Diptychs have a sneaky way of stopping the scroll. Two images. One frame. And suddenly the viewer is building a story in their head. That is exactly what Diptych ~ Open Theme by Praxis Gallery 2026 is built to reward, a tight format with unlimited direction. The call is for photographic diptychs in any theme or style, as long as the pair is presented together as one unified piece. The submission deadline listed is Feb 22, 2026, with notification scheduled for Feb 27, 2026, and exhibition dates running Mar 21 to Apr 11, 2026.
This is an international juried exhibition opportunity hosted by Praxis Gallery & Photo Arts Center in Minneapolis, with up to 38 images selected for the show. On the awards side, the standout recognition is a Directors’ Choice that comes with free entry into two future juried calls for entry of the photographer’s choice. Five Honorable Mentions are also named and featured through the exhibition and its documentation, including the printed show catalog and the online exhibit gallery. For photographers browsing Deartline for popular photo challenges online, this call is easy to assess on facts: a clear theme requirement, a defined number of selections, and a schedule that leads straight into a physical gallery exhibition.
Entry is paid, with a base fee covering up to five images and a per-image add-on for additional submissions. There are also specific pathways to free entry in certain cases, including a free 10-image entry for new Praxis members and a limited number of free submissions available by request for photographers experiencing financial hardship. As a practical note, the exhibition format matters here: the diptych must be presented as a single frame or presentation, meaning the “pairing” is part of the artwork, not a separate upload of two independent images.
Prizes
Diptych ~ Open Theme recognizes work through exhibition selection and a small set of awards announced within the show programming. The prizes below are presented exactly as listed.
- Directors’ Choice: Free entry into two future juried calls for entry of the artist’s choice. For photographers who submit regularly, this prize effectively removes fees for two later opportunities and can be especially useful when building a consistent exhibition record.
- Five Honorable Mentions: Recognized and featured in the exhibition, the printed show catalog, and the online exhibit gallery. This recognition ties directly to two common outcomes photographers look for, public showing and documented inclusion via exhibition presentation and publication in a printed catalog.
- Exhibition Selection (up to 38 works): Up to 38 images are selected by the juror for exhibition at Praxis Gallery. Selected photographs are also posted on the Praxis website exhibition page at the time notifications go out.
Related Photo Contests
Categories ot Themes
No separate categories are listed for this Diptych ~ Open Theme by Praxis Gallery 2026. The structure is a single, format-driven theme: an open theme diptych presented as one unified work.
Dates and Entry Fees
The organiser publishes a clear timeline from deadline to notification to exhibition, plus a fee structure based on image count.
| Submission deadline | Feb 22 |
| Notification | Feb 27 |
| Exhibition dates | Mar 21 – Apr 11, 2026 |
Entry fees: $35 for up to five images, plus $5 for each additional image, up to ten images total per open call.
How to Enter:
Submissions are made digitally through the online submission form linked on the call page. Images are uploaded as JPEG files (8MB or smaller) and should be named in the format ImageTitle_by_FirstName_LastName. The diptych itself must be presented as a single frame or presentation, so the paired images should appear together as one unified submission.
Why Enter Diptych ~ Open Theme by Praxis Gallery 2026?
Diptych ~ Open Theme by Praxis Gallery 2026 is built around a specific creative constraint that still leaves photographers plenty of room to move: the diptych format. That single requirement naturally suits artists who think in sequences, comparisons, echoes, and contrasts, and it rewards careful editing because the relationship between the images is the point. It is also an exhibition-first opportunity, with up to 38 works selected for a physical gallery show and an accompanying online exhibition presence.
Accepted artists receive instructions for either shipping prints or submitting high-resolution files for printing, which can be useful for photographers who want a defined production flow rather than an open-ended outcome. And for readers scanning Deartline for photography challenges and prizes, this one offers concrete deliverables: a gallery exhibition window, published awards, and documentation through the show catalog and online exhibit gallery.
Rules and Copyright
This section about the rules and image rights of the Diptych ~ Open Theme by Praxis Gallery 2026 has been generated automatically. If you are interested in participating in this contest we suggest you review the complete rules provided by the contest.
Rules
Entrants must be 18 years or older. Submitted images must not have been exhibited at Praxis Gallery within the past year. Submissions are digital only and must be uploaded through the organiser’s online submission form.
File requirements include JPEG format with a maximum file size of 8MB and a required naming convention: ImageTitle_by_FirstName_LastName. The diptych requirement is format-based, both images must appear within a single frame or presentation, forming one unified visual statement.
Selection notes: up to 38 images are selected for exhibition, with notifications sent on the listed notification date. Accepted artists receive instructions for shipping artwork or submitting high-resolution digital files for printing. Entry fees are described as non-refundable.
Copyright and Image Usage
Artists retain all copyrights to their images. By submitting, artists grant Praxis Gallery a non-exclusive right to use the images for exhibition display, promotion of the artist and related programs, online exhibition archives, and social media and website features. The organiser states that the artist’s name will be credited wherever the work is displayed.
For more information and to participate in the contest, visit: the official website.
