Artist Alliance Juried Critique, October 20

Artist Alliance members are invited to submit their artwork to be considered for a public critique session at Oceanside Museum of Art (OMA).

Artist Alliance members are invited to submit their artwork to be considered for a public critique session at Oceanside Museum of Art (OMA). This in-depth and constructive critique is aimed at artists looking to take their practice to the next level. 

Artists are invited to submit 3-5 works for consideration along with their professional portfolio website or social media account. Ultimately up to eight artists, one artwork per artist, will be selected for the critique by three leaders in the contemporary art field. These three jurors will also run the in-person session on October 20.

Not sure about submitting, but still want to be part of the fun?

Register here to attend. Art lovers and artists curious about the process of a professional critique are encouraged to attend the session for free as observers. The critique will be followed by a moderated audience Q&A session. Audience members will learn just as much from the feedback given by the professional jurors as those who were selected for the critique. Artists selected for the critique will receive special registration information after selections are announced.

In addition to this Juried Critique, artists may also be interested in participating in the four free Artist Alliance Quarterly Critiques in 2026 February 17, May 26, August 25, and November 17. 

SUBMISSION FEE: $15 to submit minimum three (3) entries, maxiumum ten (5) entries

Scholarships are available, please contact katie@oma-online.org if you would like to be considered for a scholarship.

Thank you for being a part of OMA. Your submission fees (less CAfÉ listing fees) and membership dues go toward supporting the museum’s exhibitions and educational programming.

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TIMELINE:

• Deadline to submit: Monday, August 31, 2026, 10:59PM Pacific Standard Time (PST) 
• Notifications of selected artworks: On or before Friday, September 18, 2026
• Critique session at OMA: Tuesday, October 20, 2026 6:00–9:00pm
  • Selected artists must be able to attend the critique session

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All technical submission issues will be handled by CaFÉ technical support. Contact them here. 

Find answers to most common technical questions on the Help page. 

CaFÉ is an all-in-one artist submission platform designed for the arts field that is not owned by or affiliated with Oceanside Museum of Art.

Contact katie@oma-online.org with questions about this artwork submission opportunity after carefully reading the prospectus in full.

Parameters

• All work chosen MUST be able to be presented at the critique ready for display – e.g. canvases should be stretched and photos or drawings should be framed
• Artwork may be in any media or style - 3D, 2D, or video
• A maximum of eight artists will be selected
• A maximum of one artwork per artist will be selected
• Artist statement required
• Portfolio website or social media required
• CV required

Size

• No larger than 84" in any direction. The artist must be able to transport the artwork to the museum the night of the critique
• OMA will provide standard presentation easels to present 2-dimensional artworks
• Pedestals and platforms are available for 3-dimensional artworks
• Artwork cannot be installed on the gallery walls the night of the event. Unframed artworks on paper, unstretched canvases, or otherwise non-rigid works cannot be displayed. Materials must be able to self support on an easel or pedestal (ie be framed or stretched). Please reach out if you have any questions.

Artists must be a current OMA member with the Artist Alliance affiliate membership add-on. Artists who are not members of the OMA with the Artist Alliance add-on but are interested in participating in this exhibition must become members of OMA at any level and add Artist Alliance before submitting artwork for consideration.

OMA Artist Alliance can be joined by one of the following methods: 

• Online: Visit oma-online.org/membership. Choose any level of membership and then add Artist Alliance
• By phone: Call the OMA membership center at (760) 435-3724
• In person: Visit Oceanside Museum of Art at 704 Pier View Way, Oceanside CA (please check www.oma-online.org for public hours)

All active OMA Artist Alliance members are eligible to submit to the open call, irrespective of any affiliation with the museum. This includes OMA staff, volunteers, and board members. Please note that Museum staff and members of the board are not eligible to receive awards, if and when awards are a part of the submission opportunity (awards are not offered for the Juried Critique).