Competitions
Size Doesn't Matter
Hermosa Beach, California
Entry Fee: $30
Additional Media Fee: $10
Contact Information
Requirement Overview
Location Eligibility Type: Unspecified
Eligible Applicant Types: Artist
Submission Limit: 1
Media Requirements
Images | Min: 1, Max: 10
Audio | Min: 0, Max: 10
Video | Min: 0, Max: 10
Total | Min: 1, Max: 10
Opportunity Summary
SIZE DOESN’T MATTER
Big Ideas. Tiny scale.
Shockboxx Gallery invites artists to submit work for our upcoming Mini Art Show, an exhibition dedicated to artwork measuring no larger than 12” x 12”.
Yes. Twelve inches. We measured.
Small does not mean polite. Small does not mean precious.
This is a celebration of concentrated chaos, distilled brilliance, and ideas that punch above their weight.
We’re looking for work that whispers… and then bites.
Work that looks manageable — until it isn’t.
Prove that impact has nothing to do with square inches.
General Information
SIZE DOESN’T MATTER
Big Ideas. Tiny scale.
Shockboxx Gallery invites artists to submit work for our upcoming Mini Art Show, an exhibition dedicated to artwork measuring no larger than 12” x 12”.
Yes. Twelve inches. We measured.
Small does not mean polite. Small does not mean precious.
This is a celebration of concentrated chaos, distilled brilliance, and ideas that punch above their weight.
We’re looking for work that whispers… and then bites.
Work that looks manageable — until it isn’t.
Prove that impact has nothing to do with square footage.
THE CONCEPT
Limitations can be liberating. Think of this as creative compression.
An 12” x 12” boundary is not a limitation, it’s a dare.
Edit harder. Cut deeper. Say it sharper.
No sprawling canvases to hide in. No excess. No filler. Just intention.
We want artists to squeeze narrative, tension, humor, protest, seduction, absurdity, beauty, or menace into a space small enough to hold in your hands. Work that holds power disproportionate to its size.
Intimate? Good.
Unsettling? Better.
Tiny pieces.
Unreasonable presence.
WHY SMALL?
Because scale is psychological.
Because intimacy can be confrontational.
Because constraint sharpens teeth.
Because sometimes the smallest objects cause the most disruption.
Create something that fits within 8 inches —
and refuses to stay there.
SPECIAL FEATURE
Debut of the Not Shockboxx MiniBoxx
This exhibition will introduce the Not Shockboxx MiniBoxx, our new mobile micro-gallery with a roaming habit.
Small art deserves big adventures.
The MiniBoxx will travel throughout our local community, popping up in businesses and unexpected spaces, inserting contemporary art where people least expect it (and perhaps most need it).
Select works from this exhibition will be chosen to go on tour.
Compact. Portable. Slightly dangerous. This is art that fits anywhere — and refuses to be ignored.
If your piece behaves badly in public, we might just take it with us.
Application Requirements
Submit up to 10 pieces for consideration.
Each submission must include:
- Title, medium, dimensions, year completed
- High-resolution images (JPEG, PNG, or PDF)
- Short artist statement (100–200 words) explaining how the work fits the theme
Submission fee: $30 (plus $10 for each additional image)
Eligibility Criteria
- Open to all artists regardless of location, identity, or background.
- All 2D, 3D, mixed media, photography, textiles and digital works accepted.
- Size limit: 12in x 12in
- All work must be original and available for display during the full run of the exhibit.
- We especially encourage submissions from queer artists, artists of color, and artists with different abilities.
Terms to Apply
Entry Fee: $30
Additional Media Fee: $10