CALLING ALL ARTISTS
22nd Annual Small Works Show, 2026
Juried by Constanza Valenzuela
November 27 - December 20, 2026
SUBMISSION DEADLINE:
Wednesday, September 9, at 11:59:59 EST
440 Gallery announces the Call for Art for the 22nd annual Small Works Show 2026. This national, juried exhibition celebrates the innovation of artists who create work on a small scale in a broad range of media and styles. The exhibition will be on display at 440 Gallery in Park Slope, Brooklyn from November 27 to December 20, 2026.
ABOUT THE CURATOR
We’re excited to welcome Constanza Valenzuela as our 22nd Annual Small Works Show curator. Valenzuela is a curator, writer, and cultural producer based in New York City. She is currently Associate Curator at Powerhouse Arts, an 80,000-square-foot fabrication and arts center in Brooklyn. In this role, she oversees the organization’s rotating exhibition program, working with contemporary artists to develop and realize new large-scale commissions. She also leads Powerhouse Arts’ Artist in Residence and Artist Subsidy programs, which provide artists with access to the organization’s fabrication facilities, technical expertise, and more than $150,000 annually in fabrication support for the development of new work. She previously served as Assistant Curator at the High Line, where she collaborated with artists to realize large-scale public commissions, performances, and public programs across the 1.5-mile elevated park on Manhattan’s west side. Previously, Valenzuela worked in the curatorial and programming departments of Creative Time, Swiss Institute, 80WSE, the New York Foundation for the Arts, and El Museo del Barrio. She has curated exhibitions and programs at The Shed, CUE Art Foundation, 80WSE, Pratt Institute, Canal Projects, Future Fair, and Miriam Gallery, among others. She holds an MA in Visual Arts Administration from New York University and a BFA in Sculpture and Art History from Pratt Institute.
In 2020, Valenzuela and Jack Radley co-founded ACOMPI, an independent curatorial initiative whose name derives from the Spanish word acompañado, meaning “in company.” Through collaborative, research-driven projects, ACOMPI produces site-responsive exhibitions and performances that engage the inquiries of their artist peers and broader cultural narratives. Together they also established the Canal Street Research Association with artist Shanzhai Lyric. Across institutional and independent contexts, her work foregrounds collaborative curatorial models and experimental forms of exhibition-making. Constanza has organized projects with artists including Iván Argote, Chang Yuchen, Ignacio Gatica, Craig Jun Li, Diana Sofia Lozano, André Magaña, Azikiwe Mohammed, Mariana Parisca, Georgica Pettus, Paola Pivi, Claudia Peña Salinas, Gabriella Torres-Ferrer, Alex Tatarsky, Cole Lu, and Pat Oleszko, among others. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, New York Magazine, Cultured, Artforum, Artnet, Hyperallergic, and The Brooklyn Rail, among other publications.
ARTIST ELIGIBILITY: Open to artists who are at least 18 years old at the time of entry and who have a US shipping address. Artist’s working in all media—including oils, acrylics, watercolors, pastels, drawings, sculptures in any medium, collage, printmaking, photography, and digital media—are encouraged to apply. The artwork may represent any subject matter.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: Work must be no more than 12" in any direction, including the framing or mounting, or video monitors. Videos must be no longer than 1 minute. This will be strictly enforced. The size given for works should be the framed size.
Judging for 2-D and 3-D works will be done entirely from JPEGs. No other formats will be accepted. Maximum file size for any individual image is 1 MB.
For video works, please upload a still image in the application and email the gallery at info@440Gallery.com with subject line “Small Work Show Video Submission” and a link to the video on Youtube or Vimeo to view the entry.
Accepted work must be prepared to be professional displayed. All 2-D work must be suitably framed, wired and ready for hanging. Works on paper must be framed under plexiglass or glass. All 3-D work must be able to hang securely on the wall, sit on a shelf, pedestal or the floor.
Entry form must be filled out completely. These requirements will be strictly enforced, and work will be refused if it does not comply with the requirements. Your entry fee payment will serve as your acceptance of the terms and conditions stated in the prospectus.
*Height must be given before width, regardless of whether the work is vertical or horizontal.
SALES: The gallery will take a 40% commission on any work sold. All work must be for sale. NO “POR” (price on request) sales.
ENTRY FEE: The fee is $25 for the first artwork; $10 for each additional work 2, 3, 4, 5; $5 for each additional work up to 10 works total. Entry fees are non-refundable.
If these fees are a barrier to you, 440 Gallery offers a subsidized application fee to artists who would otherwise not be able to apply. For subsidized applications, please limit your submission to three (3) artworks. When you get to the payment option, select the appropriate item and hit submit. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out to our director at info@440Gallery.com or review our FAQ here.
1 work = $25
2 works = $35
3 works = $45
4 works = $55
5 works = $65
6 works = $70
7 works = $75
8 works = $80
9 works = $85
10 works = $90
IMAGE LABELING: JPEG images MUST BE labeled as follows:
LAST Name_FIRST Name_The number that corresponds with that work's placement on the Entry Form (1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc.)
example: smith_joe_1.jpg
example: smith_joe_2.jpg
Files mislabeled or lacking the artist's name will not be viewed by the juror.
DELIVERY OF WORK:
Hand-delivered work will be accepted at the gallery ONLY on November 21 and 22.
Shipped work must arrive at the gallery on November 19 or 20 in a reusable container from UPS (preferred) or FedEx. A computer-generated return label for the return of work MUST be enclosed. NO EXCEPTIONS. Pre-paid shipping arrangements must be made through UPS or FedEx websites or with other shippers who will pick up work at the gallery. NO U.S. POSTAL SERVICE OR C.O.D. RETURNS. DO NOT SEND CASH, CHECK, STAMPS, OR CREDIT CARD INFORMATION FOR THE RETURN OF WORK.
Works not at the gallery by November 22 will not be installed.
RETURN OF WORK: Hand-delivered work pickup date TBD. Shipped works will be returned late Dec/early Jan. The gallery accepts no responsibility for work not retrieved on pick-up dates and will charge the artist $5.00 a day thereafter for storage. After 30 days, the gallery may dispose of the work.
IMPORTANT DATES:
SEPT 9: Submission Deadline
OCT 15-16: Notification of results sent to all artists
NOV 19-20: Arrival of shipped artwork
NOV 21-22: In-person drop-off from 12-6 pm
NOV 27: Show opens at 440 Gallery
DEC 5: Opening Reception
DEC 20: Show closes at 440 Gallery
LATE DEC/EARLY JAN: Pickup of unsold artwork + return of shipped work