about the Prospectus, WG, 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.