Submission Criteria

Artwork Dimensions

- Submitted artworks must not exceed 20 x 24 inches (50 x 60 cm), excluding the frame.

- Frames may not exceed 3 inches (7,6 cm) in width.

***Works exceeding these dimensions will be disqualified. No exceptions.
- Canvas paintings may be submitted unframed, but all edges must be painted.

- No fresh painting is accepted.
- Drawings, pastels, and watercolours must be properly framed to be eligible.

- All artworks must be ready for display upon arrival.

Hanging Requirements

- Every canvas, painting, and framed artwork must have a secure hanging wire installed on the back.

- The wire must be properly attached and strong enough to safely support the artwork.

- Artworks without a hanging wire will not be displayed. No exceptions.

- Artists are responsible for ensuring that their artwork arrives fully prepared and ready to hang.

Medium

Artists may work in any medium, including but not limited to: oil, acrylic, watercolor, pencil, ink, pastel, charcoal, or mixed media.

The following are NOT ACCEPTED: Digital artwork, photography, sculptures and three-dimensional (3D) artworks.

***Works submitted in any of thess formats will be disqualified - No exceptions.

Theme

There is no set theme for the competition.

Artists are encouraged to submit works inspired by their own vision, subject matter, style or concept.

Originality

All work must be 100% original and created solely by the submitting artist.

Works created using AI-generated elements are not eligible

Plagiarism or copyright infringement will result in immediate disqualification.

Submission Process

- After registration and payment, artists will receive a submission form by email.

- This form must be completed and returned by the deadline.
- Artists must submit a high-resolution JPEG of their artwork for jury review

- PDF files will not be accepted.

- File name must include the artist’s full name and artwork title (ArtistName_ArtWorktitle_year) (**Obligatory)

- Correct file name is mandatory
- If you have not received the email, please check your spam/junk folder.

- After your submission, no changes are allowed. You can not change the piece that you submitted.

Image Requirements

Submitted images must meet the following requirements:

- Minimum resolution: 2,000 pixels on the longest side

- The image must be clear, properly focused, and well lit.

- The artwork should be photographed straight-on and shown clearly, without distracting background elements.

- Whenever possible, submit an image of the artwork only, rather than a photo showing the surrounding room or environment.

- If submitting a screenshot, it must be properly cropped so that only the artwork is visible. Remove any phone interface, computer screen elements, borders, notifications, icons, or other unrelated content.

- Poor-quality, blurry, poorly cropped, or distracting images may affect the jury’s ability to properly evaluate the artwork.

**Important

Once an artwork has been submitted, no substitutions or changes are permitted.

Artists may not replace the submitted artwork with another piece after the submission has been finalized.

Entry Fee

- A non-refundable entry fee applies to each submission.

- The applicable fee and payment instructions will be provided during registration.

- All fees are listed in USD.

- Entry fees are non-refundable if an artwork is disqualified for failing to meet the submission criteria.

- It is the artist's responsibility to carefully review all submission criteria before registering and submitting artwork.

Registration and payment do not guarantee that an artwork will be accepted if it does not meet the eligibility requirements.

Eligibility

- Open to artists worldwide, of all ages and career levels.

- Works previously awarded in other competitions are allowed, as long as they meet all criteria.

- Artists may submit artworks that are available for sale or not for sale.

Prizes

Round 1

- The Top 100 artworks will be selected for a 3-week exhibition at the Montreal Art Center and Museum.

- Selected artists will be notified in advance (check your spam folder if you do not receive notification).

- Artworks must be shipped prepaid to arrive no later than 15 days before the exhibition opening on July 24th, 2027.

- Full shipping instructions will be provided.

- All taxes, customs duties, insurance, and transportation fees are the artist’s responsibility.

- If an artwork arrives damaged or incomplete, the Global Art League is not responsible.

- Detailed shipping and delivery instructions will be provided to selected artists.

Shipping Responsibilities

- Artists are responsible for arranging and paying for transportation of their artwork to and from the Montreal Art Center and Museum.

- All shipping costs, customs fees, duties, taxes, insurance, and related transportation expenses are the artist's responsibility.

- Artists are strongly encouraged to purchase appropriate insurance for their artwork.

- Artwork must be properly and securely packaged for transportation.

- Global Art League and the Montreal Art Center and Museum are not responsible for damage that occurs during transportation.

Round 2 - Award

Among the selected exhibition participants, the following prizes will be awarded:

- 1st Place: $2,000 USD + exclusive solo exhibition (1 week) + 1 week stay in our artist apartment.

- 2nd Place: $1,000 USD.

- 3rd Place: $500 USD.

- 4th Place - Public Choice Award: Exhibition spot in the Emerging Artist Showcase (value $250).

Virtual Gallery

A virtual gallery will be created exclusively for artists participating in the Global Art League competition.

Individual virtual gallery participation is not available separately from the competition.

Payment for a virtual gallery alone does not constitute registration for the Global Art League competition.

Any payment made solely toward a virtual gallery without a valid competition registration will not be considered an eligible competition entry and will not be refunded.

Artwork Sales

- Artists may choose whether their artwork is for sale or not.

- Any sale inquiries during the exhibition will be forwarded directly to the artist.

- Global Art League does not take commissions on sales for this competition.

Rights & Permissions

By entering the Global Art League competition, artists grant Global Art League and the Montreal Art Center and Museum permission to use submitted artwork images for purposes related to the competition, including:

- Promotional materials

- Social media

- Exhibition promotion

- Catalogues

- Websites

- Digital publications

- Printed materials

- Media related to the Global Art League exhibition

Artist credit will be included whenever reasonably possible.

Selected artwork may appear in both printed and digital promotional materials.

Liability

Reasonable care will be taken when receiving, handling, storing, and displaying selected artworks.

However, Global Art League and the Montreal Art Center and Museum assume no responsibility for loss, theft, or damage occurring during transportation to or from the venue.

Artists are strongly encouraged to independently insure their artwork for its full value.

Disclaimer

Global Art League reserves the right to:

- Disqualify any submission that does not comply with these guidelines.

- Request additional information or proof of authorship when necessary.

- Reject or remove artwork that is unsafe, improperly presented, misrepresented, or does not correspond with the artwork originally submitted.

- Disqualify artwork containing plagiarized, copyrighted, AI-generated, or otherwise ineligible material.

- Refuse artwork that does not meet the required dimensions, medium, framing, presentation, or submission requirements.

By registering for the competition, the artist confirms that they have read, understood, and agreed to these submission criteria.