Apply now to the 2026 Pacific Northwest Drawers
Deadline: Fri, Dec 19, 2025, 10:59 PM (PT)
Blue Sky is now accepting submissions for the 2026 Pacific Northwest Drawers. Photographers from Alaska, British Columbia, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington are welcome to apply. There is no application fee to enter.
Blue Sky established the Pacific Northwest Drawers in 2007 to showcase regional contemporary photographers through an annual juried exhibition. Selected work can be viewed in the flat files for a full year at the gallery, or digitally on the Blue Sky website. The online exhibition will remain a part of the Blue Sky digital archive indefinitely.
Join Blue Sky Staff on Thu, Nov 20 at 6 PM (PT) for a Zoom Q&A Session to help answer submission questions.
Meet the 2026 Juror
Leo Hsu is the Executive Director of Silver Eye Center for Photography in Pittsburgh. Silver Eye’s mission is to promote the power of contemporary photography as a fine art by supporting and sharing the work of emerging, mid-career, under-represented and underseen artists. Leo has been a writer and editor for Fraction Magazine and Foto8/EI8HT and a news photographer. He taught history, criticism, and studio photography courses at Carnegie Mellon University, and holds a PhD in Anthropology and New York State Certificate in Culture and Media from New York University.
Submission Guidelines
Deadline: Fri, Dec 19, 2025, 10:59 PM (PT)
Entry fee: Free
One entry per artist. If multiple submissions are made by one artist, the jurors will only consider the first submission.
To be considered for the 2026 Pacific Northwest Drawers, photographers must reside in one of the following states and territories: Alaska, British Columbia, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington.
Submission Materials
Exactly 10 images (no watermarks) from a single series or body of work created within the last five years
Details about each print: title, medium, dimensions (please use "0" for depth), price, date
Artist CV
A brief artist statement (not to exceed 200 words)
Submission & Selection Process
All submissions must be made through CaFÉ. Blue Sky cannot respond to inquiries about the status of a submission, nor are the jurors or Blue Sky staff able to offer feedback or reasoning for submissions that are not accepted.
Notification of acceptance date: Mon, Feb 2, 2026
If accepted, works must be delivered to the gallery matted, mounted, or protected in some way for handling. Due to the physical dimensions of each drawer, the matted or mounted sizes of accepted works cannot exceed 20” x 24” x 1.5” when stacked together. Please ensure that you are listing the FINAL mounted/matted dimensions, NOT the size of the print area.
FAQ
Who is eligible to apply?
Any photographic artist who is a current resident of Alaska, British Columbia, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington is invited to submit work for consideration. Please ensure that your CaFÉ profile reflects residency in one of these locations. Submissions received from outside the eligible region will be withdrawn.
I’m a self-taught photographer, can I still apply?
Absolutely! We welcome submissions from any photo-based artist located in the above region.
Will there be an opening for the 2026 Pacific Northwest Drawers?
Yes! The opening will take place on First Thursday, April 2, 2026.
Do I need to create an account on CaFÉ to submit?
Yes, you will need to create a CaFÉ account in order to submit. Please refer to CaFÉ’s FAQ for further details.
What format/size do my images need to be?
CaFÉ accepts the following formats:
File format: JPEG or JPG only
File dimensions: 1200 pixels or greater on the longest side.
File size: under 5 MB
Can I submit hard copies of my prints to Blue Sky?
No, all considered submissions MUST be submitted through the CaFÉ submission portal. Please do not mail or bring your prints into Blue Sky.
Will there be a deadline extension?
No. Submission deadline is firmly set and will not be extended. To ensure success navigating the CaFÉ portal, we highly encourage artists to submit before the deadline date. Don’t wait until the last minute!
I prefer not to sell my work, can I still apply?
Yes! It’s up to you whether or not you decide to sell your work.
How do I price my work?
It’s ultimately up to you to decide on your prices, but most works in the Pacific Northwest Drawers tend to range from $100 - $1,000. Factors to consider include material costs, time, where you are in your artistic career, edition size, among others.
I don’t live in Portland. If accepted, can I ship my work to you?
Yes, selected artists can ship or drop off their work. If shipping, you are responsible for the cost of shipping work to the gallery. Blue Sky will pay for return shipping to artists who live outside of the Portland area.
Do I have to have 10 images to submit?
Yes, exactly 10 images are required from a single body of work in order to submit.
Are selected artists more likely to get a show at Blue Sky?
The Pacific Northwest Drawers is a great way to introduce your work to Blue Sky. But there is no direct correlation between being selected for the PNW Drawers and being selected for an exhibition on the main gallery walls.
If I’ve been selected in the past can I apply again this year?
Yes, you are welcome to apply as long as you are submitting new work made within the last 5 years.
How does Blue Sky select the juror(s)?
Each year Blue Sky staff chooses new photo industry professional(s) as jury member(s). This means how your work is scored in 2025, might be scored differently in 2026. It’s subjective!
The Pacific Northwest Drawers is largely supported by a generous grant from the Kinsman Foundation.
