Ferry Building Gallery Portrait Award
/ORGANIZATION: Ferry Building Gallery (District of West Vancouver)
DEADLINE: July 31, 2026
WEBSITE: http://ferrybuildinggallery.ca/submissions/ferry-building-gallery-portrait-award-call-entry
CALL FOR ARTISTS:
The Ferry Building Gallery invites artists to apply for the Ferry Building Gallery Portrait Award, a new juried exhibition and awards program celebrating excellence and innovation in portraiture across the North Shore and surrounding regions.
A compelling portrait goes beyond likeness. It captures the essence of its subject while revealing the artist’s skill, sensitivity, and creative voice. Through light, composition, and expression, portraiture becomes an act of storytelling—one that invites viewers to connect with another human presence across time and culture. At its best, a portrait preserves a moment while illuminating something universal about the human experience.
Portraiture offers a uniquely accessible entry point into visual art, inviting viewers to explore identity, humanity, and contemporary social narratives.
The Ferry Building Gallery Portrait Award brings together emerging and established local artists to present a professionally curated exhibition culminating in an awards presentation and community celebration.
The competition will be judged over two rounds. First-round entries are submitted digitally through SlideRoom; selected artists will be invited to submit their work for in-person judging.
Timeline
Application deadline: Friday, July 31
Round 2 in-person jury: Sunday, August 23
Exhibition of finalists: October 7–November 1
Opening reception: Thursday, October 8
Prizes and gala event: Friday, October 23
Artist Eligibility
Artists must reside (or have resided) on the North Shore, Sea-to-Sky corridor, Bowen Island, Sunshine Coast, or Gulf Islands, and must be over 18 at the time of submission.
Artwork Eligibility
Artists may submit up to three entries. Works must be paintings or drawings (or a combination), depicting a specific person or persons, including self-portraits and group portraits. Subjects must be known to the artist, with explicit consent for their likeness. Works must be two-dimensional, created in 2025 or 2026, and meet size requirements (minimum 10” x 8” framed; maximum 40” x 40” framed; maximum depth 4”). Multi-part works are not accepted. All submissions must be unsigned for anonymous jurying. AI-generated portraits are not permitted.
HOW TO APPLY:
All entries must be submitted online via SlideRoom. Applicants must complete the online form, upload one high-resolution image (1–4MB, .jpg) per entry, and provide a receipt number for the $45 entry fee. Payment can be made by phone (604-925-7270, Course #219461) or online through the gallery’s system. First-round submissions are assessed digitally; selected finalists will be invited to present their work in person for the second round.
FEES/COMPENSATION:
Entry fee of $45 for up to three submissions. Prizes include $1,000 (First Place), $500 (Second Place), $250 (Third Place), and $250 (People’s Choice). Exhibited works must be for sale, with a 30% gallery commission on sales.
