COLOR 26
9th Annual Juried International Exhibition
Deadline for Submissions: Monday, June 29, 2026 Midnight
COLOR 26, 9th Annual Juried International Exhibition
Dive into a Spectrum of Creativity at 3 Square Art Gallery, Fort Collins, Colorado! Are you ready to unleash a riot of colors? Welcome to COLOR 26, the year's most electrifying, anticipated exhibition where color isn't just seen—it's experienced! Imagine walking into a gallery where every shade, hue, and tint tells a story, where art doesn't just hang on the wall but leaps into your senses.
This September 2026, we’re not just hosting an exhibition; we're celebrating color in all its glory. From splashes of paint, lines of colors, dabs of color, colored fabric, colored lights to digital canvases, COLOR 26 invites you to get creative and immerse yourself in an unparalleled journey of color vibrancy.
Color is the heartbeat of art. It's where the art theory begins, with the color wheel spinning into primary and secondary colors, creating a dance of light and shadow. We pay homage to the legends like Mark Rothko, Joan Miró, and Helen Frankenthaler, whose explorations in Color Field painting revolutionized how we perceive art. Now, it's your turn to push the boundaries even further!
COLOR 26 is your stage to showcase how color can redefine art, become a language of its own, and evoke a playground of emotions, ideas, and interpretations. Join this vibrant community, where color knows no limits, and your art could be the next to dazzle, inspire, or provoke thought. Don't miss your chance to be part of this colorful revolution!
Jurors
Steve Scheuring
Denise Demby
3 Square Art Gallery
$3500 in cash awards
Submit Your Entry!
Submit your entry to COLOR 26. The Deadline for submission is Monday, June 29, 2026
View Submission Instructions
View Submission Agreement
View Information on the Jurying Process
1) Select the number of images you would like to submit
2) Press the “Submit Entry Fee” button and you will see a form to enter the submitting artist’s contact information and pay the entry fee.
3) AFTER completing payment for the entry fee, you will need to EMAIL your images with information to submissions@3squareart.com. Please see detailed instructions on the Call for Entry page.
Artwork above from the COLOR 25 Exhibition by (top to bottom, left to right): Ann Corbett, David Thoutt, Diana Yeagle, Dolores Rowland, Sue Sell, James Overstreet, Jesse Hill, Sue Pauley, Michelle Hardy, Paul Art Lee, Todd Cookman, Susan Montague, Dara Weyna, Derek Wilkinson, Lynn Schwebach, Michael Moss, Jessica Houseman, Bob Coonts
Entry Fees
$65 for the first 3 artworks
$15 for each additional artwork (up to a maximum of 5 total per artist)
All fees support our $3,000 in cash awards, juror honoraria, and gallery operations. Entry fees are non-refundable.
Submission Instructions
1) Select the number of images you would like to submit
2) Press the “Submit Entry Fee” button and you will see a form to enter your contact information and pay the entry fee.
3) AFTER completing payment for the entry fee, you will need to EMAIL your images with information to submissions@3squareart.com. Please note the following formats:
✅ Please include Artwork Information for each image including:
Title
Medium (For example: Oil, Aclylic, Watercolor, Graphite, Charcoal, Mixed Media, Fiber Art, Digital Art, Sculpture, Printmaking, Photography, and etc.)
Dimensions (include BOTH artwork size AND framed size for framed artwork)
***Submitted dimensions (including frame) must be accurate. Works that differ significantly from submitted size may require relocation or may not be included in the exhibition.Year Created
✅ Image File Naming: Name your image files in this format => FirstLast_Title.jpg. Please do not include any other information in the file name.
✅ Image Size: Images should be less than 5MB each with the longest edge ideally 1800 pixels or more and not less than 1600 pixels
✅ File Format: Save your images in .jpg format
4) You will receive confirmation of your entry by email once we receive your images. If you have any questions at all or need assistance with your submission, please feel free to call us at 970-388-1969 or email us at submissions@3squareart.com.
Deadline
Deadline for Submission: June 29, 2026 (Midnight)
Eligibility
The COLOR 26 competition is open to artists worldwide aged 18+ (at time of entry) submitting original works created on or after June 2023 (any work completed before then will be disqualified).
The theme of this exhibition is COLOR! Splashes color, mashes of color, technically perfect color, artworks render with lots of color, color fields, color studies, color effects… loud and bold, quiet and soft… You get the idea =» COLOR needs to be central to the work.
Each artist may enter up to 5 artworks.
Media: The competition welcomes all media, including painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, printmaking, textiles, and digital art. THE MORE COLOR THE BETTER!
Artworks must be have been created in the past 3 years; any artworks completed before June, 2023 will be disqualified.
No size restrictions, provided the work fits through a 6ft x 7ft doorway for installation/shipping.
All artwork must be original, independently created, and not produced under instructor direction (e.g., workshops/classes). No copies of other artists' works, paintings/drawings from others' photos, or published material. If using reference photographs, they must be taken by the artist.
Artwork previously exhibited at 3 Square Art Gallery is ineligible.
All entry fees are non-refundable.
Please review the SUBMISSION AGREEMENT before submitting.
Awards & Benenfits
Awards
3SA GOLD AWARD: $2000 + Award Certification
3SA SILVER AWARD: $1000 + Award Certification
3SA BRONZE AWARD: $500 + Award Certification
Honorable Mentions: Award Certificate
Finalist Benefits:
All selected finalists will be invited to exhibit and will receive the following:
Juried Exhibition
Inclusion in a professionally curated exhibition at 3 Square Art (3SA)Physical Exhibition
Display of artwork in a dedicated fine art gallery spaceOnline Exhibition
Featured presentation on the 3SA websitePromotion & Exposure
Promotion across 3SA’s website and social media platformsProfessional Recognition
Exhibition at a leading art center with presence in Northern Colorado and Miami, Florida
(a strong addition to exhibition history and CV)Artist Listing
Featured artist page on the 3SA website, including artwork and a link to the artist’s websitePress & Media
Inclusion in exhibition press releases distributed through 3SA media channels
Exhibition Details
Exhibit Date: September 12 – October 16, 2026
Opening Reception: Friday, September 12, 6-8pm
Schedule
The Submission Deadline is Monday, June 29, 2026 at Midnight
Notification of Acceptance Period: August 4 - 10, 2026
Agreement Due: August 14, 2026
Artwork Due: September 4, 2026
Artwork Drop Off Day: September 4, 2026 from 1-4pm
Shipping Artwork Due: September 4, 2026 ***you can ship any time after August 15, 2026
Exhibition Dates: September 12 - October 16, 2026
Opening Reception: Friday, September 12, 2026 from 6-8pm
Artwork Pick Up Day: October 17, 2026 from 1-4pm
Artwork Return Shipping Period: October 19-28, 2026
Jurors
Steve Scheuring
Steve Scheuring is a highly credentialed, award-winning realist painter known especially for his realistic, complex still life paintings. His luminous canvases also capture the vibrancy of everyday life—from bustling Paris streets and Roman scenes to small-town Pennsylvania markets, parades, and Jersey Shore summers—often incorporating the human element through portraits, crowds, and family references. “My work is a means of connecting to fond memories of my past, feelings I'm trying to understand or reconcile, moments I don't want to lose, my dreams and aspirations, and people, places, and things that inspire me and have formed the essence of who I am.” A self-taught artist influenced by masters like Dalí and Wyeth, Scheuring serves on the Board of Directors of the Allied Artists of America, is a Signature Member of the Hudson Valley Art Association, and holds elected or juried memberships in the American Artists Professional League, International Guild of Realism, Portrait Society of America, and NOAPS. His work has been featured in numerous magazines and won many awards, most recently with “Tastes Of Home” taking first place in the still life category of the Portrait Society’s 2025 Members Only Competition and entering the permanent collection of The Reading Public Museum. He lives in Southeastern Pennsylvania with his wife and children, who frequently inspire his paintings.
Denise Demby
Denise Demby is an award-winning juror, curator, and gallery owner as well as a contemporary abstract painter and sculptor based in Arvada, Colorado. Her minimalist works explore harmony, simplicity, and emotional resonance, drawing from the arid Colorado landscape and architecture to create color-field paintings, steel-and-glass sculptures, and mixed-media pieces in reduced forms that evoke joy, peace, and quiet beauty. She holds a B.F.A. in Printmaking and Ceramics from Metropolitan State University of Denver, has exhibited widely in regional and national venues, and owns/curates 931 Gallery while actively supporting the arts through collectives and juried exhibitions.
3 Square Art Gallery
3 Square Art Gallery, represented by Directors Kumiko S. McKee and Craig McKee, serves as the third juror for this exhibition. As the premier contemporary art center in Fort Collins, Colorado, 3 Square Art has established itself as a vibrant hub for creating, sharing, and learning in the arts. For the past 9 years, Directors Craig and Kumiko McKee have guided and juried numerous national and international juried exhibitions, curating high-quality shows that feature exceptional work from artists across the United States and beyond. Kumiko, an award-winning artist and Gallery Director/Curator, along with Craig, brings deep expertise, passion, and a commitment to supporting both emerging and established artists through thoughtful selection and meaningful exhibition opportunities.
Curator
Kumiko S. McKee
3 Square Art Gallery Director