Open Calls

Each year as part of our festival, we offer opportunities for artists and galleries to exhibit and discuss their work and printmaking processes. 

Deadlines:
Festival registration–December 1 to be in printed festival brochure
PrintAustin 5×5, juried exhibition–October 1
The Contemporary Print, juried exhibition–November 1
PrintEXPO, juried print fair–November 1
Trade Portfolio, opportunity to trade prints with others–December 15
Steamroller–TBD (we plan on holding this event during PrintEXPO, Feb 11-13, but we haven’t nailed down which day. Call will open Oct. 1)

FESTIVAL REGISTRATION FOR GALLERIES AND ART VENUES

Are you in the Greater Austin Area and interested in being part of PrintAustin’s festival by holding print-related event(s) during January 15-February 15 ? Should you wish to hold an event such as an exhibit, panel discussion, or demo during this time period, we will  help you promote your event via our email announcements, social media, and our city-distributed printed brochure. If you have any questions, please reach out to us at info@printaustin.org and include your phone number and a good time to call.  

PRINTAUSTIN 5X5–Juried exhibition

PrintAustin is excited to announce its 2nd iteration of 5×5, our juried exhibition with extended artist features. The 5×5 is presented in collaboration with Ivester Contemporary and will be juried by Caitlin Clay, Curator of Exhibitions at the Art Museum of Southeast Texas. Our exhibition will exist mostly as a virtual platform, including in-depth Artist Features and online programming, but will have an in-person element at Ivester Contemporary that overlaps with our annual festival. The 5×5 will feature five artists who will be selected based on their collective submission and the 5 winners will be awarded a $500 stipend. One piece per artist will be chosen to hang at Ivester Contemporary for an in-person show from Dec. 11, 2021 – Jan. 22, 2022. 

5×5 Selected artists will receive: 

• A stipend of $500
• Catalog of exhibition
• A podcast interview with either Hello, Print Friend or Studio Noize
• An invitation to participate in our Instagram Residency where they will take over PrintAustin’s Instagram account for up to 3 days to help promote their work 
• The opportunity to participate in additional programming such as IGTV, Zoom conference, podcast, or panel discussion related to their work or studio practice
• An Artist Feature in one of our weekly e-newsletter blasts during PrintAustin 2022
• One piece chosen to hang in an in-person exhibition at Ivester Contemporary, Dec. 11, 2021-Jan. 22, 2022

JUDGING: This is a blind jury and works will be judged on traditional printmaking techniques and innovative approaches in contemporary printmaking. While non-traditional or digital output is accepted as a print element, submissions must utilize traditional print media as their primary technique. These include lithography, relief, intaglio, silkscreen, photopolymer plate (i.e. SolarPlates), and monotype. Solely digital and photographic prints are not eligible. For questions regarding eligible media, please contact info@printaustin.org. 

ABOUT OUR JUROR: Caitlin Clay is currently the Curator of Exhibitions at the Art Museum of Southeast Texas. She joined the Art Museum of Southeast Texas in January 2019 as the Registrar, stepping into the role of Curator of Exhibitions in October 2020. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Art History degree with a Business concentration from the University of Dallas (2016), and her Master of Arts in Art History degree from Texas Christian University (2018). Clay brings a wealth of knowledge to AMSET, including curatorial, installation, and research experience. Caitlin has presented research papers at Ohio University, the University of Texas at Tyler, the University of Dallas, Southern Methodist University, and Texas Christian University. She has also interned at the Nasher Sculpture Center, the Amon Carter Museum of American Art, and the National Heisey Glass Museum. 

New this year: PrintAustin members will be able to pay $1 to enter vs the regular $35 fee. We also have a limited number of waived registration fees regardless of membership status for artists in need–courtesy of Speedball Arts–so email us at info@printaustin.org if you’d like to check availability.  

Deadline to apply: October 1, 2021 at 11:59pm (CST)

THE CONTEMPORARY PRINT (TCP)–Juried exhibition

The Contemporary Print is presented in collaboration with Big Medium. We are planning our exhibition in-person from January 14 through February 19, 2022.

JUDGING: This is a blind jury and works will be judged on traditional printmaking techniques and innovative approaches in contemporary printmaking. While non-traditional or digital output is accepted as a print element, submissions must utilize traditional print media as their primary technique. These include lithography, relief, intaglio, silkscreen, photopolymer plate (i.e. SolarPlates), and monotype. Solely digital and photographic prints are not eligible. For questions regarding eligible media, please contact info@printaustin.org. NOTE: You may enter the same work into 5×5 and TCP should you decide to enter both contests. However, you will be disqualified from winning top prize in TCP should you be selected into 5×5.

ABOUT OUR JUROR: John Hitchcock is a Professor and Associate Dean of the Arts at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he has taught printmaking for twenty years. Hitchcock uses the print medium with its long history of commenting on social and political issues to explore his relationships to community, land, and culture. Hitchcock’s artwork consists of abstract representations, mythological hybrid creatures and military weaponry. His artworks are based on his childhood memories and stories of growing up in Oklahoma. Many of the images are interpretations of stories told by his Kiowa/Comanche grandparents and abstract representations influenced by beadwork, land, and culture. Hitchcock has made prints with MATRIX Press, Hannaher’s, Inc. Print Studio at Plains Art Museum, and most recently with Crow’s Shadow Institute of the Arts.

New this year: PrintAustin members will be able to pay $1 to enter vs the regular $35 fee. 

Deadline to apply: November 1, 2021 at 11:59pm (CST)

PrintEXPO 2022–Juried print fair

PrintAustin’s annual print fair is back! In-person event will be February 11-13, 2022. The call is open from September 1-November 1. 

Deadline to apply: November 1, 2021 at 11:59pm (CST). 

TRADE PORTFOLIO

Inspired by the collaborative tradition and democratic nature of printmaking, our Trade Portfolio is an opportunity for artists to participate in a print exchange. Artists complete an edition of 12 prints and receive a portfolio of 10 collated prints from the other participants. PrintAustin retains 2 prints from each edition, which will be sold to benefit our programming.

December to apply: December 15, 2021 at 11:59pm (CST). 

STEAMROLLER

If you’ve seen a steamroller event before you know it is a total spectacle! It’s a super fun, collaborative event, and it shows printmaking off  to visitors that are trying to grasp what “multiple originals” is all about. Steamroller will take place on the Saturday of PrintEXPO 2022, February 12, from 12-5pm. Our heroes for this event are TAMU-Kingsville faculty and students, as well as McCallum High School volunteers here in ATX. Would you like to carve a block and/or get involved? We need drivers, clean hands people, inkers, and block movers. To participate (volunteering expected at the event), click the MORE INFO/SIGN-UP link below. Or, volunteer without carving a block. 

Deadline to sign-up: February 9, 2021 at 11:59pm (CST).