Organizer Information
Manifest Creative Research Gallery and Drawing Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization founded in 2004 by Cincinnati-area college professors and students, headquartered on Woodburn Avenue in the East Walnut Hills neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio, with a separate Drawing Center studio nearby. Manifest's mission centers on championing quality and mastery in the visual arts, alongside the importance of creative research, accessible art-based public experiences, and rigorous documentation of exceptional art. Its programming operates across four areas: Gallery (exhibitions), Press (publications, including the International Drawing Annual, International Painting Annual, and International Photography Annual), Artist Residency (support), and Drawing Center (education). Manifest has produced a history now exceeding 550 exhibitions and is funded through a mix of artist-supported revenue, state funding, grants, memberships, and public donations, operated by an all-artist staff with no substantial reserve or endowment.
Title & Description
The Manifest Prize — 17th Annual ($10,000 Award)
The Manifest Prize is Manifest's flagship annual award, presenting a $10,000 cash prize to the artist of a single work of exceptional visual art, design, or high craftsmanship, selected through a rigorous multi-round, anonymous jury process. The winning work is exhibited alone in one of Manifest's five galleries for four weeks (early December through mid-January), accompanied by juror and artist statements. Launched in 2010, the Prize amount was doubled to $5,000 in 2015 and doubled again to $10,000 in 2025, reflecting increased support from Manifest's Annual Fund and community donors. The Manifest Prize is entirely separate from the season's nine $1,000 Grand Jury Awards.
Categories
- Visual Arts
- Sculpture
- Photography
- Painting
- Drawing
- Printmaking
- Installation
- Video Art
- Furniture Design
- Craft
- Mixed Media
Eligibility
- Open to everyone; entries must represent exceptional original works of visual art, design, or high craftsmanship of any kind
- Works must have been completed within the past five years (2021–2026 for the 17th Manifest Prize)
- The work must be available and capable of being exhibited in one of Manifest's five galleries (floor plans available upon request)
- The winning work must be available for the exhibition period of early December through mid-January to be eligible for the prize
- Works need not be for sale, but may be at the artist's discretion
- Submission constitutes a formal agreement to provide the work for exhibit if selected
- Artists who have submitted to or been included in previous Manifest projects are welcome and encouraged to apply; there is no benefit or disadvantage from prior Manifest exhibition history
- Open to any traditional or non-traditional visual arts genre or medium, including video, photography, sculpture, installation, painting, drawing, printmaking, and furniture design
- No size limit or minimum, other than what is capable of being displayed in Manifest's gallery space; past winners have ranged from 15 inches to room-sized
Program Benefits & Awards
- $10,000 cash award to the artist of the single winning work
- A four-week solo exhibition of the winning work in one of Manifest's five galleries, unveiled publicly at the gallery on December 10 during the ticketed Preview Event (7–9 PM)
- The winning work is featured alongside juror and artist statements, which may also appear in the Manifest Exhibition Annual (MEA) publication
- Four runner-up (finalist) works each receive a $250 cash award and are formally recognized and documented in the MEA
- The Manifest Prize winner, as a solo exhibitor, receives a free copy of the large-format hardcover MEA once produced
- Manifest abides by all applicable tax requirements in disbursing prize money
- For works offered for sale, the artist receives 70% of the sale price (Manifest retains a 30% commission)
Application Fee
- Early Deadline (by September 15, 2026): $45 for up to five entries; $5 per additional entry
- Final Deadline (after September 15 through October 6, 2026): $60 for up to five entries; $5 per additional entry
- Fees are non-refundable; number of entries is unlimited, though a maximum of 12 is recommended
- Payable by U.S. check or money order to Manifest, or by credit card via PayPal (using the link provided after online entry form submission)
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Early Deadline to Submit: 15 September 2026
- Final Deadline to Submit: 6 October 2026
- Notifications Sent: 2 November 2026
- Hi-Res Images Needed for Season Annual/PR: 9 November 2026
- Artwork Due to Manifest: 5 December 2026
- Special Preview Event (ticketed) / Prize Unveiling: December 10, 2026, 7–9 PM
- Opening Reception: 11 December 2026
- Final Day of Exhibition: 8 January 2027
- Pickup of Hand-Delivered Work: January 9–16, 2027
- Artists' Schedule for Pickup of Shipped Artwork: 13 January 2027
Location
Manifest Creative Research Gallery, Cincinnati, United States
Additional Details
- Selection involves a complex multi-round, anonymous jury process: an anonymous panel of 7–15+ volunteer professional and academic advisors and gallery alumni from across the U.S. and beyond scores the works, with approved works passing through a second and possibly third jury round with reshuffled jury makeup; the work with the highest average score wins, and the next four highest-scoring works become the $250 runner-up finalists (an individual artist submitting multiple works may be eligible for multiple runner-up awards)
- Manifest retains the submitted images of accepted artwork and reserves the right to use them in publications and gallery publicity; beyond this use, the artist retains full copyright of exhibited work
- Accepted work must arrive ready to install; work not gallery-ready, lacking good craftsmanship, or differing significantly from entry images may be omitted from the exhibit and declined the prize
- Shipped works must include easily reusable packaging with prepaid return shipping; artists are responsible for all shipping costs to and from the gallery
- Works not claimed within 30 days of the close of the exhibit become the property of Manifest
- Manifest insures works while on gallery premises against theft, vandalism, and damage caused by patrons or staff; insurance does not cover shipping damage, damage from artist-provided mounting systems, material degradation, or incidental damage from non-traditional presentation methods; proof of value may be required for claims; artists are encouraged to separately insure work in transit
- The MEA publication documenting the season is designed and printed in retrospect, with a goal to ship within the next two calendar years after the end of the season (Manifest's exhibit season runs September to September)
- Submitting an entry form constitutes agreement to the prospectus conditions, including a commitment not to double-book, sell, or otherwise compromise the availability of submitted work for the exhibition if selected