We invite artists to submit their best work for display in the Now: Contemporary Art Quilts of Today gallery at Houston in 2025. This dynamic exhibition will provide an exceptional platform for your art quilt to be appreciated by a diverse audience, including art enthusiasts, collectors, and industry professionals.
Submission to this exciting showcase not only promises visibility but also offers an opportunity for your creations to find a new home. There is no theme for this exhibition - we invite you to submit the best work you are creating now.
The sole venue for this exhibition will be at Houston. All pieces should be for sale and will be available to buyers after the show ends.
EXHIBITION SCHEDULE
International Quilt Festival, Houston Texas: October 2025 (Exact Dates TBD)
This is a single-venue exhibition - artwork will be returned by December 31, 2025.
ARTWORK REQUIREMENTS
Wall-hung (2D and 3D) pieces are eligible. No ceiling suspended or freestanding artwork.
- Pieces may not exceed 96” (8 ft) in height, width, or depth. There is NO minimum size.
- All artwork must fit through a standard 34” doorway.
- Wall-hung pieces (2D and 3D) must hang without distortion. Traditional quilt sleeves, stretcher bars, framed or mounted work, and other hanging mechanisms are acceptable.
- Artwork must meet SAQA’s definition of an art quilt: "a creative visual work that is layered and stitched or that references this form of stitched layered structure."
- All artwork must be for sale (a 40% commission will apply)
IMAGE REQUIREMENTS
It is critical that submitted images be of the best possible quality: in focus, with clear details, and following SAQA's digital image requirements. Read Tips for Successful Art Quilt Photography and Submitting Digital Images first!
- For each wall-hung 2D entry (depth is less than 2 inches), submit one full view front digital image and one detail digital image.
- Full-view images MUST show all the edges along with a small amount of background.
- Digital images must be saved as a high-quality JPEG or JPG file (No TIFF files). Do not use your name or initials in the filename (title is fine).
- Finished images should be at least 2100 pixels on the longest side (no maximum)
- Files should NOT exceed more than 12 MB per file
Common errors include:
- Images that are out of focus or too small
- Cropping images too closely on the full-view image. All edges of the artwork must be visible along with a small amount of contrasting background. Do NOT crop your photo into any part of the artwork as this may disqualify your entry.
- Your background should be neutral and not include distracting elements such as hands, floors, studio, pets, pins, etc.
ELIGIBILITY / FEE
Artists must be a current SAQA member to enter this call. $50 USD for up to 3 entries. $40 ($10 Early Bird Discount) if all entries submitted by January 15, 2025. Entry fee must be paid online before the entry deadline via a credit card or PayPal at www.saqa.com/fees.
QUESTIONS?
If you have questions about this exhibition, please refer to SAQA’s Exhibition Guidelines and FAQs where many exhibition related questions are answered. If you have any further questions, please contact us at calls@saqa.art.
Artist notifications will be sent via email by March 31, 2025 (see Important Dates below for more details).
Submissions open January 1, 2025.
Sandra Sider, a past president of Studio Art Quilt Associates, recently retired after ten years as Curator for the Texas Quilt Museum. She edited Art Quilt Quarterly for six years, and has published numerous articles and books on fiber and textile art for more than three decades. A studio quilt artist since the late 1970s, she focuses on photographic processes in her work, embellished with surface design techniques, including hand embroidery. Her art quilts have been acquired by several museums and corporate collections. 
