Compete Off the Wall 2026
Opportunity Description
International Deadline: May 13, 2026 – Art has spent centuries hanging politely on walls, waiting to be looked at. Off the Wall is done waiting. We’re calling for sculptures that plant themselves in the room. That commands space. That makes someone walk around it, step back from it, or get uncomfortably close to it. Work that couldn’t exist any other way, in any other form, in any other place. The only question now is whether your work is brave enough to stand alone.
Selected works will be displayed in this MFA organized exhibition at Maryland Hall’s Earl Gallery in Annapolis, MD from July 8 – August 15, 2026.
ELIGIBILITY
Entry is open to artists residing in the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, and Mexico. Any original free-standing 3D work that follows our exhibition guidelines will be considered.
All entries must be original and completed solely by the artist’s hand. A maximum of 6 original works created within the past 3 years may be entered.
JUROR
Jim Hirschfield teaches sculpture at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill where he served as Chair of the Department of Art from 2010 to 2017. Hirschfield has received major grants and fellowships from both public and private foundations, including awards from the National Endowment for the Arts, the North Carolina Arts Council, the Graham Foundation, the Pollock-Krasner Foundation, Art Matters, and the Rockefeller Foundation. His earliest work expressed concepts through the genre of installation where his artistic environments were explorations into ethereal spaces and light. They were architectonic constructions that culminated in opalescence environments. After creating an installation in a tractor trailer which then moved to various locations in and around Seattle, Washington, Hirschfield discovered the satisfaction of creating for a wider audience. He gradually began exploring, and then whole heartedly focused his creative energies within the realm of public art. Hirschfield has a long history in public art, having completed over 50 public art projects ranging from freestanding sculpture to sculptural environments… see more
AWARDS
Awards designated by the juror total $1,000.
ENTRY FEE
1 or 2 entries $45 (MFA Members $30). Up to 4 additional entries $6.75 each (MFA Members $4.50). Entry fees are non-refundable.
APPLY ONLINE
Visit us online for complete details.
SALES
Work must be for sale. Work may be set to Price on Request (POR). Artists will retain 70% from sales (75% for MFA Members). MFA will retain 30% commission (25% for MFA Members) on any work sold through MFA.
About:
The MFA incorporated as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization in 1968 and, through the hard work of a growing and enthusiastic membership, opened the Circle Gallery located at 18 State Circle, just steps away from the State House in Annapolis. The gallery is located in a restored loft space in the heart of the Annapolis Historic District and has been operating continuously since opening its doors. The MFA has also reached out beyond its doors through its Alternate Space efforts, often bringing art to unexpected places.
Maryland Federation of Art
18 State Circle
Annapolis, MD 21401
t: 410 268 4566
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