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. 
 

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Northeast

Northeast Competition

CT, DE, MA, ME, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, VT
Competition Status:
OPEN: This competition is currently accepting entries

Juror: , Art Patron, Collector and Philanthropist

Deadline:
August 31, 2025

Accepting
submissions now

Apply

MFA Annual

MFA Annual Competition

All graduates current MFA candidates 2023-2025
Competition Status:
CLOSED: This competition will open mid-September, 2025

Juror: TBD

Deadline:
October 31, 2025

South

South Competition

AL, AR, DC, FL, GA, KY, LA, MD, MS, NC, SC, TN, VA, WV
Competition Status:
CLOSED: competition will open in September, 2025

Juror: , Regenia A. Perry Assistant Curator of Global Contemporary Art, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

Deadline:
January 12, 2025

Midwest

Midwest Competition

IL, IN, IA, MI, MN, MO, OH, WI
Competition Status:
CLOSED: 2026 competition will open in November, 2025

Juror: TBD

Deadline:
March 9, 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: , Vicki and Kent Logan Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, Denver Art Museum, Denver, CO

Deadline:
May 9, 2025

Pacific Coast

Pacific Coast Competition

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

Juror: , Owner, Half Gallery, New York, NY

Deadline:
July 7, 2025