First Look 2026 by Panopticon Gallery

First Look 2026 by Panopticon Gallery is the gallery’s annual juried portfolio showcase, built around photographic storytelling and cohesive bodies of work. On view from February to April 2026 in Boston, the exhibition brings together selected series that show technical strength and a clear, personal vision. For photographers browsing Deartline to join photo challenges online, this open call offers a more in-depth route into a respected gallery program.

Panopticon Gallery invites artists to submit up to ten images from a single cohesive project. Approximately five images from each selected portfolio will be chosen for the main exhibition, with an additional opportunity through “First Look: A Second Glance”, a companion show on The Wall at Panopticon Gallery dedicated to singular images. After the exhibition, prints from A Second Glance are added to the gallery’s flat files, where collectors and visitors can continue to view and acquire them. This structure places the open call in the orbit of more thoughtful portfolio photography contests that focus on long-term visibility and curatorial discovery.

Submissions are open now and will be accepted until December 29, 2025. There is a submission fee per portfolio, with a reduced rate for students. The exhibition is juried by the gallery’s curatorial team, and selected photographers will work closely with the gallery to determine print sizes and framing that suit the space. Based on the exhibition history of the First Look series and the emphasis on narrative, this call is particularly relevant for photographers ready to present a mature body of work in a professional gallery environment.

The First Look 2026 by Panopticon Gallery Prizes

First Look 2026 by Panopticon Gallery does not assign a traditional first, second, or third prize. Instead, all selected artists share a set of exhibition focused opportunities that function as the real rewards of the program.

• Selected portfolios are featured in a curated gallery exhibition, First Look 2026, on view from February to April 2026 at Panopticon Gallery in Boston.
• Beyond the main show, a parallel exhibition titled First Look: A Second Glance highlights additional individual images that resonated with the curatorial team.
• After the close of A Second Glance, prints from that presentation are added to Panopticon’s flat files, where they remain available for viewing and acquisition by collectors and patrons.
• During the exhibition, works are available for sale, with Panopticon Gallery retaining a 50% commission on sold pieces. This aligns the call with opportunities often grouped under photography exhibition prizes, where the emphasis is on professional display, audience reach, and potential sales rather than direct cash awards.

Categories or Themes

There are no formal categories in First Look 2026 by Panopticon Gallery. The open call revolves around a single core idea, which is the presentation of one cohesive photographic portfolio that demonstrates narrative strength and conceptual clarity. Any subject matter is welcome provided the images belong to the same body of work, so the exhibition effectively functions as an open theme portfolio showcase with a strong emphasis on photographic storytelling.

First Look 2026 by Panopticon Gallery Dates and Entry Fees

The calendar for First Look 2026 by Panopticon Gallery follows a clear timeline, from the submission deadline to the arrival of artwork and the run of the exhibition.

Submission period and key dates

Submissions are juried only after the entry fee has been received. The fee is charged per portfolio, not per image, and there is a separate rate for students presenting valid identification.

Entry fees

• Standard submission fee: $40 per portfolio.
• Student submission fee: $30 per portfolio, with a valid student ID included in the submission.

How to Enter:

To submit to First Look 2026 by Panopticon Gallery, photographers should send their materials by email, using “First Look 2026” as the subject line. The email must include up to ten images from one cohesive body of work, an artist or project statement, a link to a website and/or social media, and a short note on how the artist heard about the call.

Image files should be JPEGs in sRGB color space, sized between 1024 and 1500 pixels on the long side. Each file must be named using the format LastName_FirstName_Title.jpg, for example “Smith_Jane_Reflections.jpg”. The gallery notes that incorrectly named files risk not being viewed, so careful attention to these details is important.

Why Enter First Look 2026 by Panopticon Gallery?

For photographers who feel ready to move beyond isolated images and share a fully formed project, First Look 2026 by Panopticon Gallery offers a clear and focused way to see how that work holds up in a gallery setting. The curatorial team looks at how the photographs speak to one another, how the sequence builds a story, and how the project might live on the wall. It is a gentle push toward thinking in terms of series, books, and long term projects rather than single photographs, which can be especially valuable for artists who are starting to shape a distinctive voice.

The combination of the main exhibition in the gallery, the First Look: A Second Glance presentation on The Wall, and the addition of prints to the flat files creates several layers of visibility within one call for entries. A project might be seen on the gallery walls during the run of the show, then continue to be discovered by visitors and collectors who browse the flat files later on. This makes First Look feel less like a one time contest and more like an introduction to an ongoing relationship with a gallery space and its audience. In that sense, it sits naturally alongside other portfolio photography awards and among the best photo challenges online for photographers who are thinking carefully about where their work appears.

Rules and Copyright

This section about the rules and image rights of the First Look 2026 by Panopticon Gallery 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

Each submission to First Look 2026 by Panopticon Gallery consists of a single portfolio of up to ten images from one cohesive body of work. The images must be submitted by email to the dedicated address with “First Look 2026” clearly indicated in the subject line. Alongside the image files, photographers should provide an artist or project statement, a link to their website or social media, and a brief note about how they heard about the open call.

Files must be JPEGs in sRGB color space, with the long side measuring no less than 1024 pixels and no more than 1500 pixels. Each file must follow the specified naming convention of LastName_FirstName_Title.jpg. The gallery highlights that failing to comply with this requirement may result in work not being viewed, so adherence to technical guidelines is essential. Submissions are only juried after the appropriate fee has been paid, and students using the reduced rate need to include a valid student ID.

Selected photographers are responsible for ensuring that finished prints arrive at the gallery by the stated deadline in early February 2026. The curators will collaborate with artists to determine the final number of works displayed and the dimensions that best fit the space, with most pieces framed to roughly 20 x 24 inches. Printing and framing may be handled through Panopticon Imaging at a discount, with completed works delivered directly to the gallery.

Copyright and Image Usage

Artists retain full copyright to all images submitted to First Look 2026. By entering the contest and, in particular, by being selected for the exhibition, they grant Panopticon Gallery permission to use the images for promoting the exhibition, the artist, and the gallery’s broader programming. This includes display on the gallery’s website, social media channels, and other promotional materials related to the show.

Works exhibited in A Second Glance and added to the gallery’s flat files remain available for viewing and acquisition by collectors and visitors after the show. For any works sold during the exhibition or via the gallery, Panopticon retains a 50% commission on the sale price. The usage outlined is intended to support the exhibition and gallery visibility. Artists seeking full legal language or additional conditions should consult the complete terms and FAQ on the official contest page.

For more information and to participate in the contest, visit: the official website.