CPW Upstate New York Photography Biennial – Open Call for Artists Submissions
CPW Launches First Upstate Photography Biennial and Announces Open Call for Submissions from Artists
Open Call: December 15, 2025 – January 31, 2026
Upstate Photography Biennial Exhibition on View: May 30 – September 6, 2026
CPW (formerly known as the Center for Photography at Woodstock) announces an open call for artists living and/or working in New York State, in regions north of New York City, to participate in the inaugural Upstate Photography Biennial—a major exhibition that will spotlight contemporary lens-based practices across the region.
Building on nearly 50 years of supporting upstate photographers, CPW brings deep expertise to this large-scale survey, organized by CPW curators Adam G. Ryan and Marina Chao. The Biennial will feature up to 30 photographers and artists working in upstate New York, and it will occupy the entire first floor of CPW’s newly renovated Kingston headquarters. The Summer 2026 exhibition will bring heightened visibility to the innovative and prolific talents of regional artists while also fostering dialogue around photography’s rapidly evolving role in the Hudson Valley and throughout Upstate New York.
Conceived to showcase a range of contemporary approaches to photography, the Upstate Photography Biennial will be a major, recurring platform for the region’s dynamic community of artists. Each iteration of the Biennial will be accompanied by a small-run, high-quality catalogue, designed and produced in-house at the CPW Press, using a new Canon v700 printer, and available for sale in the CPW bookshop both online and at 25 Dederick Street.
CALL FOR ENTRIES
CPW invites submissions from artists working in all photographic and lens-based forms, including fine art, documentary, experimental, installation-based, and video work:
- Open Call: December 15, 2025 – January 31, 2026 (11:59pm EST)
- Eligibility: Artists who live and/or work in Upstate New York
- Application Fee: Free
SUBMISSION PARAMETERS
Artists will submit their portfolios and other materials via the Submittable platform. Applications are only accepted here and are not accepted via email or post:
- Work Samples: Submit 5–10 images, all from a single series or body of work. The images should be 2000px on the longest side and each one should include title and date information. Applicants may also provide a screenshot and link for one video (must be viewable online).
- Short Bio: Provide a brief description of your art career, but please do not enter an exhibition list(max 250 – 300 words).
- Project Statement: Provide an artist statement that describes the project being submitted (max 250 – 300 words).
- Resume/CV: List past exhibitions, residencies, and related experiences.
OTHER INFORMATION
Selected artists will be notified by March 1, 2026.
The Upstate Photography Biennial is slated to be on view from May 30, 2026 through September 6, 2026. Further details to be announced.
ABOUT CPW
Founded in 1977 as the Center for Photography at Woodstock, CPW is a not-for-profit arts organization with a dual mission: to support artists working in photography and related media, and to engage audiences through creation, discovery, and learning. At the heart of CPW’s mission is to provide programming that is community-based, artist-centered, and collaborative. To foster public conversation around critical issues in photography, CPW offers exhibitions, workshops, artists’ residencies, and access to its Digital Media Lab. In January 2025, CPW opened its new Kingston, NY headquarters–housing a photography museum, and an educational and community center–in a 40,000-square-foot factory building at 25 Dederick Street.
Follow CPW on: Instagram @cpw_kingston | YouTube @cpw_kingston | X @cpw_kingston | Bluesky @cpw-kingston.bsky.social
CPW Kingston
25 Dederick St, Kingston, NY 12401
Gallery Hours: Thursday to Sunday 11am – 5pm
Free admissionFor more information about CPW programs, visit cpw.org
Image: © Ryan Rusiecki
