Why I Hardly Participate In Art Shows Anymore

“Thank you for your submission to the “x” exhibition. Making selections was extremely challenging for our juror, due to the amount of excellent work submitted. So many great images did not make the final selection.”

The world of photography, and art in general, is full of contests and competitions. Close to a hundred of them hit my inbox every week. They promise pots of gold at the end of the rainbow and all I have to do is submit my work. It almost sounds like it’s easy to become famous and rich as an artist. What most of them don’t tell you in the invitation email is that there’s  a registration fee for most contests that pops up once you try to go ahead and register. Once you pay the fee, ranging from a typical $35-$45 up to sometimes $95, you’re officially in the run to win the contest. Along with (tens of) thousands of other talented individuals. If you win, you might win a cash prize, exhibition contract, book participation, or any combination of the above. Or, in some cases you’…