How The Holy Art Selects Artists: Inside the Curation Process
One of the questions we get asked most, usually quietly, is whether open calls are really curated or whether everyone who applies gets in. It is a fair question, so here is exactly how selection works at The Holy Art.
Every application is reviewed by a person
There is no automated acceptance. Each submission is looked at by our curatorial team, who review applications as they arrive rather than in a single batch at the deadline. That is why applying early matters: the earlier you apply, the more spots are still open when your work is reviewed.
Not every application is accepted
We select for each show, and we decline work that is not right for it. That can be because the quality is not there yet, because the images are too poor to judge, because the work does not suit a group show format, or because the show is already full in that medium. Rejection is not a verdict on your talent. It is a decision about one show at one moment.
What the team is looking for
Clear, well photographed images that show the work honestly. A coherent body of work, so we can see who you are as an artist rather than a random sample. Work that will hang well in a group show alongside other artists. A short artist statement that tells us what the work is about in plain words. And a complete application that follows the brief.
What we are not looking for
A degree, a gallery history, a large following, or a famous name. We have exhibited 25,000+ artists across 400+ shows in 20+ cities, and the majority were showing in a gallery for the first time. Some of our strongest exhibitors are self-taught.
What happens if you are selected
You receive a confirmation with the show details and the exhibition fee, which secures your place and covers the venue, curation, installation, marketing and the catalogue. You choose physical or digital, and we take it from there. We take no commission on your sales.
How to give your application the best chance
Photograph your work in daylight, straight on, against a plain wall. Submit your strongest pieces, not your newest. Write three honest sentences about the work. Apply early. That is genuinely most of it.
Open calls are live across London, New York, Tokyo, Milan, Amsterdam and more. Free to apply, all mediums, open theme.
Apply at theholyart.com
Where art meets the world.
