Masur Museum of Art's 63rd Annual Juried Competition

Since 1964, the Masur Museum of Art’s Annual Juried Competition has been a platform for emerging contemporary artists working across the United States. Open to all media and styles, this exhibition has become the museum’s longest-running tradition and one of its most anticipated shows each year.

Each cycle, 1,000–1,500 works are submitted nationwide, while only a select group will be chosen to be on view for four months at the Masur. Alongside institutional recognition, chosen artists will compete for $3,200 in cash prizes awarded to first, second, and third place winners.

This is your opportunity to showcase your work to a diverse public audience, build your exhibition record, and be part of a tradition that has shaped the museum’s history for over sixty years.

Submit today and secure your chance to be part of this historical exhibition.

The Masur Museum of Art began building its collection in 1964 with the very first Juried Competition, when Ida Kohlmeyer, student of Mark Rothko, won first place, and the museum acquired her painting Immanence.

Today, the collection houses more than 500 works, including pieces by internationally renowned artists such as Picasso, Renoir, and Rodin. Yet a significant percentage of acquisitions have come directly through the museum’s long history of Juried Competitions. We remain committed to supporting and advancing the work of contemporary artists across the nation through both exhibition and acquisition.

This year's juror: Benjamin Hickey

Juror Bio: Ben Hickey is the Executive Director for the Center for Exploratory and Perceptual Arts in Buffalo, New York. Previously he was curator of exhibitions and Emily Cyr Bridges Endowed Professor of Art at the Hilliard Art Museum. Earlier in his career, Hickey held positions at the Masur Museum of Art, California Museum of Photography, Buffalo AKG Art Museum, and the Arts Council of Buffalo & Erie County. He is an active member of the Association of Art Museum Curators, having served as a trustee from 2015 to 2020. He earned his Master’s in art history from the University of California Riverside and his Bachelor’s in history from Canisius University.

Hickey’s most recent writing can be found in Beili Liu: Mend, a monograph published by the Art League Houston in celebration of Liu’s 2024 Texas Artist of the Year Award. Other essayists include Bridget Bray, Annette DiMeo Carlozzi, Eddie Chambers, Katie Pfohl, and Kay Whitney.

In 2023, Hickey received a Samuel H. Kress Foundation Travel Grant to co-present research related to Marais Press on-campus collaborations at the 51st Annual Art Libraries Society of North America in Mexico City. Earlier in his career, he presented Reshaping Our Programming: The Artist in Residence Program at the New York Historical Society in conjunction with an Association of Art Museum Curators annual conference. He has also served as a panelist or consultant for Villa Albertine, the Joan Mitchell Center, Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities, PhotoNOLA, and the San Antonio Art League.

Awards

Best in Show is $1,000.00 and total awards are $3,200.00.

Awards will be given by Hickey at the reception. A notification will be sent via provided e-mail announcing award recipients. Artists do not have to be present to receive awards.  Checks will be mailed after the reception.

Best Packed:  This award will honor the artist who packs their art in the most professional manner.  The award is $100.00.  No packing peanuts, feedbags, cigarette butts, etc.  These types of things will disqualify you!  Show your work and our staff the respect they deserve.  This prize will be decided by the Masur Museum staff.

Important Dates:

Monday, December 15, 2025. 11:59 pm: Online submission deadline

Jan 14, 2026: Artists are notified of the juror’s selections via provided e-mail

February 2-20, 2026: Artwork delivery period

February 26 – May 2, 2026: Exhibition on view at the historic Masur Museum

Opening Reception: TBD

There is a $10.00 fee per entered artwork with a minimum of two entries and a maximum of five entries (i.e. $20.00 for two artworks and $50.00 for five artworks).  Fees are non-refundable. Artist entry fees help our museum remain free and open to the public, as well as assists with funds for programming and exhibitions throughout the year. 

All three-dimensional work must be submitted with a description or image of proper installation as well as dimensions including height, width, and depth to the nearest inch.  They must be no more than 84” tall with no more than a 40” x 40” footprint. The maximum accepted weight for three-dimensional work is 200 pounds. Please write info@masurmuseum.org with questions. We are flexible; exceptions can be made.

Two-dimensional work cannot exceed 85” in height and 60” in width.

Video works must be submitted for consideration in their entirety and have a maximum duration of 5 minutes. 

Artist Statements: Statements should be limited to 250 words or less. 

There is no specific theme. Any work completed within the given timeframe is welcome. 

Accepted work may be for sale during the exhibition. The museum does not take any commission on these sales, nor do we consolidate sales beyond providing potential buyers with artists' contact information. 

To be considered for entry all work must be completed on or after December 31, 2023.

By submitting your artwork, you agree that accepted entries may be used for promotional purposes for this exhibition and future Juried Competitions. This includes: posts on social media and the Masur Museum website, posters announcing the event, brochures, and a marquee in front of the museum. All works will be credited to the artist.

If your work exceeds the above-mentioned specifications, an exception may be made as long as you successfully communicate this issue in advance of your entry.   Please address your concerns to info@masurmuseum.org.

All submitting artists must be over 18 years old and reside in the United States.  

To be considered for entry all work must be completed on or after December 31, 2023. 

If accepted, all work must be delivered to the Masur Museum between February 2-20, 2026. Accepted artists are to provide a return shipping label before the exhibition ends or include it in their shipped work.

See Rules & Terms to Apply for more information.