2026 North American Print Biennial

About the Open Call

Presenting the best in contemporary and traditional printmaking, the North American Print Biennial has long been recognized as one of the most prestigious events in printmaking. Founded in 1947, the mission of the Boston Printmakers is to promote public knowledge of printmaking, encourage and support artists working in printmaking, and promote excellence and innovation within the field of printmaking. The juror for this biennial is Esther Adler, Curator in the Department of Drawings and Prints at The Museum of Modern Art. Most recently she organized the final presentation of Woven Histories: Textiles and Modern Abstraction (2025) in New York, and New Ground: Jacob Samuel and Contemporary Etching (2023). Past exhibitions include Joseph E. Yoakum: What I Saw (2021), Betye Saar: The Legends of Black Girl’s Window (with Christophe Cherix, 2019), Charles White: A Retrospective (2018), Charles White—Leonardo da Vinci. Curated by David Hammons (2017) and Dorothea Rockburne: Drawing Which Makes Itself (2013). Her publications include New Ground: Jacob Samuel and Contemporary Etching (New York: The Museum of Modern Art, 2024); Romare Bearden: Patchwork Quilt (New York: The Museum of Modern Art, 2022); Joseph E. Yoakum: What I Saw (with Mark Pascale and Édouard Kopp; Chicago: The Art Institute of Chicago, 2021); Betye Saar: Black Girl’s Window (with Christophe Cherix; New York: The Museum of Modern Art, 2019), Charles White: A Retrospective (Chicago: The Art Institute of Chicago, 2018), Charles White: Black Pope (New York: The Museum of Modern Art, 2017) and American Modern: Hopper to O’Keeffe (New York: The Museum of Modern Art, 2013). Ms. Adler joined the museum staff in 2005, and worked as a Research Assistant, Curatorial Assistant, and Assistant Curator in the former Drawings Department. She has also worked at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden as a graduate fellow, and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. She has a BA from Brandeis University, and an MA from the University of Maryland. Exhibition dates are September 8 – November 21, 2026. The biennial venue is 808 Gallery, Boston University, 808 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, Massachusetts. The public reception and juror's talk will be on Saturday, September 19, 2026. The exhibition closes Saturday, November 21, 2026.

What is Offered

$10,000 is available in juror-designated purchase prizes and materials awards. The Boston Printmakers’ purchase prizes are placed into permanent collections at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; the Art Complex Museum, Duxbury, MA; Boston Athenaeum; and the Boston Printmakers Collection at the Boston Public Library. Additionally, this show generates a large number of sales through patron and public purchases.

Requirements

North American artists 18 years and older are eligible to enter. Original, innovative works in all printmaking media are eligible. Photographs, offset reproductions, or reproductions of artwork originally produced in another medium will not be considered. Submitted work may not have been exhibited in any other Boston Printmakers exhibition. Artists may submit up to three digital images of original prints completed within the time frame of 2023-2026. All delivered work must match the juried image; substitutions of accepted works will not be allowed. All work must be framed in simple (e.g. Nielsen) black metal or black wooden frames no more than ½” thick on the front edge. All frames should have Plexiglas, and a standard white or off-white window mat, minimum 3 inches wide. Your print must be securely mounted to the backing board. Frames must be ready to hang with wire or D-rings. Place your framed print into a clear plastic bag before boxing. Where appropriate, due to size or aesthetics, alternative presentation may be requested and must be fully described in your entry on the CaFE site. Please include in your submission a clearly defined description of any special hanging or installation instructions. Work not protected by a frame is considered at risk, and may not be covered by gallery insurance.

How to Apply

All entries must be submitted online at www.callforentry.org. Entries must be submitted on or before February 15, 2026. Review all entry information carefully before submitting. No changes can be made once submitted, including price revisions.