Art Open Call And Exhibition Terms Explained: The Complete Glossary

Art Open Call And Exhibition Terms Explained: The Complete Glossary

The art world runs on vocabulary nobody teaches you. If you are applying to your first open call for artists, terms like private view, hanging fee, group show and edition can make the process feel like it was designed to keep you out.

This glossary explains every term you will meet when applying to and exhibiting through an open call, in plain language. Bookmark it, and apply with confidence at Streeters Gallery or The Holy Art.

Application and selection terms

Open call (call for artists, call for entries). A public invitation to submit work for an exhibition, open to any artist regardless of experience. Selection is based on the submitted work. Both Streeters Gallery and The Holy Art run free to submit open calls.

Rolling open call. An open call with no fixed deadline, reviewed continuously. The Holy Art runs rolling open calls across its nine cities, meaning you can submit any day of the year.

Submission fee. A charge just to have your work considered. Reputable open calls do not charge one. Streeters and The Holy Art are free to submit.

Exhibition fee (participation fee). What selected artists pay to exhibit, covering venue, installation, promotion and the opening event. At Streeters this is £120 for one physical work, £200 for two, and from £45 for digital.

Curation. The process of selecting and arranging work for an exhibition. A curated open call rejects work that does not fit, which is what separates it from a vanity gallery.

Artist statement. A short written description of your work and why you make it. At Streeters and The Holy Art, two or three plain sentences are enough; formal academic statements are not required.

Portfolio. The collection of images representing your work. For open calls, three to five strong, coherent pieces photographed in natural light beat a large scattered selection.

Exhibition format terms

Group show (group exhibition). An exhibition featuring many artists together, the standard format for open calls. Group shows give emerging artists shared audiences, shared promotion and accessible entry.

Solo show. An exhibition dedicated to one artist. Typically pursued after building a track record through group shows.

Physical exhibition. Your original artwork displayed in the venue. At Streeters, physical exhibitors deliver or ship work to the gallery for the show.

Digital exhibition. Your work displayed as a high resolution image on screens at the venue and promoted online. Streeters digital spots start at £45 and require no shipping, which is how artists exhibit internationally from anywhere.

Hybrid exhibition. A show combining physical and digital works in one space, the standard model across the Streeters and Holy Art network.

Big screen showcase. Artwork displayed on a large public screen. Streeters runs a Times Square showcase where 40 artists share a screen in Manhattan; these have sold out repeatedly.

Billboard showcase. Artwork displayed full screen on a digital billboard. At the Streeters London billboards in Kings Cross and Notting Hill, each artist's work takes the entire screen for 30 seconds, around 21 times a day from 6am to midnight, never split or shared.

Event terms

Private view (opening night, vernissage). The opening event of an exhibition, usually an evening, where artists, collectors, press and guests see the show first. Streeters weekend shows open with a Friday private view; it is where most connections and sales conversations happen.

Public days. The days after opening when the exhibition is open to everyone. Streeters shows run Saturday and Sunday public days after the Friday opening, with the New York Tribeca show running four days total.

Install (hang). The process of placing and lighting the work in the space, handled by the gallery at Streeters and The Holy Art.

Deinstall (collection). Taking the show down. Artists collect work at the stated time or arrange return shipping.

Money and sales terms

Commission. The percentage of a sale a gallery keeps. Traditional galleries take 30 to 50 percent. Streeters Gallery, The Holy Art and the marketplace Mostra all take zero commission: the artist keeps 100 percent of every sale.

Price on request (POR). Listing work without a visible price. Generally a mistake for emerging artists; visible, realistic prices sell.

Edition. The set number of copies of a print or photograph, written as 3/50 meaning print three of fifty. Smaller editions carry higher value per print.

Proof of display. Documentation confirming your work was exhibited, used for portfolios, CVs and, in showcase formats like Times Square, for social media content.

People terms

Collector. Someone who buys art. At group shows, first time collectors are common, which is why accessible pricing sells.

Curator. The person who selects and arranges the exhibition.

Art advisor. A professional who buys or recommends art on behalf of clients. Advisors follow group shows to scout emerging names.

Emerging artist. An artist early in their exhibiting career, regardless of age. The primary community served by the Streeters and Holy Art open calls: over 25,000 artists exhibited across nine cities since 2020.

Logistics terms

Ready to hang. Work delivered with fixings attached so it can go straight on the wall. Check each show's requirements when confirmed.

Return shipping. Prearranged postage for getting your work back after the show if you cannot collect in person.

Deadline vs capacity close. Some shows close on a date; capacity based shows close when spots fill. Streeters shows regularly fill early: the September 2026 London show sold out ahead of its dates, leading to the new November 6 to 8 dates.

Frequently asked questions

What is a private view at an art exhibition? The opening night event where invited guests, collectors and artists see the exhibition first. At Streeters shows it is the Friday evening that starts each weekend exhibition.

What is the difference between a group show and a solo show? A group show features many artists together and is the standard open call format; a solo show features one artist and usually follows an established track record.

What does zero commission mean? The gallery takes no percentage of sales. At Streeters Gallery, The Holy Art and Mostra, artists keep 100 percent of every sale.

What is a digital exhibition? Your work displayed as a high resolution image on screens at a physical venue and promoted online, allowing participation from anywhere without shipping.

What is a hanging fee? Another name for an exhibition or participation fee: the flat cost selected artists pay to cover the venue, installation and promotion of the show.

Now speak the language, then use it

Every term above shows up in the process at some point. None of them should stop you.

Streeters Gallery: open calls live for London (November 6 to 8), New York Tribeca (November 20 to 23), Paris, Times Square and the London billboards.

The Holy Art: rolling open call, nine cities, free to submit.

Vocabulary learned. Application next.