Competitions

We sponsor six juried competitions per year. The forty winners of each competition receive a four-page, full-color spread in New American Paintings. Five of the annual competitions focus on geographic regions (Northeast, South, Midwest, West and Pacific Coast), and the sixth is only open to current Masters of Fine Arts candidates who are attending schools based in the United States, and current year graduates.

Eligibility: Our competitions are open to all artists working within the United States. We define the activity of painting broadly, and all styles and media are welcome, as long as the work is singular. There are no educational requirements to apply to our regional competitions, only the MFA competition. Artists applying to the MFA competition may also apply to their respective regional competition in the same calendar year. Regional competitions open 60 days prior to the deadline.

 

Why apply? Meaningful exposureNew American Paintings has a targeted readership of more than ten thousand art collectors, art world professionals and art ethusiasts who have a deep interest in contemporaary painting and discovering new artists. 
 

Sign up to receive future competition announcements

Artist FAQs (Image Requirements)

MFA Annual

MFA Annual Competition

DEADLINE EXTENDED: Current Candidates and Graduates from 2022 - 2024
Competition Status:
OPEN: This competition is currently accepting entries

Juror: , Curatorial Assistant, The Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY

Deadline:
November 10, 2024

Accepting
submissions now

Apply

South

South Competition

AL, AR, DC, FL, GA, KY, LA, MD, MS, NC, SC, TN, VA, WV
Competition Status:
OPEN: This competition is currently accepting entries

Juror: TBD

Deadline:
December 31, 2024

Accepting
submissions now

Apply

Midwest

Midwest Competition

IL, IN, IA, MI, MN, MO, OH, WI
Competition Status:
CLOSED: 2025 competition will open in November, 2024

Juror: TBD

Deadline:
February 28, 2025

West

West Competition

AZ, CO, ID, MT, NE, NV, KS, ND, NM, OK, SD, TX, UT, WY
Competition Status:
CLOSED: This competition is currently under review.

Juror: , Associate Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Houston, TX

Deadline:
May 6, 2024

Pacific Coast

Pacific Coast Competition

CA, OR, WA, AK, HI
Competition Status:
CLOSED: This competition is currently under review.

Juror: , Senior Art Critic, New York Magazine

Deadline:
July 8, 2024

Northeast

Northeast Competition

CT, DE, MA, ME, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, VT
Competition Status:
CLOSED: This competition is currently under review

Juror: , Associate Curator, Whitney Museum of American Art

Deadline:
September 10, 2024