Open calls are one of the fastest ways to fill exhibitor slots, discover new talent, and build long term visibility for your art fair or festival. But most organisers in the GCC run into the same two problems:

1. They get flooded with low quality, off topic, copy paste applications.

2. The best artists do not apply because the call looks unclear, unprofessional, or risky.

Searches for art open call best practices are rising for a reason. Organisers need systems, not just a Google Form.

This guide shows you how to design an open call that attracts quality artists, filters spam automatically, and creates a smooth jury process that protects your team’s time while improving the final exhibitor lineup.

Why most open calls fail (even when organisers get hundreds of applications)

Volume is not the goal. Quality and fit are the goal.

Open calls usually fail because of one or more of these issues:

• Vague theme or unclear eligibility

• No clear incentive or exhibitor promise

• Application form too long or too shallow

• No filters, so spam dominates the pipeline

• No scoring system, so jury decisions become emotional and inconsistent

• Slow communication, so strong applicants lose interest

• Weak credibility signals, so professionals do not apply

The fix is a well designed application funnel, not more promotion.

The Open Call Funnel (what you are actually building)

Think of your open call as a conversion funnel:

1. Attention: artists see the call

2. Trust: artists believe it is real and worth applying

3. Fit: artists self select correctly

4. Application: form captures structured data, not chaos

5. Filtering: spam removed automatically

6. Jury: consistent scoring and ranking

7. Conversion: accepted artists pay, sign, and onboard

8. Retention: reapply, refer, and promote your next edition

If any step is weak, you either get spam or you lose the best applicants.

Step 1: Start with the exhibitor promise, not the theme

The theme can be poetic. The exhibitor promise must be practical.

A strong promise answers:

• Who is the audience

• What artists gain

• What makes your event credible

• Why now

Examples:

• “A sales focused art fair in (city) connecting emerging artists with GCC based collectors, corporate buyers, and design professionals.”

• “A public facing art festival with exhibitions, talks, and high footfall activations, designed for visibility and brand building in the GCC.”

If your promise is clear, good applicants apply. If it is vague, everyone applies.

Step 2: Define quality in measurable terms

Most organisers say they want “high quality.” But what does that mean?

Define quality with 6 to 10 criteria such as:

• Professional portfolio presentation

• Cohesive body of work, not random pieces

• Clear artist statement, not generic text

• Pricing logic that fits the market

• Production readiness (framing, editions, logistics)

• Relevance to your audience and concept

• Proof of practice (exhibitions, collectors, awards, press, or credible career signals)

This becomes the backbone of your jury scoring system later.

Step 3: Write an open call that filters applicants before they even apply

Your open call page should reduce spam by making expectations obvious.

Include these elements:

Clear eligibility

• Who can apply (artists, collectives, galleries, designers)

• Medium categories allowed

• GCC based or international welcome

• Minimum portfolio quality expectation

• Language requirements, if any

Clear costs and what is included

• Booth fee or participation fee

• What the exhibitor gets

• What is not included

• Payment timeline

Clear selection process

• Jury criteria

• Timeline

• How many will be selected

• When results are announced

Clear deliverables

• Number of artworks required

• Image specs

• Price list required

• Bio and statement required

• Installation or shipping expectations

The more specific you are, the more low effort applicants drop out.

Step 4: Build an application form that collects structure, not essays

Spam thrives in unstructured forms.

Your goal is to force clarity through fields, not long text boxes.

Required fields that predict seriousness

• Full name, location, nationality if relevant

• Website or portfolio link (mandatory)

• Instagram link (optional but useful)

• Medium category (choose one primary)

• Short artist bio (max 800 characters)

• Short statement about this body of work (max 1,200 characters)

• 5 to 10 artworks with titles, dimensions, medium, year, and price

• Confirmation of production readiness

• Confirmation they read terms, costs, and timeline

Add one “proof of attention” question

Spam bots hate specifics. Add something like:

• “In one sentence, what is the main audience of this event?”
  or

• “What is the participation fee and what does it include?”

If they cannot answer, they did not read. That is your first filter.

Step 5: Use spam filters that do not punish real artists

You can filter spam without making the process annoying.

Practical filters:

• Require a portfolio link that must include at least 10 works

• Require prices for submitted works

• Add a minimum image count

• Use file type limits and size limits

• Block copy paste walls of text by character limits

• Ask for one specific event related answer (see above)

• Include a checkbox confirming they are the creator of the work

• Include a statement about AI generated applications being rejected if you want to reduce template spam

You will be shocked how quickly volume drops while quality increases.

Step 6: Create a two step application to protect your jury’s time

For larger calls, use two steps.

Step 1: Fast qualification

Collect only:

• Portfolio link

• Medium category

• Short bio

• 3 best works with prices

• Location and readiness

Step 2: Full application

Only invite the short listed artists to submit:

• Full artwork list

• High resolution images

• Installation needs

• Full statement

• Any additional documents

This reduces jury overload and makes the process feel more exclusive, which attracts better applicants.

Step 7: Design the jury process like a scoring system, not a discussion

Jury meetings fail when there is no structure.

Use a scoring sheet with clear weights.

Example scoring categories (adjust to your event):

• Artistic quality and coherence (30)

• Fit with concept and audience (20)

• Professional presentation and readiness (20)

• Market viability and pricing logic (15)

• Originality and distinct voice (10)

• Diversity contribution to lineup (5)

Total: 100 points.

Then rank applicants by score, and discuss only the top tier and borderline cases.

This prevents random decisions and protects fairness.

Step 8: Build an acceptance funnel that converts selected artists into confirmed exhibitors

Selection is not the finish line. Conversion is.

Your acceptance email should include:

• Congratulations and why they were selected

• Package details and next steps

• Deposit amount and deadline

• Contract link

• Onboarding checklist

• A clear deadline for reply

Add urgency:

• “Your spot is reserved for 72 hours. After that, we offer it to the next ranked applicant.”

This single line can dramatically increase conversion.

Step 9: Communicate like a professional organiser (this attracts better applicants)

Professional artists judge the organiser as much as the event.

Best practices:

• Confirm receipt instantly

• Share a clear timeline

• Send one mid call update (for trust)

• Announce results on time

• Give short, respectful rejection notes if possible

• Provide a waitlist pathway

Even a simple update email reduces anxiety and builds your reputation for the next edition.

Step 10: Promote your open call where quality artists actually are

Posting once on Instagram is not a strategy.

High quality applicant channels in the GCC:

• Targeted outreach to GCC collectives and art communities

• Partnerships with art schools and residency programs

• Collaborations with galleries and art spaces

• LinkedIn posts aimed at cultural professionals

• Newsletter promotions to relevant artist databases

• Cross promotion with printing houses, framers, art handlers, and cultural venues

A quality open call is a distribution game plus credibility.

The Art Fair Guy advantage for open calls in the GCC

If you want an open call that attracts serious artists, you need more than a form. You need credibility, reach, and a process that scales.

The Art Fair Guy is actively involved in multiple large scale art fairs and cultural projects in the GCC as a curator, advisor, and art fair expert. That on the ground experience means you are not getting theory. You are getting what actually works in the region.

How The Art Fair Guy helps organisers run successful open calls

1) Open call strategy and positioning

• Define your exhibitor promise

• Create eligibility and quality criteria

• Align the call with your market and audience

2) Application funnel design

• Build a two step application system

• Design forms that reduce spam and increase structure

• Create the acceptance funnel that converts selected artists fast

3) Jury process templates

• Scoring sheets with weighted criteria

• Shortlist workflows

• Jury meeting structure and decision protocols

• Fairness and transparency guidelines that protect your reputation

4) Distribution and applicant growth

The Art Fair Guy runs a GCC focused newsletter with more than 8,000 artists in the region, plus strong connections across the local art ecosystem. This network helps your open call reach qualified applicants faster, especially when you are launching a new fair or festival and need momentum.

5) End to end organiser consulting

From open call planning to exhibitor onboarding, marketing structure, and lineup strategy, The Art Fair Guy can help you build a reliable applicant engine for current and future editions.

If you are planning an open call for an art fair or festival in the GCC and want a high quality applicant pool without spam overload, reach out to The Art Fair Guy for open call setup, application funnel design, and jury process templates.

Contact us at office@theartfairguy.com

Common mistakes to avoid (quick checklist)

• Open call theme is vague and eligibility is unclear

• Participation costs are hidden until late

• Form is long but unstructured

• No spam filters or attention checks

• Jury has no scoring system

• Communication is slow or inconsistent

• Acceptance process lacks urgency and deposit clarity

• Promotion is too broad, not targeted

Fix these, and your open call becomes a serious pipeline, not a headache.

FAQ

What are the most important art open call best practices?

Clear eligibility, structured forms, spam filters, a scoring based jury process, and a fast acceptance funnel with deposits and deadlines.

How do I avoid spam applications in an artist open call?

Use structured fields, portfolio link requirements, price fields, character limits, attention check questions, and a two step application process.

Should I charge an application fee?

In the GCC, application fees can reduce spam but can also reduce quality if your credibility is not strong. A better option is strong filtering plus a deposit only after acceptance.

How long should an open call be open?

Usually 3 to 6 weeks. Long enough to reach quality applicants, short enough to maintain urgency and planning control.

How many artworks should artists submit?

For step one, 3 to 5 best works is ideal. For step two, request 8 to 15 works plus details and high resolution files.