FERRARA SHOWMAN GALLERY proudly hosts the 30th iteration of our annual call for artists: NO DEAD ARTISTS International Juried Exhibition of Contemporary Art. The call is open through 15 JUNE 2026 and the exhibition participants are selected by an ever-changing group of three prestigious arts professionals. The exhibition is installed in the gallery 16 September and remains on view through 17 October, with an opening reception in conjunction with the Arts District New Orleans’ First Saturday Gallery Openings on 3 October 2026 from 5-8 pm.
The NO DEAD ARTISTS exhibition was founded by Jonathan Ferrara in 1995 to give a voice to emerging artists. The exhibition’s name is derived from the old adage that artists never achieve success until they are dead. NO DEAD ARTISTS turns that notion on its head and often gives emerging artists their first break in the art world. In the 90’s, the exhibition was open to New Orleans-based artists and subsequently grew to include artists of Louisiana, then becoming a national juried exhibition in 2010. In 2014, Matthew Weldon Showman opened the call internationally, expanding the opportunity to artists everywhere and producing an even more diverse and compelling survey of Contemporary Art.
Now in its monumental 30th iteration, the exhibition has been a springboard for numerous artists; leading to national press coverage, recognition, gallery representation, art fair exhibition, and acquisitions by museums and other prominent collections. Each year the gallery invites a panel of renowned arts professionals and collectors to select the newest creative talents from around the world AND as the GRAND PRIZE, one jury-winning artist is awarded a solo exhibition at FERRARA SHOWMAN GALLERY to take place the following year.
- You may begin your application by clicking here to be taken directly to the open call website. Create a profile with your biography, artist statement, CV, and images of up to 10 artworks/images which you would like to submit for the show.
- The entry fee is $40 is paid per submission at the completion of your application.
- Each entrant is allotted up to ten image/video submissions, including detail views, installation shots, or contextual images - (10 images/videos total). All images must be in .jpg format and videos in .mov format around a suggested 1MB in file size.
- All works must be available for sale and all works selected for the exhibition will be subject to a standard 50% gallery sales commission - in the event that it is sold.
- The artist is responsible for ALL shipping costs including return shipping of all unsold work and import/export duties and taxes.