Newton Open Studios Invite: Open Call for ALL Visual Artists

Newton Open Studios Invite: 

Open Call for ALL Visual Artists

SENSE OF PLACE

Exhibition Dates: April 3 to 26, 2026

Location: 460C Harrison Ave, 2C, SOWA, Boston 

ORGANIZATION: Claudia Fiks

APPLY HERE 

Juror: Page Roehrig. Executive Director of the Copley Society of Art, Adjunct Instructor for Merrimack College

Newton Open Studios invites all visual artists to submit work for a curated exhibition exploring Sense of Place, the relationship between environment, memory, and identity.

We do not live only in locations; we live inside experiences shaped by light, routine, architecture, movement, and human interaction. A place becomes meaningful through familiarity, repetition, and emotional attachment. It may be a street walked daily, a room filled with personal history, a remembered landscape, or an imagined environment carried across time.

Philosophers and writers have long reflected on this idea: that place is not merely geographic, but lived. Our surroundings shape perception, memory, and who we become. Spaces hold traces of presence — conversations, habits, absences, and belonging. The environments we inhabit also inhabit us.

All visual media and medium approaches are welcome, including representational, abstract, sculpture, clay, glass, conceptual,photography, mixed media, textile, digital, and experimental work.

This exhibition is part of a community-building initiative leading up to Newton Open Studios in May. It is designed to bring artists together, foster connections, and celebrate the creative voices that shape the city while building momentum and visibility for the annual event. Newton Open Studios celebrates the role artists play in helping communities see their surroundings with renewed attention. 

ELIGIBILITY:

All are welcome. Visual artists and artisans from all regions are invited to apply for this call. *Artists must be 18 and older.

TIMELINE:

Exhibition Dates: April 3 – 26
Open Call Opens: February 16
Deadline: March 20

Acceptance notes: Between March 24 and 26.

DROP OFF:
Saturday, March 28
Sunday, March 29
Monday, March 30

PICK UP:

Sunday, April 26 and Monday, April 27

Opening Reception: Friday, April 3, 5pm to 8pm
Closing Reception: Sunday, April 26 , 3:30 – 5pm

The submission fee:

General entry fee: $35 one piece, $5 additional piece. Max 3 pieces

GUIDELINE:
Submission of artwork is considered an acceptance of all guidelines. Artists may submit up to three (3) pieces. Any / all artwork can be accompanied by explanatory text as needed to be properly comprehended by the layperson. But not mandatory.

Hanging works must be ready to hang with the appropriate hanging hardware. Frame is NOT required. Artwork must remain in the exhibition throughout the duration of the show. No substitutions are allowed prior to the exhibition’s close.

Each artist may submit digital samples of 2D or 3D artworks. The images must represent the art being submitted. Only one image per artwork is required, we will contact you in case we need more documentation.
– All images must be uploaded as jpeg files, no smaller than 600 pixels. Your image must be less than 10MB in size.
– Files should be titled as follows: LastName_FirstName_Image Number (example: Smith_Joan_01.jpg)
– Mediums accepted: Painting, Drawing, Photograph, Printing, Mixed Media, Digital, Paper, Fiber, Wood, Ceramics, Glass, Metal, experimental work.

– DIMENSION: 2D work should not exceed 24 H x 24 L in, 3D work should not exceed 5ft H x 30 L in. 

No other artwork can substitute for the piece submitted and accepted.

Artwork images may be used for marketing purposes.

Juror  may decide to accept any number from zero to all 2 submitted pieces for the show.

Selling Work, and Consignment:

Artists in the exhibition can sell their work for a price they provide. Those not wishing to sell their work must list NFS (“Not For Sale”) as the price. Any work sold in the exhibition plus sale tax will be paid to the artist minus 30% commission given to Newton Open Studios. Payment will be sent to artists upon receiving the buyer’s fee. Works sold in the exhibition must stay on view until the exhibition’s conclusion, with no substitutions allowed.  

About the organizer:

Claudia Fiks is an arts administrator, curator, and writer with more than twenty years of experience in the arts and culture sector. She is the founder and director of the New England Art Center, a membership-based organization that includes TAG | The Art Gallery, as the exhibition space, a retail shop, and educational programming supporting artists at all stages of their careers. 

Claudia is deeply engaged in the regional arts community. She directs Newton Open Studios, writes for Artscope Magazine, and leads guided tours at international art fairs including Art Basel and Art Basel Miami Beach. As an independent consultant, she advises arts organizations and artists on programming and professional development.

Her previous roles include Program Director and Development Director at the Eliot School of Fine & Applied Arts, Fuller Craft Museum, and the Society of Arts & Crafts. She regularly serves as a Mass Cultural Council grant panelist, curates exhibitions and open calls across Greater Boston, and is committed to fostering access, visibility, and meaningful engagement in the arts.

APPLY HERE