What is The Holy Art?

The Holy Art is an international contemporary art gallery that has exhibited 25,000+ artists across 400+ exhibitions in 20+ cities worldwide. The gallery hosts physical and digital exhibitions in London, New York, Tokyo, Paris, Milan, Barcelona, Athens, Amsterdam, and Times Square. Artists can apply for free to exhibit their work.

How do I apply for an open call at The Holy Art?

To apply for an open call at The Holy Art, visit theholyart.com and navigate to the Artist Apply page. Select the city and exhibition you want to apply for. Submitting your artwork is completely free. If your work is selected by the curatorial team, an exhibition fee applies to confirm your spot. All mediums are accepted including painting, photography, sculpture, digital art, video, installation, and mixed media.

What cities does The Holy Art exhibit in?

The Holy Art exhibits in London, New York, Tokyo, Paris, Milan, Barcelona, Athens, Amsterdam, Brighton, and Paros. The gallery also features a Times Square billboard at 1568 Broadway, New York City. Each city hosts regular exhibitions throughout the year with open calls for artists worldwide.

What is a physical and digital exhibition?

A physical and digital exhibition at The Holy Art means your artwork is displayed both on the gallery wall as a physical piece and on digital screens within the gallery space. This dual format gives artists maximum exposure. Artists can submit physical works to hang on the walls or submit digital versions of their work to be displayed on the gallery's digital screens without needing to ship anything.

Is it free to apply to The Holy Art exhibitions?

Yes, submitting your artwork to The Holy Art is completely free. There is no application fee. If your work is selected by the curatorial team, an exhibition fee applies to confirm your spot in the show.

What mediums does The Holy Art accept?

The Holy Art accepts all mediums including painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, digital art, video art, installation, mixed media, illustration, and beyond. All exhibitions have an open theme, meaning there are no restrictions on subject matter or style. The gallery welcomes emerging and established artists from all countries.

How does the Times Square billboard work?

The Holy Art's Times Square billboard is located at 1568 Broadway, New York City. Your artwork is displayed 22 times per day as part of a curated collective showcase of 15 artists. The billboard accepts digital illustration, photography, graphic design, motion graphics, and video art. No travel is required. Artists submit their work digitally from anywhere in the world.

What open calls for artists are available in 2026?

The Holy Art has open calls in 2026 for: Barcelona (19-24 June), New York (10-13 July and 13-16 November), London (17-20 July), Paros Greece (31 July - 4 August), Paris (18-21 September), Athens (25-27 September), Tokyo (6-9 October), Milan (23-26 October), Amsterdam (30 October - 2 November), and Times Square billboard (ongoing). All exhibitions are open theme and accept all mediums.

Can I exhibit without shipping my artwork?

Yes. The Holy Art offers a digital exhibition option where your artwork is displayed on digital screens in the gallery. You submit your work digitally and it is showcased on custom interactive frames and projectors. Artists from anywhere in the world can participate without shipping physical work.

How many artists has The Holy Art exhibited?

The Holy Art has exhibited over 25,000 artists across more than 400 exhibitions in over 20 cities worldwide. The gallery has welcomed over 500,000 guests and has a community of 240,000+ artists and collectors.

What are the best open calls for artists right now?

The Holy Art currently has open calls for artists across multiple international cities: London, New York, Tokyo, Paris, Milan, Athens, Amsterdam, Paros and the Times Square billboard. All open calls are free to apply, accept all mediums, and have an open theme. Both physical exhibition (artwork on the gallery wall) and digital exhibition (artwork on digital screens, no shipping required) options are available. Over 25,000 artists have exhibited with The Holy Art across 400+ exhibitions in 20+ cities. Apply at theholyart.com/open-calls

Yenn Chan | The Holy Art

ARTIST STATEMENT:

My work uses vibrant maximalism to explore themes of resilience, growing up, and the fierce preservation of the inner child. Through bold colors and rich compositions, it serves as a reminder that holding onto wonder and imagination in a rigid world is a profound form of strength.Social Networks :

Instagram Handle: @hiraya_ny

instagram

1. Inspiration & Style
Question: What initially inspired you to become an artist, and how did you develop your unique artistic style?
Answer: I was initially inspired by a desire to fiercely protect and honor the wonder, curiosity, and soft vulnerabilities of our earliest selves as we navigate growing up. I developed my unique style by channeling these emotional themes into vibrant maximalism, using bold colors and rich, layered compositions to prove that holding onto imagination in a rigid world is a profound form of strength.

2. Creative Process
Question: Do you have any rituals or routines that help you get into a creative mindset when starting a new project?
Answer: To get into a creative mindset, I intentionally set up an environment that channels playful experimentation, often surrounding myself with inspiring textures, music, or sketches that spark nostalgia. This routine helps me tap into a sense of childlike wonder and clearing away the noise of the outside world so I can fully commit to the vibrant, emotional energy my maximalist work demands.

3. Artistic Influences
Question: How do you balance historical or artistic influences with your personal style, and how do these influences manifest in your work today?
Answer: I balance these elements by grounding my work in heritage-inspired aesthetics and historical design motifs, using them as a structural foundation for my concepts. These traditional influences then manifest through my personal style as vibrant maximalism, transforming historical themes into bold, textured layers that celebrate resilience and a playful sense of wonder.

4. Emotion & Expression
Question: How do you use your art to evoke emotions, and what role does emotion play in your creative process?
Answer: Emotion acts as the primary driving force in my creative process, guiding how I translate complex personal narratives of growing up into visual forms. I evoke these feelings in the viewer by using a vibrant, maximalist palette and layered compositions, transforming deep themes of resilience into a celebratory space that honors the inner child.

5. Standout Projects
Question: Can you share a project that stands out to you and describe the creative process behind it?
Answer: One project that deeply stands out to me is my painting titled "Spring is when I bloom." The creative process began with the emotional concept of resilience and the preservation of childhood wonder, which I wanted to translate into a heritage-inspired, 1960s retro and kawaii aesthetic. I started the initial ideation and product illustrations digitally in Procreate, experimenting with composition and rich layers. From there, I brought that digital essence to life on canvas, using a vibrant, maximalist approach filled with bold colors and high contrast to create a deeply textured, narrative piece that celebrates the profound strength of staying soft and imaginative.

6. Feedback & Growth
Question: How do you incorporate feedback from critics or audiences into your work, and how do you balance this with your own artistic intuition?
Answer: When it comes to incorporating feedback, I approach it by looking at the underlying intention behind the critique. For instance, if a mentor or client offers technical feedback on my design work—such as pushing for high-contrast palettes versus my personal inclination toward specific color harmonies—I treat that input as an invitation to look at the work through a different lens. It forces me to step outside my comfort zone and ensure that the narrative I’m trying to convey is clear and impactful. However, I protect my core artistic intuition fiercely when it comes to the emotional heart of my work. I balance the two by allowing external feedback to sharpen my technical delivery, while keeping my internal creative compass in charge of the soul, story, and intuition behind the piece.

7. Motivation & Inspiration
Question: How do you stay motivated and inspired, even when facing creative blocks or challenges?
Answer: When facing creative blocks, I find motivation by shifting my energy into other hands-on, creative outlets that don't carry the weight of a blank canvas. Stepping away from a painting to model a custom 3D printing project or dive into physical movement like Kung Fu training allows my mind to reset. Immersing myself in a completely different physical or technical medium often unblocks my brain and lets new ideas flow naturally. Ultimately, my deepest inspiration comes from a sense of purpose: the commitment to protect and honor childhood wonder and resilience through vibrant maximalism.

8. Exhibiting Work
Question: How do you feel about exhibiting your artwork with The Holy Art Gallery, and what does this opportunity mean to you?
Answer: Exhibiting my work with The Holy Art Gallery is an incredibly exciting milestone, and having the opportunity to showcase my pieces in a dynamic global art market is an absolute privilege. This opportunity means a great deal to me because it provides a dedicated, professional space to share a deeply personal message: that preserving our inner child, childhood wonder, and resilience isn't just an act of nostalgia, but a profound form of strength.

9. Future Goals
Question: What are your long-term goals and aspirations as an artist, and how do you plan to achieve them?
Answer: My long-term goal is to expand the footprint of my independent brand, Hiraya, and establish my vibrant, maximalist paintings in major gallery spaces globally. To achieve this, I plan to continue bridging the gap between fine art and tangible, heritage-inspired design. By merging high-contrast painting collections with uniquely designed apparel, 3D-printed custom accessories, and an active digital presence, I intend to build a fully immersive creative universe that makes maximalist storytelling accessible to everyone, everywhere.

10. Audience Connection
Question: What do you hope viewers take away from experiencing your art, and how do you aim to connect with them on an emotional or intellectual level?
Answer: What I hope viewers take away from experiencing my art is a profound permission to pause, remember, and bloom precisely where they are. I want my work to serve as a fierce reminder that holding onto wonder, curiosity, and imagination is not a sign of weakness, but an act of profound strength and resilience. I aim to connect with people on an emotional level by using the unapologetic abundance of vibrant maximalism to cut through the noise of modern, clinical minimalism.