EXHIBITION THEME
Explore the beauty, diversity and significance of pollinators and their impact on our future. Join us in raising awareness of pollinators and their importance through art.
We invite you to create a piece of art that highlights the crucial role pollinators play in sustaining Earth's ecosystems. Submit your work and be part of this meaningful exhibition about nature's guardians.
A collaboration with the Detroit Zoological Society
EXHIBITION SCHEDULE
International Quilt Festival, Houston, Texas: October 2026
Detroit Zoo, Royal Oak, Michigan: April - September 2027
This exhibition will travel until December 2029
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.
ARTWORK REQUIREMENTS
Wall-hung (2D and 3D), and freestanding artworks are eligible. No ceiling-hung artwork.
- Pieces may not exceed 96” (8 ft / 243cm) 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 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."
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.
- For each 3D artwork (wall-hung or freestanding), submit one overall front image and two detail images
- Full-view images MUST show all the edges along with a small amount of background.
- Detail images should preferably be in portrait orientation. Do not simply crop your full-view image.
- 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).
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. $10 Early Bird Discount if all entries submitted by November 15, 2025. Entry fee must be paid online before the entry deadline via a credit card or PayPal at www.saqa.com/fees.
