Wisconsin Photography 2026

December 9, 2026 – April 24, 2027
at RAM’s Wustum Museum

Entry Deadline: Monday, August 24

Celebrating the rich community of photographers and video artists living and working in Wisconsin, this juried exhibition takes a different approach than most, with artists being asked to submit a portfolio of up to 10 images or two short films for juror review. This allows the juror to conduct a more extensive review of an artist’s body of work and, if they wish, the opportunity to select multiple pieces from an artist’s portfolio—creating a dynamic exhibition where viewers can get a better sense of how the photographer expresses their ideas across multiple works. Submissions may be of any subject matter and do not need to be taken in Wisconsin.

Entry and jurying for this exhibition takes place entirely online—there will not be in-person jurying of physical works.

Please note that Wisconsin Photography will be presented in a triennial schedule—in rotation with Watercolor Wisconsin and Racine and Vicinity. Photo and video artists will still have many opportunities to participate in Wustum exhibitions, including in an expanded offering of annual Community Art Exhibitions.

Questions? Please contact Ashley Bohne, RAM Exhibitions Coordinator, via email at abohne@ramart.org or by calling 262.619.3536.

Michael Knapstein
Father and Daughter, 2022
Digital pigment print
Racine Art Museum, Cynthia Anne Georgeson Memorial Purchase Award from Wisconsin Photography 2024
Photography: Courtesy of the Artist

Wisconsin Photography 2026

December 9, 2026 – April 24, 2027
at RAM’s Wustum Museum

Entry Deadline: Monday, August 24

Michael Knapstein
Father and Daughter, 2022
Digital pigment print
Racine Art Museum, Cynthia Anne Georgeson Memorial Purchase Award from Wisconsin Photography 2024
Photography: Courtesy of the Artist

Celebrating the rich community of photographers and video artists living and working in Wisconsin, this juried exhibition takes a different approach than most, with artists being asked to submit a portfolio of up to 10 images or two short films for juror review. This allows the juror to conduct a more extensive review of an artist’s body of work and, if they wish, the opportunity to select multiple pieces from an artist’s portfolio—creating a dynamic exhibition where viewers can get a better sense of how the photographer expresses their ideas across multiple works. Submissions may be of any subject matter and do not need to be taken in Wisconsin.

Entry and jurying for this exhibition takes place entirely online—there will not be in-person jurying of physical works.

Please note that Wisconsin Photography will be presented in a triennial schedule—in rotation with Watercolor Wisconsin and Racine and Vicinity. Photo and video artists will still have many opportunities to participate in Wustum exhibitions, including in an expanded offering of annual Community Art Exhibitions.

Questions? Please contact Ashley Bohne, RAM Exhibitions Coordinator, via email at abohne@ramart.org or by calling 262.619.3536.

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Schaun Champion
self portrait
Photography: Courtesy of the Artist

Juror

Schaun Champion is a Baltimore-based fine art photographer, public artist, and educator working primarily in digital and large-format analog film. Her work has been shown in museums and galleries internationally — including the Barnes Foundation and the Baltimore Museum of Art — and she has photographed for outlets including the New York Times, NPR, and Cultured Magazine. She has completed commissions and residencies with institutions including the National Aquarium and Miller Theatre at Columbia University, and has taught in partnership with Morgan State University. Threading through her practice is a sustained attention to the natural world and the myths humans make to understand it — the stories we tell about land, time, and belonging that reveal as much about us as they do about the world we inhabit. Her work is rooted in the belief that photography, at its most honest, is an act of deep attention.

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Schaun Champion
self portrait
Photography: Courtesy of the Artist

Juror

Schaun Champion is a Baltimore-based fine art photographer, public artist, and educator working primarily in digital and large-format analog film. Her work has been shown in museums and galleries internationally — including the Barnes Foundation and the Baltimore Museum of Art — and she has photographed for outlets including the New York Times, NPR, and Cultured Magazine. She has completed commissions and residencies with institutions including the National Aquarium and Miller Theatre at Columbia University, and has taught in partnership with Morgan State University. Threading through her practice is a sustained attention to the natural world and the myths humans make to understand it — the stories we tell about land, time, and belonging that reveal as much about us as they do about the world we inhabit. Her work is rooted in the belief that photography, at its most honest, is an act of deep attention.

Entry Requirements

  • Must be a resident of Wisconsin.

  • Negatives and digital files must have been created after January 1, 2024.

  • Including the frame, all works must be at least 8 inches x 8 inches and no larger than 60 inches x 60 inches. Video submissions must be 15 minutes or less—no commercial work. Sizes outside these requirements are unacceptable. For guidance on how these requirements apply to 3D work, contact RAM Exhibitions Coordinator Ashley Bohne at abohne@ramart.org.

  • Accepted photographs must be printed on photographic paper, digital photo paper, fine art paper, or fibre rag. Prints on metal and reverse Plexiglas® are also allowed. Other printing surfaces may be utilized if approved in advance by RAM staff. Canvas is not acceptable.

  • All images and/or video must be original work created by the artist. AI-generated images and video, or those created in whole or part by image-creation software, are prohibited and will result in disqualification. RAM reserves the right to contact artists for further clarification about any information submitted in their entry form, including suspected AI usage.

  • We will only allow single photographs in the show—no diptychs or triptychs.

  • All entries must be ready for display upon delivery. Works should not require construction from RAM staff members, including creating, building, attaching, or painting elements.

  • All photos need to be wired for hanging. Works on paper must be framed and glazed. Wood or metal frames are preferred. Works on metal or reverse Plexiglas® do not need to be framed. If artwork is not properly prepared for display, it will not be included.

  • If submitting 3-dimensional work, multi-media additions must make up no more than 25% of the entry. No food, liquids, dirt, sand, loose glitter, or living organisms allowed. Any other medium may be used—clay, wood, paper, metal, polymer, wax, paint, textile, photography, printmaking, collage, assemblage, etc.

  • Artists must provide a transcript of all spoken words or a description of any sounds included in their work—subtitles preferred for video work but not required.

  • Works must not have been previously exhibited at Racine Art Museum or RAM’s Wustum Museum. Due to space and display limitations, final selections will be at the discretion of RAM staff.

  • Artists will be asked to fill out an identification label upon drop-off. RAM reserves the right to alter media lines for clarification and to adhere to branding guidelines.

  • Due to the historic nature of the Wustum galleries, RAM reserves the right to reject works which may cause excessive strain or damage to the gallery walls.

  • Submitted works must remain on display for the entire duration of the exhibition.

  • If an artist cannot provide all works selected by the juror for display, no works by the artist will be included in the exhibition.

Important Dates

Online Entry

Submissions are due by 4:00 pm on Monday, August 24.

Entry fee: $35

Photographers: Submit a portfolio of 2 to 10 digital images saved as .jpg, .png, or .tif files at 300 dpi resolution, at least 1800 pixels on the longest side, and with a file size no larger than 5MB. If you are submitting 3-dimensional work, the image must reflect the final work.

Video Artists: Submit up to two videos saved as .mp4 or .mov files at least 1920 pixels on the longest side, with a file size no larger than 500MB.

Selected Work Drop-Off

Artists will be notified of entry status via email on Tuesday, September 15

If selected, drop off your works in person to RAM’s Wustum Museum, 2519 Northwestern Avenue in Racine, on Friday, October 2, or Saturday, October 3, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm.

Information on how to ship your accepted work can be provided upon request.

Exhibition Dates

December 9, 2026 – April 24, 2027, at RAM’s Wustum Museum

Opening Reception

Sunday, December 6, 2:00 – 4:00 pm at RAM’s Wustum Museum. Light refreshments will be served.

Pickup of Work

Work must be picked up from RAM’s Wustum Museum on Monday, May 3, or Tuesday, May 4, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm.

Works should be claimed promptly. Unless alternative pickup dates are arranged, works are considered abandoned and become the sole and unrestricted property of the Racine Art Museum on May 29, 2027. Limited storage space may make it necessary to dispose of your work at this point.

Awards

Cash prizes chosen by the juror will be awarded: $800 (First), $600 (Second), $400 (Third), and three $200 (Merit) prizes. RAM will not be offering Purchase Awards to acquire work for the museum’s collection.

Due to a policy adjustment regarding juried and community exhibitions, works in Wisconsin Photography 2026 will not be available for sale. For additional details about this policy update and future artist opportunities, please refer to the FAQ section below.

Entry Submission

  • Please read all entry requirements and specifications above before submitting entries.

  • When ready to submit, add one entry ticket—located to the right on desktop, and below on mobile—to your shopping cart and click “Get Tickets.”

  • If you are NOT a RAM member, proceed with the $35 jurying fee. After payment is processed, you will receive a payment confirmation email containing a link to submit images or videos.

  • Become a RAM member to waive entry fee.

  • If you ARE a RAM member, log in to your member account using the login form—located to the right on desktop, and below on mobile—to receive immediate access to the entry form link. If you are already logged in to your account, you will see the entry form link without having to log in again.

Submitting artwork to this exhibition constitutes an agreement on your part with the conditions set forth by RAM, and grants the museum permission to reproduce your work for publicity and catalogue purposes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Photographs selected by the juror may be printed on photographic paper, digital photo paper, fine art paper, fibre rag, metal, or may be a reverse Plexiglas® print. Please contact RAM Exhibitions Coordinator Ashley Bohne (abohne@ramart.org) for approval if your preferred printing surface is not included in this list. Canvas is not allowed.

No, but you must submit more than one. The goal of this exhibition, and what makes it different than many other juried photography shows, is that it offers a deeper dive into a photographer’s process, practice, or subject exploration.

Although the juror will consider an artist’s entire portfolio, all submissions should be singular. Please do not submit diptychs, triptychs, etc.

Yes. Artists can submit up to two videos, a portfolio of 2 to 10 digital images, or a combination of both. A maximum of 10 works is allowed.

No, photographs can be of any subject matter or taken at any location. However, artists must reside in or maintain a residence in Wisconsin.

Yes. For information on how the requirements listed on this webpage relate to 3D work, please contact RAM Exhibitions Coordinator Ashley Bohne at abohne@ramart.org.

RAM members can access the submission form by logging in with their membership credentials in the Digital Submissions section above. A direct link to the digital entry form will appear above the jurying fee.

Non-members must first submit the $35 entry fee by clicking/tapping “Add to Cart” and proceeding with the checkout process. A confirmation email with the link to the digital submission form will be sent after the payment is processed. Please note that some email providers do not automatically link the URL included in the confirmation email, so you may need to copy and paste it into your preferred internet browser. If you have not received the link within 24 hours of purchase, please email Info@ramart.org.

All works must meet the museum’s standards for quality and presentation. All selected works must be wired for hanging regardless of the surface they are printed on. Works on paper must be framed and glazed with either glass or Plexiglas®. Metal and reverse Plexiglas® prints do not need to be framed or glazed. Works are not required to have a mat, though many artists prefer one.

RAM Staff will not wire, frame, or mat works.

Artists should frame their works in accordance to requirements outlined on the Call for Artists webpage, with a focus on durability.

When framing work, artists should consider the duration of the exhibition. Economy or budget frames often lack the stability needed for proper installation. Thin Plexiglas® used in economy frames also tends to scratch and takes away from the quality of the work.

Please note that poor framing could result in work being turned away from the exhibition.

Yes, however, multi-media additions must make up no more than 25% of the entry. No food, liquids, dirt, sand, loose glitter, or living organisms allowed. Any other medium may be used—clay, wood, paper, metal, polymer, wax, paint, textile, photography, printmaking, collage, assemblage, etc. Works with added multi-media elements must still conform to standard framing requirements.

As long as the work was made after January 1, 2023, has never been exhibited at RAM or RAM’s Wustum Museum, and follows all of the other guidelines for the exhibition, works that have previously not been displayed can be submitted.

Artists selected for this exhibition commonly have multiple works selected. Please only submit a quantity of works that you would be able to print/display to the museum’s standards of quality. If an artist cannot provide all works selected by the juror for display, no works by the artist will be included in the exhibition.

Moving forward and reinforcing our roles as spaces dedicated to creative exploration and meaningful experiences, works of art on exhibition at RAM or RAM’s Wustum Museum will not be available for sale. This shift reflects an adjustment in policy—especially for juried and community exhibitions at the Wustum campus. RAM and RAM’s Wustum Museum are committed to supporting area artists through exhibition opportunities and will work toward future events that specifically emphasize sales. Additionally, the RAM Museum Store may invite artists to explore potential retail opportunities.

Cash prizes chosen by the juror will be awarded: $800 (First), $600 (Second), $400 (Third), and three $200 (Merit) prizes. RAM will not be offering Purchase Awards to acquire work for the museum’s collection.

If you are unable to pick up your work in person, you can email Exhibition Support/Production Assistant Ashley Bohne (abohne@ramart.org) the name of an alternative pick-up person who can collect the work on your behalf.

Accepted work can be shipped back to you at the conclusion of the exhibition. Please provide a prepaid return shipping label and packaging materials during drop-off.

Work not picked up within 30 days of the designated pickup is considered abandoned and will be disposed of.

Yes, accepted work must be displayed for the entire duration of Wisconsin Photography 2026, December 9, 2026 – April 24, 2027.

If work cannot be displayed continuously throughout this period, please do not submit work for this exhibition. RAM’s Wustum Museum offers multiple opportunities to participate in juried or community shows, and asks that you would wait to submit your work to a show you could fully participate in.

A number of factors are taken into account when selecting work for a juried show. Works are chosen based on individual merit as well as how all selected works will present together as a group in this particular exhibition space.

RAM changes jurors annually, as their personal preference may impact the works they gravitate towards. A short biography of the juror is included on RAM’s website if you are interested in learning more about who is selecting the show.

Please note that RAM staff and jurors are unable to provide individual feedback on why works were not selected for the show.

Kristine Hinrichs
The Gaslight, 2023
Pigment print on habotai silk and organza
Racine Art Museum, Cynthia Anne Georgeson Memorial Purchase Award from Wisconsin Photography 2024
Photography: Courtesy of the Artist

Stay in Touch

The Racine Art Museum and RAM’s Wustum Museum work together to serve as a community resource, with spaces for discovery, creation, and connection. Keep up to date on everything happening at both museum campuses—and beyond—by subscribing to our email newsletter:

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