First Annual Juried Open Online Exhibition

Venue

Membership

• Membership is not required. Open to all AAPL members and non-members.
• AAPL membership in good standing is required. Please direct questions about membership to [email protected]
• New members are always welcome.
  AAPLinc.org/levels

Terms and Conditions

• Open to artists 18 years of age or older.
• Only Realist works will be considered.
• 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.
• Artwork must be original and not previously exhibited online or in person with the American Artists Professional League and cannot be older than 5 years.
• 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.
• AAPL reserves the right to eliminate submitted artwork if the jurors feel the method of creation is in question. In cases where the authenticity of a work is in question, AAPL will make efforts to contact the artist regarding the techniques employed before any disqualifications are made. Work-in-progress photos may also be requested to authenticate questionable submissions.
• Giclées, photographs, digital prints, painting on photos, mechanical prints (lithographs) and digitally created works are not eligible.
• AI generated works are also not eligible. Work deemed suspicious will be run through AI detection software to determine authenticity. Work-in-progress photos may also be requested to authenticate questionable submissions.
• Fine art prints will be considered; woodblocks, linocut, etchings, monotypes, and engravings, etc.
• No minimum or maximum size restrictions.
• Sale prices for art need to be in United States currency.
• Work does not have to be for sale.
• This is an online-only show. Accepted work will be showcased on AAPLinc.org, during the show dates.
• 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 and digital ads, in the AAPL newsletter, and on AAPL social media.

Entry Fees

• Members: $25 for the first entry, $10 for each additional entry.
• Non-Members: $35 for the first entry, $15 for each additional entry.
• Limit 4 entries. Only one will be accepted.
• No refunds for rejected works.
• Mistaken entries will be donated to the American Artists Fund, the charitable arm of AAPL; no refunds will be given. Please read the prospectus carefully.

Entry Process and Specifications

• All entries are to be submitted through ShowSubmit from Monday, June 1, 2026–Friday, July 10, 2026.
• Artwork submitted by June 10, 2026 may be eligible for promotion by being included in digital and print advertising and in an editorial in American Art Collector magazine about this exhibition.
• AAPL provides help with any application issues by contacting Alex Tibar at [email protected].
• Submit your artwork in the JPEG file format. The maximum file size is 30 megabytes, but please be aware that submitted files will be automatically downsized to a maximum of 1920 pixels on the longest side of the image, so be sure the image(s) you send are not only an accurate representation of the artwork but are in sharp focus and well lit. For more on preparing your images, see here: ShowSubmit Help Center
• No frame, mat or background may be visible. Image must be displayed right side up.
• Sculptors may include 2 images per artwork.
• 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 Friday, July 10, 2026.

Jury Process

• The First Annual Juried Open Online Exhibition is curated by two AAPL board members, Signature Member Karen Israel and Elected Artist Member Chantal Sulkow as well as two award winning AAPL Member Jurors of Selection, Barbara Hack and Patricia Tribastone.
• Each entry is reviewed and scored on the quality and individual mastery of each medium as well as the composition and design of the work.
• Jurors score the work based solely on the image, title, and medium used. No other information is supplied to the jurors.
• Images not displayed right side up or without proper cropping will not be juried. Jurors make selections based on the digital image(s). Make certain the image(s) submitted is a true representation of the work. Work misrepresented by the submitted image(s) will not be shown. For helpful tips on photographing your artwork, please watch this short video How to Photograph Artwork

Notification of Accepted Works

• Notification of accepted works July 27, and award winners via email by July 31, 2026
• Names of ‘Accepted Artists’ to be listed on the AAPL website: AAPLinc.org

Awards

• Best in Show $1,000
• American Art Collector Award of Excellence - full-page Artist Focus in AAC, value $3000
• President’s Award of Excellence: Fine Art Connoisseur Award - 1/2 page artist award ad, value $2400
• $500 each, Best in Oil , Acrylic, Graphics Media, Pastel, Sculpture and Water Media
• The Kathleen J Smith Light in Art Award $300
• 2 - $100 Award of Merit
• Fine Art Connoisseur Award of Merit One-year subscription ($150 value)
• Turner Water Media Award

Juror of Awards

Sales

• Artwork will be for sale on our site for the duration of the show, unless works are specified as Not for Sale (NFS).
• Terms: AAPL receives a 30% commission of the sale price. If artwork sells between the date of acceptance through the end date of the exhibition, AAPL will receive the stated commission. AAPL promotes accepted work before the opening date.

Artist Submission Agreement

Additional Notification Information

Notifications will be emailed and posted in your ShowSubmit account by the end of the day on July 27, 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 (July 10, 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 ([email protected]) for questions about the Prospectus, AAPL, 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.