If you have been thinking about applying, saving the submission page for later, or wondering whether the work sitting in your studio is the right fit, this is your reminder that the deadline is almost here. There are only three days left to submit to the 101 Art Book: Faces Edition.

The 101 Art Book is now opening its 14th edition, bringing together 101 contemporary artists from around the world around one shared theme: Faces. The idea is broad enough to leave plenty of room for interpretation, whether your work looks at identity, emotion, memory, representation, expression, or the many different ways we choose to show ourselves.

And with submissions closing on September 10, 2026, there is no need to keep wondering if you should apply. You have three days to make your decision.

Three Days Left, Is Your Work Ready?

One of the easiest ways to talk yourself out of an open call is to convince yourself that you need to make something completely new. You don’t. If you already have a piece that connects with the idea of Faces, start there.

Maybe you have painted a portrait that says something about the person beyond their physical appearance. Maybe your photographs explore how people present themselves. Perhaps your work looks at family, identity, ageing, memory, culture, transformation, or the relationship between how we see ourselves and how others see us.

Even a face that is partially hidden, distorted, fragmented, abstracted, or completely imagined can open up a conversation about the theme. That is part of what makes this particular open call interesting. Faces do not have to mean traditional portraiture. The theme can be approached through different visual languages and mediums, giving artists room to interpret it through their own practice.

The 101 Art Book welcomes artists internationally and across career stages, with visual disciplines ranging from painting and photography to sculpture, digital art, mixed media, textiles, collage, installation, and experimental practices.

So before deciding that your work is “not exactly a face,” take another look. The question is not whether your work looks like everyone else’s interpretation of the theme. It is whether your interpretation has something to say.

What Does “Faces” Mean in Your Practice?

We have already spent a lot of time looking at what a face can carry. It can be an identity. It can be a memory. It can be an emotion. It can be a mask. It can be a record of time. It can show us something about a person, while leaving just as much hidden.

That leaves a lot of room for artists. Perhaps your faces are direct and recognisable. Perhaps you barely show them at all.

Maybe you are interested in the expressions people make when they think nobody is watching. Maybe you explore self-image and the pressure to look a certain way. Maybe faces appear in your work as symbols, fragments, characters, memories, or imagined figures.

You might be interested in what happens when a face becomes unfamiliar. Or when a familiar face becomes strange. Or when the face disappears completely. The strongest submissions do not necessarily explain the theme literally. They find a way to make the theme belong to the artist.

And that is worth remembering during these final three days. You do not need to make your work fit someone else’s idea of what “Faces” should look like. You need to show what the subject looks like through your eyes.

Why Submit to the 101 Art Book?

So, what is actually in it for artists?

For starters, this is an opportunity to become one of 101 contemporary artists featured in an internationally curated hardcover publication. The 101 Art Book series has grown into a collection of themed publications that brings artists from different countries, backgrounds, mediums, and career stages together in one place.

For a selected artist, the opportunity goes beyond simply having an image printed in a book. Selected artists receive a two-page editorial feature in Arts to Hearts Magazine, along with a Digital Certificate of Recognition. Artists will also have the opportunity to purchase copies of the book at an exclusive artist price, with complimentary international shipping.

There is also additional recognition for artists whose work stands out to the jury.

The Face Edition Award includes a $500 USD cash award, a four-page feature, a custom glass trophy, and a Certificate of Excellence.

Two additional artists will receive Jury Recognition Awards, including a four-page feature, trophy, and Certificate of Excellence.

And even if you are not one of the selected artists, submitting still comes with something useful: every applicant receives a Certificate of Participation and personalized jury feedback.

That last part is especially valuable. Open calls can sometimes feel like sending your work into a black hole and waiting for a yes or no. Here, artists have the opportunity to receive feedback on their submission from the jury process itself.

This edition also brings an experienced perspective to the selection process, with Liz Lidgett involved as a guest curator. Known for her work supporting contemporary artists and her experience in collecting, curating, and building conversations around art, her involvement adds another interesting layer to the opportunity.

For an artist, that makes this more than simply another place to upload an image. It is a chance to put your work in front of people who are looking at contemporary art from different perspectives and to become part of a publication built around a shared idea.

Before You Hit Submit: Your Final Checklist

With only three days left, this is not the time to overthink everything. It is the time to check the basics.

Does your work connect with the theme?
It does not have to illustrate the word “Faces” literally, but there should be a clear connection between your submission and the theme.

Is your image ready?
Make sure you are submitting a strong, high-quality image of the work. Give yourself enough time to check how it looks before uploading.
For more guidance, read our guide on How to Present Your Work for Open Calls.

Have you checked your artwork information?
Double-check the title, medium, dimensions, artist information, and any other details required in the application.

Is your description clear?
You do not need to write an essay. Explain what the work is exploring and why it connects to the theme in your own voice.

Have you chosen the right work?
If you are deciding between several pieces, think about which one feels strongest rather than simply choosing the newest one.

Have you actually submitted?
This sounds obvious, but saving an application halfway through is not the same as submitting it. Do not leave the final step until the last possible moment.

And most importantly, do not spend the next three days trying to make the “perfect” submission. The goal is to submit the work that best represents your practice and your interpretation of the theme.

Don’t Wait for the Final Hours

There is something about a deadline that makes three days sound like plenty of time. Until suddenly it is the night before.

Then the image needs to be resized. The description needs another edit. You cannot find the right file. Your internet decides to become difficult. You tell yourself you will finish it in the morning. And suddenly, the deadline is here. If you already know you want to submit, there is really no advantage to waiting.

The 101 Art Book: Faces Edition closes on September 10, 2026, and after submissions close, eligible entries will move into the review process. Results are expected to be announced within three weeks of the deadline, unless the submission period is extended.

So use these three days wisely. Look through the work you already have. Choose the piece that keeps coming back to you. Read through your application one more time. And then submit it.

The Final 3 Days Are Here

Sometimes an open call catches your attention because you immediately know you have something for it.

Other times, you spend days wondering whether your work is “good enough,” whether the theme is right for you, or whether you should wait for another opportunity. But there will always be another reason to wait. This one has a deadline.

The 101 Art Book: Faces Edition is looking for 101 artists from around the world, each bringing their own way of seeing the human face and everything it can represent. Your work does not have to look like anyone else’s. In fact, that is the point.

Your face might be a portrait. It might be a memory. It might be a character. It might be fragmented, imagined, hidden, distorted, or completely unexpected. What matters is what you see in it.

With only three days left, there is still time to put your work forward and give it a place in this international collection. If you have been thinking about submitting, this is your sign to stop waiting.

Submit your work to the 101 Art Book: Faces Edition before September 10, 2026.