Open Call Knoxville Photo 2026

Open Call for The Knoxville Photo Exhibition
Entry Form due by midnight on Sunday, November 18, 2026
On Display December 4 – 23, 2026 at the Emporium
100 S. Gay St., Knoxville TN
Please find the online entry form at the bottom of the page.

The Arts and Culture Alliance is currently accepting submissions for the 2026 Knoxville Photo Exhibition taking place December 4 – 23, 2026 at the Emporium. Artists must currently live in Greater Knoxville, Tennessee (Anderson, Blount, Campbell, Grainger, Knox, Loudon, Morgan, Roane, Union counties) and work with photographic media. The exhibition of printed photographs / photo-based media will take place in the Lower Gallery, Atrium Gallery, and Display Case December 4 – 30. An online exhibition of selected digital photographs will be on display in the Arts & Culture Alliance Online Shop for 12 months! Every applicant is guaranteed 1 artwork in the online gallery!

About the Exhibition Space
Approximately 40 – 60 Photographs / Photo-based artworks will be exhibited in the Emporium’s Lower Gallery, Atrium, and Display Case.

Juror
Shawn Poynter is a commercial and editorial photographer based in Knoxville, Tennessee. Born in central Kentucky, he graduated from Western Kentucky University with a BA in photojournalism in 1999. After working for newspapers in Santa Fe, NM, and Springfield, IL, Shawn moved to eastern Kentucky in the early aughts, where he started his freelance career. His work spans reportage, portraiture, and art photography. His images have appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, ProPublica, New York Magazine, and Guns and Gardens magazine, among others. He operates Poynter Photo Co. from North Knoxville, where his studio practice skates the line between documentary and fine art photography.

Awards
Best in Show: $300
2nd Place $200
3rd Place $100

Works should be original, made within the last 3 years (2023 – 2026). Artists must be members of the Arts and Culture Alliance to apply. If you are not a member, join today! Applicants can submit up to 5 images for consideration. The first two images are free. Each additional image is $10.

1-2 images: Free with membership
3 images: $10
4 images: $20
5 images: $30

Artwork Requirements:
Artworks selected for the walls of the physical gallery MUST be framed with a wire for hanging, and appropriate for a general audience. For works selected to hang in the physical gallery, please be sure your name and artwork title are on the back of each piece.

Application Process: 

  1. If you are not already a member, join the Arts & Culture Alliance today!
  2. Pay for any additional images online here: Make a Payment – Arts & Culture Alliance
  3. Prepare your Images: 1-5 images exported as jpeg, jpg, or png files with the file name A_TitleofWork, B_TitleofWork, etc. Images must be 800 pixels on the longest side. For assistance resizing and renaming images please review: Resizing and Renaming Digital Photos
  4. Complete the form at the bottom of this page.

For questions on eligibility, application, or membership status, please call (865) 523-7543 or email info@knoxalliance.com.

Open Call Knoxville Photo Exhibition

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Please use decimals instead of fractions and input as number x number (no “, in, or inches)
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A_TitleofWork.jpeg. Images must be 800 pixels on the longest side
Accepted file types: jpeg, jpg, png, Max. file size: 5 MB.
Please use decimals instead of fractions and input as number x number (no “, in, or inches)
If Not for Sale, please write NFS and include insurance value
B_TitleofWork.jpeg. Images must be 800 pixels on the longest side
Accepted file types: jpeg, jpg, png, Max. file size: 5 MB.
Please use decimals instead of fractions and input as number x number (no “, in, or inches)
If Not for Sale, please write NFS and include insurance value
C_TitleofWork.jpeg. Images must be 800 pixels on the longest side
Accepted file types: jpeg, jpg, png, Max. file size: 5 MB.
Please use decimals instead of fractions and input as number x number (no “, in, or inches)
If Not for Sale, please write NFS and include insurance value
D_TitleofWork.jpeg. Images must be 800 pixels on the longest side
Accepted file types: jpeg, jpg, png, Max. file size: 5 MB.
Please use decimals instead of fractions and input as number x number (no “, in, or inches)
If Not for Sale, please write NFS and include insurance value
E_TitleofWork.jpeg. Images must be 800 pixels on the longest side
Accepted file types: jpeg, jpg, png, Max. file size: 5 MB.