2 Open Calls Ending in August: The One Evening Application Plan

There is something about the last few days of a deadline that suddenly makes an open call feel very real.

You have probably saved a few. Maybe you opened the application page, looked at the deadline, thought I still have time, and then promptly went back to making art, answering emails, posting, selling, or dealing with approximately twenty other things.

Well, August is almost over.

And if there are open calls you have been meaning to apply to, you do not necessarily need an entire weekend to get your application together. Give yourself one evening. Put your phone away, gather your artwork images, write down the information you need, and finally submit that application you have been thinking about.

Here are two open calls ending on August 30, 2026 that you can still apply to.

1. Art and Woman – Edition 4 Open Call
by Arts to Hearts Project

If Art and Woman: Edition 4 has been sitting somewhere in your saved posts or browser tabs, consider this your reminder to finally submit.

Created by Arts to Hearts Project, Art and Woman brings together women and womxn artists from around the world, creating space not only for their work but also for the stories, experiences and perspectives behind their creative practices.

Now in its fourth edition, the open call is inviting artists to become part of another professionally produced collection celebrating contemporary women artists.

And you do not need to create an entirely new body of work for it.

Existing work is welcome, which makes this a particularly good open call to tackle in one evening. Go through the work you already have, choose the pieces that best represent your practice, gather your images and get your application ready.

The call is open worldwide, whether you are emerging, mid-career or established. Artists working across visual art mediums are welcome, including painting, drawing, photography, sculpture, ceramics, textile art, mixed media, collage, digital art, illustration, installation and experimental practices.

There is no particular theme you need to follow, and there is no requirement to make your work fit into a specific style. The idea is to submit work that feels authentic to your practice and gives the jury a sense of your creative voice.

You can submit 1 to 20 artworks, depending on the submission package you select.

This edition is also being considered through the curatorial eye of Liz Lidgett, an art advisor, gallery owner and author who has worked extensively across contemporary art, collecting and artist advocacy.

For selected artists, the opportunity goes beyond simply appearing in a book. Artists will have their work included in the fourth edition, receive an Official Certificate of Publication & Recognition, written remarks from Guest Curator Liz Lidgett and the jury, and editorial promotion through Arts to Hearts Project’s website, newsletter and social media.

The publication will also be distributed internationally through Amazon, Barnes & Noble and the Arts to Hearts Project Shop.

And there is additional recognition for the top award recipients, including a $500 cash award for the Top Winner, a four-page editorial feature, professionally written interview, engraved crystal trophy and promotional coverage.

The deadline is August 30, 2026, at 11:59 PM EST.

So, if you already have a few pieces in mind, this does not need to become a week-long project. Set aside one evening, choose your strongest work, check your images and details, and submit.

2. The Beauty of Still Life – Virtual Exhibition
by Women in Arts Network

Have you had a still life sitting in your studio that you kept thinking, maybe I should submit this somewhere? Here is your sign.

The Beauty of Still Life, presented by Women in Arts Network, has had its deadline extended to August 30, 2026, giving artists a little more time to submit their interpretation of one of art history’s most enduring genres. And still life does not have to mean a traditional bowl of fruit sitting on a table.

The exhibition invites artists to explore the beauty, meaning and stories hidden within ordinary things. Your work could focus on flowers, food, ceramics, books, textiles, personal belongings, domestic interiors or objects that hold a particular memory. You might explore ideas around identity, ritual, consumption, sustainability or simply the beauty of paying attention.

Still life has always been about more than objects. A vase of flowers can become a meditation on time. A treasured belonging can carry the memory of a person. An empty table can suggest absence. An everyday object can tell us something about the person who chose to place it there.

That openness is at the heart of this exhibition. The Beauty of Still Life welcomes painting, drawing, photography, sculpture, printmaking, illustration, digital art, collage, mixed media, textile art and contemporary or experimental practices. Traditional, minimalist, abstract, symbolic and conceptual interpretations are all welcome.

The exhibition is open only to women artists and non-binary artists aged 18 and above, from anywhere in the world, and artists at every stage of their careers are encouraged to apply.

The application is also wonderfully manageable if you are doing it as a last-minute evening project.

The Virtual Exhibition application is $15 USD and allows you to submit up to three artworks for consideration. Selected artists will be featured in the international virtual exhibition, receive a professional online presentation of their artwork and a digital certificate of participation.

There is also an optional Artist Interview Feature for $19 USD. Artists who choose the add-on and are selected will receive a dedicated interview on the Women in Arts Network website, giving them a chance to talk about their practice, process, inspirations and the story behind their work.

The combined option is $34 USD.

Whether you already have the perfect still life ready to go or suddenly find yourself inspired to create one this weekend, there is still time.

Take a look around your studio. Maybe the work you need for this call is already there.

Don’t Let the Deadline Pass You By

Sometimes applying to an open call feels like a much bigger task than it actually is.

You imagine you need an entire day to select work, write an artist statement, organize images and fill out a form. But once you actually sit down and do it, you may find that the application you’ve been postponing can be finished in one focused evening.

So before August disappears, make yourself a little deadline appointment.

Put on some music. Open that folder of artwork you’ve been meaning to organize. Pick the pieces you believe in. Read the requirements carefully, fill in your details and hit submit.

Maybe you will be selected. Maybe you will not. That part is never completely in your hands. But giving your work the chance to be seen is.

If either of these open calls has been sitting in the back of your mind, do not wait for another perfect moment. The deadlines are August 30, 2026.

Take the evening. Make the application. If your work is already made, give it somewhere to go.