What is today’s portrait? asks the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery. It’s up to artists all over America to answer this question before July 31st when their latest portrait competition closes. No need to necessarily include a face, says the gallery, which invites artists to interpret the genre broadly, though it is necessary that the work be a result of the artist’s direct encounter with that person. I assume part of the intent here is to cut down on the number of celebrity portraits submitted, which only means I’ll be submitting my own stunning photograph of the back of Ed Winkleman’s head to the competition. After all, the first prize winner receives $25,000 and a separate commission to portray a remarkable living American for the Portrait Gallery’s collection, this is not an opportunity to be missed.

Exposure, a new photography exhibition presumably modeled after Jen Bekman’s Hey Hot Shot, asks a $25 submission fee for a chance at $2,800 and a show at Leo Kesting Gallery. Now everyone has a chance to show with the same people who brought you celebrity sculptor Daniel Edwards. Score! Deadline June 17th, 2008

Related: Oprah’s Dead Bitches. (Via Gawker)

Erik Benson, Staying Up All Night, 2004, acrylic and canvas on wood panel, 40 x 72 inches. West Collection

International emerging artists have until October 1st 2008 to submit their applications to Paige West’s competition. Aptly named the West Prize, a total of $100,000 will be given out to young artists, the grand prize being a total of $25,000 in addition to a West Collection acquisition. Artists applying should take a look at her collection to get a better idea of the kind of work she responds to. It’s no small amount of money being given out, so you’ll really do yourself a favor by doing a bit of research before submitting. Notable artists in the collection include, Amy Bennett, Vic Muniz, Erik Benson, Larissa Bates, Roxy Paine, Eve Sussman and more.

Image via 3rd Ward

Here’s a good opportunity for artists: 3rd Ward’s open call for their spring solo show. Direct from their website:

This SOLO SHOW is open to artists working in sculpture, photography, painting, printmaking, motion graphics, illustration, installation, industrial design, graphic design, and/or film & video. If your work falls outside these categories, drop us a line - we’re pretty flexible. And if it falls between them, even better…

The Selected Artist will receive a $1000 cash grant provided by the kind folks at Pernod plus a 2-month residency at 3rd Ward with FULL access to studios and facilities along with an exhibition at 3rd Ward in June with a huge opening reception and city-wide press exposure.

All Submissions must be received by (pay-pal) / post-marked (snail-mail) February 1st, 2008

3rd Ward charges a reasonable $25.00 exhibition submission fee (though to be honest we typically frown on such fees), and their programming is generally strong. Admittedly I have some reservations about the last solo show linked on their submissions page based on the splash page image — the men with beards motorcycle event/eXtreme boy art — but I guess since I didn’t see that solo show, I don’t actually get to have an opinion.

I suppose I’ll have to forgive DRIFT, a two day performance event scheduled to take place in November at Rush Arts Gallery for using an artist working in my least favorite art genre as their promotional picture. Fluxus artist Geoffrey Hendricks stands on his head, and a call for entries is born.

I let this small misstep pass of course, because DRIFT’s annual event features some great artists, and this year will be part of New York’s Performa Biennial. DRIFT Alumni/AFC art school compradres include: Matthew Day Jackson, Sheilah Wilson, Aaron Williams, Damian Catera, Alicia Wargo, and many more. If you want to submit work to this open call for live work, performance and video art proposals will be accepted through July 13, 2007. Contact the curators directly at driftartproject.com to submit work.

DRIFT was founded by Eileen Olivieri Torpey in 2002 and is curated this year by Torpey and Bradley Pecore.

Image via Ryan Junell

I received a slow reading email in my inbox this morning informing me that Ryan Junell’s slomo horror festival submission deadline has been extended to June 15th. It seems only appropriate that artists have additional time to draw out their pain and misery. So, make something gross, film it, and then slomoify the sucker. Video submissions need to be no more than one minute in length.

A bad splash page design for an arts prize

Screengrab AFC

I suppose you’ll just have to get past the fact that Biore titles their new grant program for women artists the “Uncover Discover Program“, as they’re offering $20,000 and a trip to New York to the winners in each category film, fashion, music, and art. According to the entrance requirements, artists can not be represented by a major gallery in a top five U.S. market, (so for example, those who show in New York, Chicago, Miami, San Francisco and LA at a major gallery do not qualify,) and must make wall mountable work in the mediums of photography, painting or mixed-media. This unfortunately eliminates sculptors and most new media artists, a common problem for those working in the field. For the rest of you wishing to apply, I encourage it, but note two potential caveats. One, I spoke to their publicist and asked them who was on their review panel, and was told it wouldn’t be confirmed until after the submissions had been received. This doesn’t make much sense to me since most artists want to know who will be looking at their work prior to applying. It indicates the level of seriousness of the competition, and helps applicants put together submissions. Two, upon entering, artists must agree to give Biore the right to cut, edit, and reformat their work. I suspect this clause was meant to be applied to those entering the film category, but I can’t help but be wary of anyone who wants to edit a painting for the purposes of presentation.

With that said, the competition looks like a great opportunity for emerging female artists. $20,000 can really make a lot of difference, particularly early on in a career, so my advice is to apply.