Organizer Information
Manifest is a 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit founded in 2004 in Cincinnati, Ohio, by professors and students from area universities who wanted to make a positive community impact. It continues to be operated by professors, students, and working artists, with programming organized into four areas: Gallery (exhibitions), Press (publications), Artist Residency (support), and Drawing Center (education). Manifest's stated mission centers on quality in the visual arts, the importance of creative research, accessible art-based experiences for the public, and the rigorous documentation of exceptional art. The organization is funded through a mix of artist-supported revenue (including entry fees), state funding from the Ohio Arts Council, regional funding from ArtsWave, grants from local and national foundations, membership support, and public donations. Manifest Press has produced dozens of full-color catalogs documenting its exhibitions, several of which have won industry awards, including a Silver and Bronze IPPY Award from the Independent Publishers Association and an American Graphic Design Award.
Title & Description
HYPERVIEW: An International Call for Works About Vastness and Scale
HYPERVIEW is an international open call for artworks exploring vastness and scale, in both formal and conceptual terms. The prospectus frames the exhibition around the experience of being decentered by things larger than ourselves — the view of Earth from space, the scattering of galaxies, the scale of oceans, geological timescales, large machinery, storms on gas giants, large predators, or the sheer number of insects on Earth — and the mix of fear and awe such scale can provoke. The call is open to all traditional and non-traditional genres and media, and Manifest states that its juries have no collective predisposition toward any particular kind or style of art.
Theme
Vastness and scale, in both formal and conceptual senses — including physical scale (largeness/smallness) and perceptual scale (how scale affects human perspective, ego, and sense of awe).
Categories
- Visual Arts
- Multimedia
- Mixed Media
- Installation
- Photography
- Video/Film
- Interdisciplinary Arts
Eligibility
- Open to everyone internationally
- Entries must be original works that address the broad theme of vastness/scale described in the call
- Open to all traditional and non-traditional genres and media
- No size restrictions beyond what can physically fit in Manifest's spaces, walls, and door (artists with larger work should contact the gallery to inquire about specific limits)
- No date restrictions on when submitted works must have been made — most submitted work is from within roughly the past five years, but older work is also accepted and is not weighted differently by the jury
Program Benefits & Awards
- Every exhibiting artist receives a $50 cash honorarium (no strings attached beyond full participation in the exhibit)
- $9,000 in Grand Jury Awards across Manifest's 23rd season (September 25, 2026 – August 2027): $1,000 awarded to one work during each of the season's nine exhibition periods, including this exhibit, via a re-jury process from the pool of top-scoring works
- If a work is sold during the exhibition, the artist receives 70% of the sale price (works may also be listed as not for sale)
- Exhibiting artists may purchase one copy of the season's Manifest Exhibits Annual (MEA) at half price while supplies last; all entrants may pre-order the MEA at 40% off at the time of entry; solo exhibitors receive a copy of the MEA for free
- Supporting donors to Manifest's Annual Fund at the eligible level receive a free MEA for the season underway at the time of their donation, plus recognition in print and public membership materials
Application Fee
$45 for up to three entries submitted; $5 for each additional entry (unlimited number of entries allowed). Fees are non-refundable. Payment must be made by U.S. check or money order payable to Manifest, or by credit card via the PayPal link provided after the online entry form is submitted. Any fee payment must reference the artist's name, or Manifest must be notified if another party is paying the fee.
Application Requirements
- Completed online entry form (required)
- Entry fee paid by check/money order (payable to Manifest) or via PayPal
- Digital images of each work, formatted per Manifest's specifications and uploaded to the project Dropbox (link provided after entry form submission)
- Image files named with the artist's last name, underscore, first name, and entry number (e.g., Jones_Mike_1.jpg); detail/installation/alternate view images must include the word "detail" in the filename or will be counted and charged as separate entries
- Images must be high-quality JPEG format, no smaller than 1000 pixels in any dimension, at 72dpi (resulting files typically 700kb–2mb)
- For video, motion, or interactive entries: a link to a viewable, full-length online copy of the work (no login/password required) provided in the Viewing Link section of the entry form, plus one representative JPEG still image uploaded to the Dropbox
- Notes on presentation (framing, mounting, non-traditional display, etc.) should be included in the notes field for each entry, not embedded in image files
- Each work must be marked on the entry form as either "for sale" or "not for sale" (NFS), with sale price set by the artist if applicable
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 31 July 2026
- Notifications sent by email: 28 September 2026
- Hi-res images due (for season annual and PR): 5 October 2026
- Artwork due at Manifest: 31 October 2026
- Special Preview Event (ticketed): 5 November 2026
- Opening Reception: 6 November 2026
- Final day of exhibition: 4 December 2026
- Pick-up of hand-delivered work: December 5–12, 2026
- Shipped artwork pickup scheduling (arranged by artist): 9 December 2026
Location
Manifest Gallery, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
Additional Details
- Manifest's selection process is two-part: an anonymous multi-member jury panel first evaluates entries, then the exhibit curator makes final selections from the jury-approved pool
- Manifest retains the submitted images of accepted artwork and reserves the right to use them in publications and gallery publicity; the artist retains full copyright of exhibited work beyond that use
- Accepted work must arrive ready to install; work that is not gallery-ready, lacks good craftsmanship, or differs significantly from the submitted entry images may be omitted or disqualified
- Artists are responsible for all shipping costs to and from the gallery; shipped works must include prepaid return shipping in reusable packaging
- Works are insured while on gallery premises (covering theft, vandalism, and damage by patrons/staff), but this insurance does not cover shipping damage, mounting-system failure, material degradation, or damage tied to artist-directed presentation choices; artists are encouraged to separately insure work in transit
- Manifest retains a 30% commission on any artwork sold during the exhibition; sale price and for-sale status cannot be changed after the submission deadline
- Works not claimed within 30 days of the exhibition's end become the property of Manifest
- Submitting the entry form constitutes agreement to the exhibition's terms, including a commitment not to double-book, sell, or otherwise compromise the availability of submitted work if selected