2026 Great Northern Art Explosion

2026 Great Northern Art Explosion – Call for Entries
AuSable Artisan Village, 122 Michigan Ave., Grayling, Michigan 49738

Contact Email: graylingarts@gmail.com
Call Type: Exhibitions
Eligibility: International
State: Michigan
Entry Deadline: 7/19/2026

REQUIREMENTS:
Media
Images - Minimum: 1 Image, Maximum: 3 Images per entry.
Entry Fee: $40.00

AuSable Artisan Village is proud to present the annual international art exhibition 2026 Great Northern Art Explosion. Offering $8,000 in Awards. The 2026 juried show will be held at AuSable Artisan Village Performing Arts Center in downtown Grayling. 122 Michigan Avenue, Grayling, MI.

2026 Great Northern Art Explosion – Call for Entries
AuSable Artisan Village, 122 Michigan Ave., Grayling, Michigan 49738

Contact Email: graylingarts@gmail.com
Call Type: Exhibitions
Eligibility: International
State: Michigan
Entry Deadline: 7/19/2026

REQUIREMENTS:
Media
Images - Minimum: 1 Image, Maximum: 3 Images per entry. (images count as submissions, only 1 submission will be accepted per artist for the exhibition).
Entry Fee: $40.00

AuSable Artisan Village is proud to present the annual international art exhibition 2026 Great Northern Art Explosion. Offering $8,000 in Awards. The 2026 juried show will be held at AuSable Artisan Village Performing Arts Center in downtown Grayling. We are seeking artworks from artists in all styles and mediums, with no specific theme.

The show will run from the opening reception on August 21, 2026, through the award ceremony on September 6, 2026. The deadline for submission is July 19, 2026, midnight Eastern Daylight Time.  

Juror: A professional juror will review artwork for inclusion in the exhibit based upon technical skill, creativity, composition, and/or other requirements; such as, criteria established in the prospectus or selection of a body of work that will constitute a cohesive group of artwork. The juror will review all artworks in the exhibit and will be evaluated to determine which ones shall receive special recognition by ranking higher than the others.

Juror Awards

Grand Prize Award $2,500
Second Place Award $1,000
Third Place Award $500

People's Choice Awards
Grand Prize Award $2,500
Second Place Award $1,000
Third Place Award $500

No artwork will receive more than one award. If a piece of artwork is initially selected for more than one award, it will be granted the highest dollar award and the remaining award(s) will be reassigned. 

Eligibility
Open to all artists 18 years or older. 
All artwork must be original in concept and execution. 
Artists in all media are encouraged to apply. Oils, Acrylic, Watercolor, Photography, Mixed Media, Ceramics, Wood, Metal, Jewelry, Sculpture, Fabric etc.                                                                                         

DUE TO LIMITATIONS OF EXHIBIT SPACE, the maximum size is 48 inches in width and 108” in height. Work must have been completed in the last two years and not previously shown in any GREAT NORTHERN ART EXPLOSION exhibit.

Entries
One to three image submissions may be submitted with each entry.
A non-refundable Entry Fee of $40 must accompany your submission.

Shipping/Delivery

Artists may ship their work upon receipt of acceptance. If an artist ships their work, the artist is responsible for all costs associated with shipping. AuSable Artisan Village is not responsible for items damaged or lost in shipping, or delivery to the wrong address, whether it is from the artist to Artisan Village, or from Artisan Village back to the artist.  The artist is responsible for insuring their work for damages and/or replacement cost. All shipped artwork must be delivered no later than August 17th 2026.

Artists are responsible for the transport of their works to the exhibition space between 10:00am and 5:00pm from Friday, August 14 through Monday, August 17, 2026. 

Full Exhibit Calendar
Submission Deadline: July 19, 2026, midnight
Notification of Acceptance:  July 31, 2026
In Person Drop off of Artwork: August 14, through August 17, during open hours from 10 am to 5 pm unless otherwise arranged.
Shipped artwork: Must arrive no later than August 17, 2026 
Exhibit Opens: Opening Reception Friday, August 21 6:00pm.
Awards Ceremony: Sunday, September 6, at 2:00pm.

Exhibit Closes to People’s Choice voting: Saturday, September 5, 2026 at 5 pm.

Pickup Artwork: Following the award ceremony September 6, through September 13. 2026 during normal business hours.

If an artist does not pick up their work at the end of the Exhibition, or provide a return shipping label by the date noted above, the artist grants the Organizer the right to remove, store, or discard the work in any way seen fit by the Organizer.

Media
Image Submissions - Images - Minimum: 1 Image, Maximum: 3 Images per entry. (images count as submissions, only 1 submission will be accepted per artist for the exhibition).
Entry Fee: $40.00

AuSable Artisan Village is proud to present the annual international art exhibition 2026 Great Northern Art Explosion. Offering $8,000 in Awards. The 2026 juried show will be held at AuSable Artisan Village Performing Arts Center in downtown Grayling. We are seeking artworks from artists in all styles and mediums, with no specific theme.

Entries
One to three images may be submitted with each entry
A non-refundable Entry Fee must accompany your submission: $40 per entry.

Eligibility
Open to all artists 18 years or older. 
All artwork must be original in concept and execution. 
Artists in all media are encouraged to apply. Oils, Acrylic, Watercolor, Photography, Mixed Media, Ceramics, Wood, Metal, Jewelry, Sculpture, Fabric, etc.                                                                                         

DUE TO LIMITATIONS OF EXHIBIT SPACE, the maximum size is 48" in width and 108” in height. 
Work must have been completed in the last two years and not previously shown in any GREAT NORTHERN ART EXPLOSION exhibit.

Eligibility
Open to all artists Eighteen (18) years or older. 
 

All artwork must be original in concept and execution. 

Artists in all media are encouraged to apply including, but is not limited to: Oils, Acrylic, Watercolor, Photography, Mixed Media, Ceramics, Wood, Metal, Jewelry, Sculpture, Fabric, etc.                                                                                         

DUE TO LIMITATIONS OF EXHIBIT SPACE, the maximum size is 48"in width and 108” in height. 
Work must have been completed in the last two years and not previously shown in any GREAT NORTHERN ART EXPLOSION exhibit.