Calls for Artists

See CafÉ listing for full submission details and form

Crooked Tree Arts Center - Petoskey is accepting submissions for the juried art exhibition In Motion: Making Art Dance, juried by Peter Sparling, former principal dancer with the Martha Graham Dance Company, painter and videographer. Submissions may relate to this theme broadly and in many ways.

Juror’s Description

If, as J.F. Martel claims in his book, “Reclaiming Art in the Age of Artifice,” “Art invented humanity,” then I’d propose that movement invented art. The vitality of bodies in motion inspired artmaking from the earliest cave paintings to the most recent digital forays into CGI, AI and screendance. Martha Graham, one of the previous century’s most avid surveyors of human form and the stories that reside in what she referred to as the body’s “blood memory,” often told the story of her father, a doctor, admonishing her as a child: “Martha! Movement never lies.” So how do artists in the 21st century translate this vitality into painting, sculpture or film? How do they speak truths or create metaphors in their media such that the works do more than merely illustrate a dancing body; they perform their own authentic dance and emanate a vital presence?

In Motion: Making Art Dance seeks works that address these questions in terms of their own medium: 2-D, 3-D, or video. The exhibit will be part of a celebration by Crooked Tree Arts Center - Petoskey of the Martha Graham Dance Company’s 100th anniversary as America’s oldest active dance company. Occupying a gallery alongside a significant collection of photographs by the great American photographer of danced motion, Barbara Morgan, on loan from the Rochester Institute of Technology, the call invites both dancers who make art and artists who make their works dance to submit examples of their art.

Deadline: March 30, 2026 at 11:59 PM

General Information

The exhibition will run from May 22-September 5, 2026, in the Gilbert Gallery, at the Crooked Tree Arts Center, in Petoskey, Michigan.

Three cash prizes will be awarded: First Place award of $500, Second Place award of $300, and Third Place award of $200.

Applicant Calendar (2026)

• February 5 to March 30: Call and submission window are open
• March 30: Call and submission window close (midnight EST)
• March 31 - April 6: Jury window
• April 8: Notification of jury results sent (emailed)
• May 5 – May 9: Delivery of works
• May 9: Deadline for the arrival of works during posted gallery hours (or by special, prior, mutual arrangement)
• May 20-21: Awards selected
• May 21: Vernissage Preview/awards announced
• May 22 – Sept 5: Open to the public, Tuesday through Friday, 10 am-5 pm, Saturday 10 am-4 pm
• May 23: Public Reception
• Sept 5: Exhibition concludes
• Sept 8 – Sept 11: Pick up work from CTAC during posted gallery hours, (or by special, prior, mutual arrangement) and return shipping

Eligibility Criteria

Artists residing in the Great Lakes Region (Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and the Canadian province of Ontario), who are at least 18 years old, are invited to submit up to 3 original works to In Motion: Making Art Dance, juried by Peter Sparling.

Crooked Tree Arts Center – Traverse City invites Michigan artists to submit work for 350, a juried exhibition.

Imagining the World in 2126

As communities across the country reflect on America’s 250th anniversary, 350 invites artists to look forward instead of back — to imagine the world one hundred years from now. What might life look like in 2126? Not only in a literal or technological sense, but through the lens of human experience, culture, environment, identity, and the ways we live, connect, and create.

Dart for Art is Crooked Tree Arts Center’s signature summer fundraiser, bringing together artists, collectors, and community members for a two-night celebration of original artwork. During Preview Night, guests view the exhibition and vote on award-winning pieces, and on Dart Night, ticketed participants “dart” to randomly select and take home a work of art. All donated artwork is exhibited, eligible for cash prizes, and becomes part of an energetic, collector-driven experience that connects artists with new audiences.

If you are interested in donating artwork to Dart for Art, complete this form for submission by Tuesday, June 2. Artwork, images, and catalog information must be received by June 2nd to be eligible for prizes. No exceptions.

We kindly request that artwork have a minimum value of $250 and a maximum dimension of 36” in any single dimension (including frame). Works composed of multiple canvases or panels will not be accepted and most elements of the piece need to be attached. Oversized works may be considered on a case-by-case basis; please contact alissa@crookedtree.org for exceptions. Works cannot be returned to the artist. All donated items become the property of CTAC and will be used in fundraising efforts. Submissions are limited to two (2) works per artist.

CONTAINER: A Call for Art
Crooked Tree Arts Center invites artists to explore the concept of the CONTAINER — both as a physical form and as a metaphor. From functional pottery and sculptural containers to symbolic interpretations in two-dimensional work, CONTAINER examines the many ways we hold, carry, and contain meaning.
Artists are encouraged to submit three-dimensional vessels and container-based works, and/or two dimensional pieces that exemplify the concept, while also exploring how the idea of a container can extend beyond form. A container may represent the body, memory, identity, culture, landscape, or spirit. It may hold objects, stories, emotions, or energy. It may suggest protection, preservation, fragility, or transformation.
This exhibition welcomes a broad interpretation of “container” inviting artists to consider themes of containment and release, interior and exterior, fullness and emptiness, function and symbolism. Works may be literal or abstract, traditional or experimental, intimate or monumental.
All mediums are welcome, including but not limited to ceramics, glass, fiber, metal, wood, painting, drawing, photography, and mixed media. Artists of all career stages are encouraged to apply.

Apply Here

Call for Art: Cherry State of Mind
Open to Michigan Artists

Traverse City is known around the world as Cherry Country, and in 2026 the community celebrates the 100th anniversary of the beloved National Cherry Festival. This open call exhibition invites artists to explore the many ways cherries shape the identity, culture, and landscape of Northern Michigan and everywhere cherries are grown or enjoyed.

From orchard rows and spring blossoms to the rich reds of harvest, artists are encouraged to interpret the cherry in all its forms. Submissions may reflect the agricultural beauty of cherry orchards, the traditions of harvest season, the industry and labor behind the fruit, or the playful and nostalgic imagery cherries inspire—from pie and preserves to festival celebrations and iconic cherry red.

Artists may also explore cherries symbolically: as markers of place, memory, tradition, abundance, or transformation—from blossom to fruit to pit.

All mediums are welcome, including painting, photography, ceramics, fiber, glass, sculpture, printmaking, and mixed media. Artists are invited to interpret the theme broadly, celebrating both the visual beauty and cultural significance of cherries in Northern Michigan and beyond.

Apply Here