Facing the Figure

Facing the Figure

September 30 – November 13, 2026

Juried by Andrew Fish

Presented at the CAA @ Canal Gallery 

Submission Deadline | Thursday, August 13, 2026 at 5pm EST

Opening Reception | Thursday, October 15 from 6-8pm

About Facing the Figure | The Cambridge Art Association invites New England artists 18+ to submit work for Facing the Figure – a juried exhibit showcasing a range of contemporary approaches to depicting the human form, from realistic portraiture to bold abstraction. The exhibit features artists working in painting, drawing, sculpture, and mixed media, each bringing a distinct style and technique to the figure. Some works emphasize anatomical detail and lifelike representation, while others explore movement, color, and shape in more expressive ways. Together, the pieces highlight the versatility of the human form as subject matter across different artistic styles.

About the Juror

Andrew Fish

Andrew Fish is a painter and printmaker based in Boston, MA. He grew up in Bristol, VT and studied at School of Visual Arts in NYC and earned his MFA from Goddard College in VT. He has attended several artist residencies including the VT Studio Center, Manship Artists Residency + Studio in Gloucester, MA, Red Gate Gallery, Beijing, China, and Mass MoCA’s Assets for Artists Residency in North Adams, MA. He is the recipient of a Mass Cultural Council Finalist award in Painting, a Somerville Arts Council grant, a NY Studio School Award, and a St. Botolph Club Fellowship.  His work has been exhibited in solo and group shows nationally and internationally including Childs Gallery, Boston, MA, The Painting Center, NYC, Artzu Gallery in Manchester, UK, and Addison Ripley Fine Art in Washington, DC.  Fish teaches at Massachusetts College of Art and Design in Boston, MA.  He is also a contributing writer for ArtSpiel. His work explores the intersection of abstraction and representation, using the figure to investigate contemporary society and personal experience.

IMPORTANT DATES

  • Submission Deadline  | Thursday, August 13, 2026 at 5pm EST

  • Artist Notification | Thursday, September 3– all accepted artists will be posted on this webpage by 5pm

  • Opening Reception | Thursday, July 9 from 6-8pm

  • Exhibit Dates | Wednesday, September 30 – Friday November 13, 2026

  • Artwork Drop-off | Wednesday, September 16 and Thursday, September 17, 2026  from 12 – 4pm at the CAA @ Canal Gallery  (Artwork cannot be shipped. Late deliveries will not be accepted.)

  • Artwork Pick-up | Wednesday, November 17 and Thursday, November 18 at the CAA @ Canal Gallery (Late pick-ups will incur a $15 per-week fee. All fees must be paid before or at pick-up.)

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Artists must be 18+ and from New England

  • All mediums accepted: 2D, 3D and video work
  • All artwork must be listed as for sale.
  • Artwork must have been created within the past five (5) years.
  • Work must be original, no reproductions.
  • All work submitted must be available for the exhibition dates.
  • All wall-mounted work must be wired or have D-rings for hanging (or note method of presentation upon entry). We do not accept sawtooth hangers.
  • Diptychs/triptychs are considered as a single work and must be entered as a single JPEG.
  • Artwork must not exceed 60 inches on the longest side.
  • Total weight of wall-mounted work must not exceed 50lbs.
  • Artwork must be gallery ready. Read all of our Art Entry Information.
  • All artworks must be dropped off on the scheduled dates.
3D WORK REQUIREMENTS
  • Total weight of 3D work must not exceed 100lbs.
  • CAA does not accept any ceiling-hanging artworks, due to structural concerns of the space
  • Wall-mounted 3D work should be wired for hanging, artists must supply appropriate installation materials.
  • The CAA has a limited number of pedestals. Pedestals can be reserved with CAA Staff upon acceptance. If artwork requires a pedestal of a specific size, the pedestal must be provided by the artist.
VIDEO REQUIREMENTS
  • For accepted video work, the artist is responsible for providing all necessary display and viewing equipment, including, but not limited to: display monitor, DVD player, USB drive, mounting hardware, remote controls, batteries.

APPLICATION FEES

Each artist can submit up to three artworks. Collaborators or collectives, please apply together.

  • General Submission | $45
  • CAA Artist + Associate Artist + Lifetime Members | $35
  • Student Members + Fee Waivers | Free
APPLY HERE

Have questions? If you have questions after reviewing the above information, please email Associate Director Anna Fubini at afubini@cambridgeart.org, or call us at 617.876.0246

Cambridge Art Association does not issue refunds for exhibition applications. Once submitted, changes cannot be made to any application. All applications must be entered via Submittable.

All decisions/selections are made by the juror. All decisions are final.

Image in header “Alone by Candlelight” by Andrew Fish