OPEN CALL - VENICE INTERNATIONAL - CANVAS ART FAIR - 26th edition

Venice International Art Fair 2026

26th edition

29 January – 11 February 2026

Palazzo Albrizzi-Capello · Venice, Italy

Application deadline: 31 October 2026, 11.59 pm in your local time.

In art we trust

Darte is an Italy-based arts organisation working across exhibition production, cultural project management and contemporary art programmes. Through a network of international partners, we help artists present their work in museums, historic palaces, galleries and independent spaces.

Our work brings together exhibition opportunities, professional presentation and communication. We support artists in preparing their projects for specific contexts, with attention to the artworks, the setting and the practical conditions of participation.

Experience across exhibitions and cultural projects

Darte has organised and produced more than 80 exhibitions across Italy, presenting over 500 artists from more than 30 countries and over 2,500 artworks. Its programmes have activated more than 20 sites of architectural, historical and cultural significance and include five editions of Lecce Art Week.

Previous projects include exhibitions dedicated to Mario Schifano and Régis Deparis, alongside programmes bringing together established and emerging artists.

The concept

The exhibition considers relationships between identity, the body and space. Its two sections, LIQUID ROOMS and FUTURE LANDSCAPES, approach inner experience and imagined environments respectively.

Developing your proposal

Consider how your work gives form to an experience that cannot be reduced to a single image or description. A figure may hold a memory, an object may acquire a personal meaning, and a landscape may express a psychological state. Your proposal can begin with these relationships and explain how they inform your choice of material, scale or medium.

A short, precise statement will help us understand the work on its own terms. Identify what you are exploring and how the proposed pieces relate to one another. There is no need to rewrite your practice around a theme; make the connection clear where it is already present.

The exhibition location

Palazzo Albrizzi Capello
Palazzo Albrizzi-Capello is a 16th-century Venetian palace in Cannaregio. Frescoed ceilings, decorative stucco and spacious salons give the building a distinctive architectural character, while a private garden forms part of the ground-floor setting.

Managed by ACIT Venice, the Italian-German Cultural Association, the palace hosts exhibitions, concerts and international cultural events. Its exhibition history includes national pavilions during the 58th Venice Biennale. 

The setting invites a considered relationship between contemporary work and historic interiors. When proposing a piece, think about its physical presence as well as its image: the frame, surface, depth and viewing distance all affect how it will be experienced.

Venue address: Cannaregio 4118, 30121 Venice, Italy.

Delivery instructions will be confirmed separately. Please do not ship works to the venue before receiving approval.

Explore Palazzo Albrizzi-Capello

The exhibition and participation

The call welcomes artists, photographers, filmmakers and performers, as well as architects, designers, groups and studios. There is no submission limit. Exhibition participation carries a fee for selected works.

Number and dimensions of works

Please send a coherent proposal with clear images and complete artwork details. The works proposed at application stage are not automatically approved for display. The final selection, dimensions, arrangement and technical requirements must be agreed before participation is confirmed.

For wall-based works, include the dimensions of any frame. For sculpture and installation, specify the full footprint, height, weight and support requirements. For video, digital and performance projects, include duration, equipment, sound and any supervision needed.

Services included in the published call

The published package covers exhibition space, installation and removal, an opening event, promotional materials, press activity and online communication. It also offers assistance with shipping, customs, local transport and accommodation.

Assistance with arrangements should not be understood as payment of the associated costs. Ask for the written participation proposal to identify which expenses are included and which must be covered separately.

Additional documentation and support

If you require a dedicated critical text, a catalogue entry, an interview, a certificate, individual artwork photography or other communication services, please discuss these with Darte before confirming. Their availability and inclusion must be stated in the final proposal.

Selection and technical review

In preparing a proposal with Darte, we will discuss the quality and coherence of the work, its relationship to the exhibition, its dimensions and the feasibility of presenting it in the venue. Please flag unusual materials, fragile components, electrical equipment or complex installation procedures from the outset.

For experimental or site-specific projects, provide an installation sketch and a concise technical sheet. Equipment, display supports and specialist labour require a separate agreement where applicable.

Production fee and support

The participation fee will be set out in the individual proposal for the selected works. The public call does not publish a tariff, and this document does not establish a price per artwork or per linear metre.

Before confirming, please review the total amount, the services covered, any additional charges and the payment schedule. The written proposal should identify the approved works and any special production or technical requirements that affect the cost.

Support from galleries and other partners

Participation costs may be supported by a representing gallery, patron, collector, foundation, company or public or private institution. Artists without external support may choose to cover the agreed contribution directly.

If another party will fund your participation, tell us who they are and whether they require an invoice, a project summary or an acknowledgement. Any use of a sponsor’s name or logo must be agreed in advance. Securing third-party support remains the artist’s responsibility.

Artwork sales

Please indicate the sale price of each available work and identify any pieces that are not for sale. Where a gallery represents the artist, include the relevant contact and any restrictions on sales or negotiations.
Sales handling, commissions, payment procedures and delivery of purchased works must be defined in writing before participation is confirmed. No commission rate is established by this document.

Transport and artwork care

Packaging, delivery and collection arrangements must suit the specific work. For international shipments, provide the country of dispatch and details of any customs or export documentation that may be required.
Before booking transport, obtain the confirmed delivery address, receiving contact and accepted delivery dates. Responsibility for transport costs, return shipping, insurance and any storage must be clarified in the participation agreement.

Travel and accommodation should be arranged only after the relevant exhibition and opening details have been confirmed directly with the team.

How to apply through Darte

Send your proposal to dartestudio.redazione@gmail.com, or reply directly to the Darte email accompanying this document. Use the subject line “Venice 2026 application” followed by your name.

Please include:

⦁ a short biography and artist statement;
⦁ clear images of the proposed works;
⦁ title, year, medium, dimensions and sale price for each work;
⦁ video or performance links and representative stills, where relevant;
⦁ installation requirements and any equipment needed;
⦁ your website or professional profile and contact details;
⦁ details of a representing gallery or supporting organisation, if applicable.
Please submit early enough to discuss any missing information before the deadline stated on the first page. Sending a proposal does not reserve exhibition space or confirm acceptance.

After selection

Before you commit to participation, the written proposal and applicable regulations should confirm:

⦁ the approved works, display requirements and allocated space;
⦁ the fee, payment terms and services included;
⦁ delivery, installation, opening, removal and collection schedules;
⦁ packaging, customs, custody, liability and insurance arrangements;
⦁ sales terms and permissions for the use of images and artist materials;
⦁ the conditions for withdrawal, substitutions, postponement or cancellation.

Darte can discuss the proposal with you before you accept. Keep the final written agreement with your artwork records and shipping documentation.

Contact and official information

Darte · dartestudio.redazione@gmail.com
www.dartestudio.net
Official exhibition call and organiser information
Event details checked on 9 October 2026. This document provides an overview; final participation is subject to the agreed written terms.