FEE: FREE

Call for Art: Magical: A Passage to the Extraordinary

Call Opens: September 14, 2026 | Application Deadline: October 13, 2026 at 5:00 PM

What if magic is already around you—not the pulled-from-a-hat kind, but the kind that hides in plain sight?

Lake Region Arts Council is accepting submissions for Magical: A Passage to the Extraordinary, a regional exhibition exploring wonder, mystery, transformation, imagination, symbolism, and the extraordinary hidden within the ordinary.

Artists are invited to interpret “magical” in personal, nuanced, unexpected, whimsical, philosophical, or deeply meaningful ways. Inspiration might come from a landscape that evokes wonder, an extraordinary person, an object infused with meaning, dreams and inner worlds, mythology and storytelling, or the possibilities of magical thinking and imagination.

The call is open to artists ages 18+ living in LRAC’s nine-county service area. All media are welcome, including 2D, 3D and sculptural work, mixed media, multimedia, and installation proposals as space permits. Artist teams of two or three may also apply.

Call Opens: September 14, 2026
Deadline: October 13, 2026 at 5:00 PM
Exhibition: January 11–March 11, 2027
Opening Reception: January 19, 2027 | 5:00–6:30 PM

FEE: Free to Apply

Call for Art: Magical: A Passage to the Extraordinary

Call Opens: Monday, September 14, 2026 | Deadline: Tuesday, October 13, 2026 at 5:00 PM

What if magic is already around you? Not the pulled-from-a-hat kind, but the kind that hides in plain sight—the landscape that stops you cold, the object that carries more weight than it should, or the memory that stays.

Lake Region Arts Council invites artists to submit work for Magical: A Passage to the Extraordinary, a regional exhibition exploring wonder, mystery, transformation, imagination, the unseen, the symbolic, and the extraordinary hidden within the ordinary.

Artists are encouraged to interpret “magical” in a personal, nuanced, unexpected, whimsical, philosophical, or deeply meaningful way. Inspiration might be found in places, plants and landscapes; people; objects infused with meaning or mystery; dreams and inner worlds; symbolism and mythology; storytelling; or magical thinking as imagination and possibility.

The call is open to artists ages 18+ living in LRAC’s nine-county service area. All media are welcome, including 2D, 3D and sculptural work, mixed media, multimedia, and installation proposals as space permits. Artist teams of two or three may also apply, and artist statements are encouraged.

Call Opens: September 14, 2026
Application Deadline: October 13, 2026 by 5:00 PM
Artist Notifications: October 26, 2026
Artwork Drop-off: January 4–5, 2027 | 9:00 AM–3:00 PM
Exhibition: January 11–March 11, 2027
Opening Reception: January 19, 2027 | 5:00–6:30 PM
Artwork Pick-up: March 15–16, 2027 | 9:00 AM–3:00 PM

FEE: Free to Apply

Call for Art: The M Triennial: Held Here

Application Deadline: Sunday, November 15, 2026 | 11:59 PM CST

The Minnesota Museum of American Art (the M) invites Minnesota artists to apply for the inaugural 2027–28 M Triennial: Held Here, a major exhibition bringing together contemporary visual art reflecting the vitality, diversity, complexity, and cultural landscape of Minnesota.

Centered on the theme Held Here, the triennial asks artists to consider connection and belonging at this moment in our shared history: What do we hold onto to heal, endure, thrive, and cultivate a hopeful future? What do we hold in our hands, bodies, histories, hearts, and imaginations—and how do we tend to one another?

Artists working across all media are encouraged to apply, including painting, drawing, printmaking, book arts, sculpture, photography, video, film, installation, performance, sound, textiles, ceramics, and interdisciplinary forms. Approximately 30–40 artists will be selected.

The call is open to visual artists at any career stage who currently reside in Minnesota or have lived in Minnesota during the past year. Artists with significant ancestral, familial, or cultural connections to Minnesota are also invited to apply and describe those connections. Artist teams are welcome.

Applicants may submit up to three completed works, works in progress, and/or proposed artworks. There is no application fee.

Selected artists will receive a $750 honorarium, professional documentation of their exhibited work, inclusion in the exhibition publication, transportation assistance as applicable, professional installation support, and opportunities to participate in related programming.

Call Opens: September 15, 2026
Application Deadline: November 15, 2026 | 11:59 PM CST
Artist Notifications: By February 1, 2027
Exhibition: September 16, 2027–July 30, 2028
Public Reception: September 23, 2027 | 6:00–8:00 PM
Application Fee: None
Questions: info@mmaa.org | 651-797-2571