Signs and Symbols - 2026 (3rd Annual Juried Exhibition, Publication, Sales)

Signs and Symbols 2026: The Universal Language of Meaning in Art

Gallerium proudly presents Signs and Symbols 2026, the 3rd annual juried international exhibition, publication, and sales opportunity, celebrating the timeless visual language that transcends words. From ancient carvings to digital icons, signs and symbols carry our collective emotions, stories, and beliefs across time and culture.

This opportunity invites artists to explore the mysterious, poetic, and deeply human connection between meaning and image—through myth and memory, nature and dreams, emotion and identity. Reveal your own language of signs, your personal emblems, and the symbols that move your soul.

Be part of a global dialogue beyond words and let your art speak the universal language of humanity. 

Submission is free; a small fee applies to selected artists only.

Visit last year's exhibition at: https://www.gallerium.art/signs-and-symbols-2025 

Convey your artistic expression in the universal language of signs and symbols

What do you see when you look beyond the ordinary?
A world filled with powerful signs and profound symbols that speak directly to the soul.

Gallerium proudly presents Signs and Symbols 2026, the 3rd Annual Juried Exhibition, Publication, and Sales Opportunity, inviting artists worldwide to explore the timeless, mysterious, and deeply human language of signs and symbols—those silent messengers that connect us beyond words, cultures, and time.

From ancient cave drawings to modern emojis, signs and symbols have always been how humanity tells its stories, preserves its wisdom, and expresses its collective dreams. They are not merely shapes or gestures—they are the visual heartbeat of civilization.

Now, it’s your turn to speak this universal language through your art.

Why Signs and Symbols Matter

In a noisy world filled with fleeting moments and endless distractions, signs and symbols offer stillness, reflection, and meaning.
They carry the power to awaken memories, challenge beliefs, and ignite emotions without uttering a single word.

Through your art, you can transform a symbol into a voice of understanding, hope, or defiance—bridging distances between people and ideas that words often fail to cross.

As Carl Jung wrote, “Signs are the gestures of the spirit, symbols are the language of the soul.”
When artists embrace both, they reveal what lies unseen: the collective consciousness of humanity.

Participating in Signs and Symbols 2026 is not only an opportunity to showcase your art but also to join a greater dialogue—a dialogue that connects personal experience with universal meaning.

Where Signs and Symbols Meet

Signs are the storytellers of clarity. They point, instruct, declare.
A red octagon tells us to “STOP.” A rising sun says, “begin again.”
Symbols, on the other hand, invite us to feel.
They are layered with memory and mystery—a dove that carries peace, a mask that hides truth, a labyrinth that mirrors life’s journey.

Through your art, you may weave these two forces together:
The sign that directs, and the symbol that reveals.
Together, they form the language of the human spirit.

Themes and Topics to Explore

The world of signs and symbols is infinite—and so are the ways artists can interpret it.
Here are some inspiring directions to spark your creativity:

Cultural and Spiritual Symbols – Explore ancient myths, folklore, rituals, or sacred emblems that define identity and belief.

Personal Narratives – Visualize your own symbols of love, loss, transformation, or rebirth—those private languages that only your heart knows.

Nature’s Messages – Depict the moon as a symbol of cycles, trees as wisdom, oceans as emotion, or animals as spiritual messengers.

Universal Signs – Hearts, spirals, circles, triangles, celestial bodies—create from shapes that have spoken to humanity for centuries.

Abstract Symbolism – Let colors, patterns, and textures form their own coded language that stirs emotion beyond definition.

Social and Political Symbols – Reflect on signs of power, resistance, and freedom—flags, barriers, icons of protest or unity.

Technological and Contemporary Signs – Reimagine digital icons, emojis, codes, or machine languages as mirrors of our modern identity.

Mystical and Esoteric Codes – Explore alchemy, astrology, geometry, numerology, or ancient runes as symbolic expressions of hidden knowledge.

Emotional Emblems – Paint the invisible: the signs of hope, despair, courage, love, and truth that shape our inner worlds.

Dream and Subconscious Symbols – Capture the surreal and intuitive imagery that emerges from dreams and imagination.

Every line, every shape, every color can become a symbol.
Every symbol can become a story.
And every story can change how we see the world.

Why Participate?

Signs and Symbols 2026 is more than an opportunity—it’s a celebration of artistic meaning and human connection.
By submitting, you become part of a collective effort to preserve and expand the visual language of our time.

Your art will not only be seen; it will speak, connect, and inspire.

Be part of something extraordinary.

Let your art be the bridge between the seen and the unseen.
Let your symbols tell stories that words cannot.
And let your voice become part of this powerful visual dialogue that unites humanity.

Visit last year’s exhibition for inspiration:

https://www.gallerium.art/signsandsymbols-2025 

Explore more of our exhibitions that have attracted more than 4 million art enthusiasts worldwide at:

https://www.gallerium.art/exhibitions

Submit your work today and let your artistic journey shine in Signs and Symbols 2026.

An Exclusive Triple Art Opportunity

Selected artworks will receive global exposure and career-boosting opportunities, including:

Exhibition by Gallerium – Your art will be showcased in an exclusive international online exhibition, reaching art lovers, collectors, and curators worldwide.

Publication – All jury-selected artworks will be published in the official catalog. A selection of featured works will have a chance to get published in The Book of Arts, extending your art’s legacy.

Sales and Global Promotion – Your work will be featured on ARTSY, the largest global art collector platform, giving your art greater visibility and opportunities for sales.

But beyond recognition and reach, this is a chance to create something that lasts—art that transcends the now.

Who Can Apply?

Open to all artists worldwide – Any age, background, or career stage
All 2D & 3D mediums accepted – Painting, drawing, digital, mixed media, sculpture, installation, fiber art, photography, and more.
All styles welcome – Abstract, conceptual, figurative, contemporary, modern, surrealism, minimalism, and beyond.

Free Submission – Only selected artists will be required to pay a small fixed selection fee to participate.

View last year's exhibition: https://www.gallerium.art/signs-and-symbols-2025 

Explore Gallerium’s past exhibitions that have engaged over 4 million art lovers worldwide: https://www.gallerium.art/exhibitions 

Sometimes, all it takes is one piece of art to open someone’s heart.
Yours could be that piece.

AWARDS

■ International Exhibition
Selected artworks will be part of an exclusive two-month global online exhibition, running from May 9 to July 9, 2026. 

■ Artsy.net Global Marketplace Shop
Selected works will be showcased and featured on ARTSY, one of the leading platforms for art collectors worldwide, broadening exposure and enhancing sales opportunities for artists.

■ Publication Feature
A subset of the selected artworks may be chosen to be highlighted in The Book of Arts Publication. The book will be available in both digital and premium print editions, featuring vivid, colorful A4 pages. It will reach a wide audience, including art experts, galleries, curators, businesses, and collectors, through prominent publication networks.

■ Artwork Promotion and Sales
All exhibited works will be available for viewing through the online showcase, with the option to sell. Artists are welcome to participate, whether or not their works are listed for sale or sold.

■ Curated Reviews
Selected artists will have the opportunity to receive professionally curated reviews, designed to enhance their artistic profile and broaden their impact.

■ Focused Interviews
A group of selected artists will be invited to participate in personalized interviews that strengthen their exhibition presence and deepen their connection with the global audience.

■ Audience Feedback
A select number of participating artists will be chosen to receive this award, which features curated and insightful feedback about their artworks, gathered through audience surveys and direct engagement with a trusted network of art enthusiasts. These reflections reveal how the artwork resonates with viewers, offering meaningful perspectives that enhance visibility, connection, and artistic growth.

■ Exhibition Collection Catalogue
All exhibited artists will be featured in the catalogue. Artists can request printed copies via print-on-demand services from a partner platform, and the catalogue will be promoted internationally online, reaching art lovers, galleries, curators, and collectors.

■ Honorable Mention Artist Award
Up to 10 outstanding artists will receive a personalized, distinguished artist award digital certificate, recognizing their exceptional skill, originality, and artistic contribution. This honor will also be featured across our social media channels, spotlighting these remarkable talents.

■ Permanent Online Presence
Exhibition links, along with artist profiles, will stay active permanently, enhancing online visibility and boosting search engine presence. After the exhibition concludes, the Buy button will be deactivated, but artist pages will continue to promote the artist's work and achievements.

■ Exhibition Poster
Each artist will receive a downloadable exhibition poster in various styles, providing a meaningful keepsake from the event.

■ Artwork Visibility Badges
Artists will be provided with a downloadable promotional badge for each selected artwork, encouraging them to share their participation on social media, boosting their visibility and audience engagement.

■ Visitor Comments
All exhibition visitors can submit their comments and ratings of the exhibition and each artwork online. These opinions and ratings can provide valuable insights about the audience's feelings and understanding of the artworks. Artists will be notified about the received comments by email.

■ Promotion Campaign
A comprehensive promotional campaign will be launched to enhance exposure for all selected artists and drive artwork sales during the exhibition. This will include press releases, catalogue distribution, social media promotions, and more.

■ Performance Insights and Reports
Artists will receive detailed reports with insights on exhibition visits, artwork engagement, popularity, and sales performance. These analytics will be sent periodically, helping artists understand their impact and audience reach.

■ Professional Artist Profile 
Each artist will be granted a complimentary profile page on the Biafarin platform, offering a professional space to showcase their portfolio, biography, and accomplishments.

■ Certificate for Exhibited Artists
All selected artists will receive a Digital Certificate of participation, acknowledging their contribution to the exhibition.

FEES

Submission: FREE

Only jury-selected artists will pay a selection fee of USD 40

An early bird selection fee with a 15% discount (USD 34) will be offered.

Up to 6 artworks can be submitted.

A maximum of two artworks will be selected per artist.

Jury Process

We use two phases for jurying. The first phase of jurying is the Yes/No selection, and the 2nd part is the scoring model. For scoring, each jury member scores artworks from 1 to 10. Artworks with the highest scores in the "Yes" group will be selected.

Why Selection Fee?

Submission to this art opportunity is free of charge, and we only ask the selected artists to pay a small fixed fee to proceed. 

This decision was made in good faith because we wanted artists to only pay when selected. We have a thorough jury process as our art opportunities are popular and have a low acceptance rate.

Money-back Guarantee

A money-back guarantee is available for all selection fee payments until the exhibition's official opening day.

About Gallerium

Gallerium art exhibitions are intended to create equal showcasing opportunities for brilliant visual artists worldwide.

Art improves people's lives, and showcasing art is a true and effective way of playing a part in building a better world. In this way, Gallerium utilizes the Biafarin exhibition platform to boost the benefits of the exhibitions. It is always free to submit your art in Gallerium competitions, while only selected artists need to pay a small selection fee.

Each one of Gallerium's shows focuses on a unique subject.

International artists are encouraged to express their artistic interpretation of the subject for an opportunity to be selected for exhibition.

Gallerium exhibitions have been seen by more than 4 million visitors worldwide.

About The Book of Arts

The Book of Arts is a series of contemporary art books published by Discover the Artist Media Holding and Art Publications Network. The mission is to publish prominent art from artists of various cultures and nationalities via several editions each year. Each edition focuses on a specific subject to make a visual story of modern and contemporary art in the art world.

The publications are available to hundreds of thousands of art experts, collectors, galleries, museums, curators, and enthusiasts in digital and print format and reach readers in over 150 countries.

The online version of the book will be published and circulated globally, while the high-quality hardcopy version can be ordered online and directly via a print-on-demand platform.

ARTIST DATA

Artist Headshot Photo
Artist Full Name
City and Country of Residence
Phone
Email
Social Media Links (optional)
Website (optional)

Biography 

Artist Statement (optional)

ARTWORK DATA

Title

Category

Technique

Surface

Creation Year

Size (WidthXHeightXDepth) in cm or inches

Artwork/Series Description (Optional)

Price in USD

ARTIST ELIGIBILITY

This opportunity is open to all visual artists worldwide.

ARTWORK ELIGIBILITY

Art Categories

The submission is open to all visual artists creating original artworks in 2 and 3-dimensional media.

Visual Arts Categories: Painting, drawing, landscapes, printmaking, illustration, photography, digital arts, sculpture, metalsmithing, installation, crafts, jewelry, glass art, ceramic art, paper art, book art, land art, fiber art, textile art, wood art, collage, abstract, graphic arts, design, and mixed media are accepted.

Style
All styles are accepted.

Any abstract or representational interpretations of the subject are welcome.

Size
There is no size limit for submitted artwork.

Duration
There is no limit to the artwork creation year.
Artworks created within the last 5 years are preferred.

Originality and Rights
Artworks must be entirely the work of the entrant, executed without the supervision of an instructor.

Entries must not be copies or derivatives based in any way on other copyrighted or published paintings, photographs, or other artistic work. Any infraction of this rule will result in serious consequences.
Artists should have all the rights to present and publish their artworks internationally.

Artwork Photo

Only the artwork should show in the photo (no frames or extraneous backgrounds).

Invited artists might be asked for high-resolution artwork photos if needed.

Availability

Artists can submit artworks that are not for sale.

Number of Artworks

Artists can submit up to 6 pieces of original artwork in relation to the subject.

The artworks are subject to selection, and a maximum of two artworks might be selected from the chosen artists.

Other

Artworks that, in the reasonable view of the organizer, include porn, violence, and/or racial, and religious hatred, inappropriate and/or offensive content, are not admissible.