Key West Art Historical Society
Exhibition artwork

Key West Art Historical Society

From A Woman’s Hand

A Juried Exhibition

Key West Museum of Art & History

February 19 – March 28, 2027

Deadline is January 6th. 11 weeks left to enter.
Find Open Calls

Exhibition at a Glance

The Key West Art & Historical Society announces a call for entries for its biennial juried exhibition, opening in February 2027 at the Key West Museum of Art & History. From a Woman’s Hand celebrates the talent, vision, and creative spirit of women artists living and creating in the Florida Keys. Juried by Dr. Cori Convertito of the Key West Art & Historical Society, Christina Joy of the Key West Art Center, Carole Garcia of the Anne McKee Artists Fund, and Elena Devers of The Studios of Key West, the submission platform opens Wednesday, November 4, 2026, and closes Wednesday, January 6, 2027.

Drawn entirely from the Florida Keys creative community, the exhibition showcases the remarkable diversity of artistic expression inspired by the region’s natural environment, culture, and communities. Bringing together emerging and established artists, From a Woman’s Hand celebrates the unique perspectives, creative practices, and artistic achievements that continue to shape the Keys’ vibrant cultural landscape.

Artists are invited to submit original artwork exploring themes of their choice and reflecting their individual perspectives, interests, and creative vision. A wide range of artistic mediums is welcome, including oil, acrylic, watercolor, pastel, encaustic, pencil, sculpture, photography, ceramics, fiber, and mixed media.

Awards

First Place, Second Place, & Honorary Mentions (no monetary awards are given)

Opening Night Reception

Join us at the Key West Art & Historical Society, Friday, February 19, 2027, 5-8 pm for a public reception to honor the participating artists. All participating artists, friends, family, and community members are invited to attend.

Meet the Jurors

Cori Convertito, PhD – A graduate of the University of Exeter, Cori has worked as the curator of the Key West Art & Historical Society since 2012. Before working for the Society, she worked for museums and non-profit arts organizations in the United Kingdom. Currently, Cori sits on the Anne McKee Artists Fund board and on the City of Key West’s Art in Public Places advisory board.

Christina Joy – Executive Director for the Key West Art Center. Christina Joy leads the Key West Art Center, a nonprofit community arts organization dedicated to supporting local artists and preserving Key West’s legacy as a city of artists. The Art Center provides a venue for Florida Keys artists to exhibit and sell their work while fostering community engagement through exhibitions, educational opportunities, artist demonstrations, and special events. Christina also champions the ArtSpark program, which connects local high school students with professional artists for hands-on instruction and creative exploration in a gallery setting.

Carole Garcia – Board Member, Anne McKee Artists Fund. Carole Garcia serves on the board of the Anne McKee Artists Fund and chairs its annual Fine Art Auction, which raises vital grant funding to support artists throughout the Florida Keys. She also serves as Docent Coordinator for the Key West Art & Historical Society, helping create engaging visitor experiences that celebrate the island’s rich art, history, and cultural heritage. In addition, Carole is Chairperson of GLEE Community Garden Key West, supporting community engagement and environmental stewardship.

Elena Devers – Deputy Director at The Studios of Key West. As Deputy Director for TSKW, Elena is responsible for the approximately 40 resident artists who make their home in Key West for a month at a time. Each year, she and a panel of community members comb through hundreds of applications to select the writers/performers/artists who are interested in Key West’s cultural identity.

Entry Fees

  • A $20 entry fee is required.
  • One work per artist.

Eligibility & Submissions

  • Applicants must be a full-time or part-time female resident of Monroe County, Florida.
  • Only original works of art produced within the past three (3) years will be accepted. AI generated artwork is not permitted.
  • Eligible Works/Media include oils, acrylics, watercolors, pastels, drawings, photography, mixed media, collage, assemblage, construction and sculpture. No giclees or similar reproductions.
  • 2D work must be suitably frames or sides cleanly finished, wired, and ready to hang.
  • 3D work must be able to stand on its own or have the ability to be hung on the wall.

Acceptance

  • Initial jurying of all work will be by digital file submissions. The judge(s) may decline entries which do not meet the stated guidelines and are not suitably prepared for exhibition.
  • Absolutely no substitutions of accepted works.
  • All work must remain in the museum for the duration of the exhibition.

Delivery of Accepted Work

Artwork can be hand delivered (with appointment) on Monday, February 15 to:

Key West Museum of Art & History
281 Front Street
Key West, Florida 33040

Publicity

All participating artists agree to allow the Key West Art & Historical Society to use their artwork in advertising, in press releases, on its website, and in any other promotional activities. Care will be taken to give each artist proper credit.

Sales

The Key West Art & Historical Society is precluded by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) from selling artwork in its institution.

Questions

For questions about this prospectus or KWAHS, please contact [email protected].

For questions regarding the entry process or this website, please see the Support section below.

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 substitute your image up until the entry deadline (January 6, 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 January 27, 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, KWAHS, 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.