Graphically Speaking: The Art of Comic Storytelling

Juror & Curator: Mike Marts and Steve Rotterdam
Deadline for submissions April 26, 2026, 11:59 PM:

Atlantic Gallery, located in the historic Landmark Arts Building in Chelsea, invites artists to submit work for the upcoming juried show, Graphically Speaking: The Art of Comic Storytelling

With less than a decade until the 100th anniversary of the publication of the very first comic book with original, non-reprinted content, Atlantic Gallery seeks to celebrate the art tradition and future of comic storytelling by inviting comic and graphic artists to submit works for consideration for inclusion in a juried exhibition, GRAPHICALLY SPEAKING.

Graphically Speaking: The Art of Comic Storytelling
June 23 - July 11, 2026
Juror & Curator: Mike Marts and Steve Rotterdam
 

Atlantic Gallery, located in the historic Landmark Arts Building in Chelsea, invites artists to submit work for the upcoming juried show, Graphically Speaking: The Art of Comic Storytelling

With less than a decade until the 100th anniversary of the publication of the very first comic book with original, non-reprinted content, Atlantic Gallery seeks to celebrate the art tradition and future of comic storytelling by inviting comic and graphic artists to submit works for consideration for inclusion in a juried exhibition, GRAPHICALLY SPEAKING.

Participation is also open to students enrolled in and/or graduated from accredited comic art schools and programs (e.g., SVA, Pratt Institute, Rhode Island School of Design, the Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art, and others).

Entrants are invited to submit covers, splash pages or sequentially paneled full pages (from single issues or original graphic novels). Submitted works must not infringe on existing copyrighted material or subjects unless the artist maintains the right to exhibit and sell their original artwork. Works potentially considered as pornographic and/or created with A.I. will not be considered. 
 

The Curator, comics publishing executive, Steve Rotterdam, will engage and collaborate with a respected comics and graphic novel editor, Mike Marts, as Juror and will award one artist a prize of a one-night spotlight and hosted discussion at the Atlantic Gallery at a future date. 

A PDF catalog of the exhibition will be provided to all accepted artists. A print version will also be available for purchase.

Work Requirements:

Artists are invited to submit artwork that illuminates the breadth of the concept of the GRAPHICALLY SPEAKING. Work may not exceed 30” in any direction and must be ready to hang. Cost of submission is $35 for three works and $10 for each additional work up to a total of five works. All work submitted must be for sale.

Important Dates:

May 10, 2026, 11:59 PM: Deadline for submissions
May 11 - May 18: Juror reviews submitted works
May 19 – May 23: Artist notifications sent out
June 16 – June 20, 12 – 6 PM: Works to be hand-delivered or shipped to the gallery
June 23 - July 11, 2026: Graphically Speaking: The Art of Comic Storytelling Exhibition
June 25, 2026, 6 – 8 PM: Graphically Speaking opening reception
July 11, 5 – 6 PM, 2026 and July 14 – 18, 12 – 6 PM: Hand-delivered work to be picked up; all artwork to be shipped back this week.

All shipped work MUST include a pre-paid return shipping label and artist must schedule a pickup with respective carrier.

Juror/Curator:

Mike Marts is a seasoned insider with over 35 years of experience in the comic book and entertainment business, currently serving as Executive Vice President and Editor-in-Chief of Mad Cave Studios. A veteran of both DC Comics and Marvel, he has edited some of the most critically acclaimed and highest-selling series of the last two decades, including the X-Men universe, Guardians of the Galaxy, Deadpool, and the Batman universe. Before joining Mad Cave, Mike founded and was Editor-in-Chief of AfterShock Comics.

Steve Rotterdam is an accomplished advertising and marketing professional with more than four decades of experience producing award-winning creative campaigns for iconic entertainment and pop culture brands including DC Comics, Disney Publishing, Warner Bros., Universal Studios, Marvel Comics, Paramount, Hasbro and more.

With deep connections to comics publishing and the community of artists, writers, retailers and advocates that defines the industry, he currently serves as Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing for AfterShock Comics, a leading independent publisher of creator-owned works.

For the past 15 years, Steve has also helmed Bonfire Agency, a marketing and communications consultancy that remains devoted to helping brands establish and deepen connections to consumers of comic culture. Prior to Bonfire, he served as Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing for DC Comics, one of the leading developers of comics-based print and digital content.

ENTRY INSTRUCTIONS:

Please be prepared to submit the following when applying: Name; Title of work; Year completed; Materials Used; Size in inches (H x W x D); Retail price.

Open to all US and international artists 18 years or older.

Hanging work, including any frame, may not exceed 30 inches in width and height. All hanging work must be wired or otherwise prepared and ready for hanging. Work that is not ready for installation will not be displayed.  

ENTRY FEE:
The fee is $35 for 3 works,  $10 for each additional work, up to 5 works total. Entry fees are non-refundable.

PAYMENT:
Via CaFÉ™/Call for Entry

Atlantic Gallery will take a 40% commission on any work sold. The gallery will reimburse the submission fee to any artist whose work sells.

HOW TO APPLY
: All applications must be processed through CaFÉ™/Call for Entry, callforentry.org, an industry-wide digital submission platform. With CaFÉ™, you need to register only once, and then can apply/upload images for dozens of Calls all over the world.

Terms of Entry:

All works must be for sale. 
Accepted work may be refused if it does not conform to the entered image. Absolutely NO substitutions of accepted works will be allowed. All accepted work must remain in the gallery for the duration of the exhibition.  
Submission to this juried exhibition constitutes an agreement on the part of the entrant to the conditions set forth in this prospectus. Atlantic Gallery reserves the right to final curatorial, educational, installation and marketing decisions. Entry fees are non-refundable.  Great care will be taken with all work, but artists are responsible for insuring their own pieces if they wish. Atlantic Gallery will not be responsible for any loss or damage to work while on the premises or in transit to or from the gallery. The payment of the entry fee will serve as your acceptance of the terms and conditions stated in this prospectus. Acceptance of a work of art to this exhibition shall be understood to constitute an agreement on the part of the artist to the terms and conditions stated in this prospectus.

About Atlantic Gallery

Atlantic Gallery is located in the Landmark Arts Building, half a block from the High Line, in Manhattan’s Chelsea gallery district. This historic building is home to more than two dozen art galleries. The Gallery may be accessed from either the building’s West 27th or West 28th Street entrances.

Atlantic Gallery represents a select group of artists, who jointly own and manage it. Rotating exhibitions feature the work of the Gallery’s member artists, as well as the work of other artists. Atlantic Gallery is committed to supporting creative autonomy and excellence. Its innovative programs create a forum where both participating artists and the public provide mutual challenge, support and inspiration.

Founded by painters and printmakers in 1974, Atlantic Gallery migrated from Brooklyn to SoHo in 1979 and to Chelsea in 2007, having added photographers and sculptors to its roster of artists. In 2012, the Gallery moved further west to its current location.

 

Work Requirements:

Artists are invited to submit artwork that illuminates the breadth of the concept of the GRAPHICALLY SPEAKING. Work may not exceed 30” in any direction and must be ready to hang. Cost of submission is $35 for three works and $10.00 for each additional work up to a total of five works. All work submitted must be for sale. 

ENTRY INSTRUCTIONS:

Please be prepared to submit the following when applying: Name; Title of work; Year completed; Materials Used; Size in inches (H x W x D); Retail price.

Open to all US and international artists 18 years or older.

Hanging work, including any frame, may not exceed 30 inches in width and height. All hanging work must be wired or otherwise prepared and ready for hanging. Work that is not ready for installation will not be displayed.  

ENTRY FEE:
$35 for three works and $10.00 for each additional work up to a total of five works.  

PAYMENT:
Via CaFÉ™/Call for Entry 

Atlantic Gallery will take a 40% commission on any work sold. 

HOW TO APPLY

All applications must be processed through CaFÉ́/Call for Entry, callforentry.org, an industry-wide digital submission platform. With CaFÉ́, you need to register only once, and then can apply/upload images for dozens of Calls all over the world.

LABELING IMAGES:

Max image size: 5 MB

Image Dimensions: 1200-1800 pixels on the largest side JPEG images MUST BE labeled as follows:
FILE LABEL FORMAT:
YOUR LAST Name_ FIRST Name_title of artwork_HxWxD.jpg For example:

smith_joe_ title of artwork_12x16x10.jpg

Eligibility Criteria

Open to all International and US artists 18 years or older.
 

Open to all International and US artists 18 years or older.