Studio Break is now accepting from submissions from Student Artists, Deadline: May 15th.
Eligibility: The competition is open to all MA/MFA and BA/BFA student artists graduating in 25’ or in the process of completing their degree from an accredited visual arts program. Applicants should have. a demonstrated track record of creating thematic bodies of work. Artists who’ve been featured on/at Studio Break in 2025 are ineligible; professional artists interested in applying should reserve applications for the upcoming Professional Competition in the fall of 2026.
Studio Break Winners:
3 MFA Artists & 3 BFA Artists (6 total) will be featured on Studio Break, this includes an online gallery and participation in the Studio Break Podcast with an episode highlighting the artists studio practice and current exhibitions.
3 Artists will be selected for a small group exhibition at Studio Break Gallery.Artist, Educator,
Media: the competition is open to all visual media:
2-D (drawing, painting, printmaking, photography)
3-D (sculpture, installation)
New Media (video, performance)
Juror: Sam Kelly, Artist, Educator, and Chautauqua Visual Arts Assistant at the Chautauqua Institution.
Application:
__Applicants should submit a $15 application fee via Venmo Link or PayPal Link
__Interested applicants can send an email directly to studiobreak@studiobreak.com with a subject marked "2026 Studio Break Student Competition".
__Artists should include their full name, a website link to their portfolio & Instagram account.
__Artists submitting video or time based work should include hyperlinks to review video on portfolio websites or video sites like vimeo, youtube, etc...
__Questions concerning the application may be sent to: studiobreak@studiobreak.com
Juror: Sam Kelly
Website Link
Sam Kelly (b. 1987) is an artist and educator, currently residing in Dayton, Ohio. He earned a BFA in Painting from Wright State University in Dayton, OH, and an MFA in Painting from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth in Dartmouth, MA. Sam has completed residencies at the Chautauqua School of Art in Chautauqua, NY, and Four Pillars in Mount Gretna, PA. He has exhibited his work nationally and internationally including the CICA Museum, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea; THE ROOM Contemporary Art Space, Venice, Italy; Surface Gallery, Nottingham, United Kingdom; Blue Mountain Gallery, New York, NY; Bowery Gallery, New York, NY; First Street Gallery, New York, NY; The Painting Center, New York, NY; Prince Street Gallery, New York, NY; Bromfield Gallery, Boston, MA; Susquehanna Art Museum, Harrisburg, PA; University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, AK; Marshall University, Huntington, WV; and University of North Carolina Asheville, Asheville, NC. He is the recipient of the Art in the City Grant, which was awarded by the Downtown Dayton Partnership, as well as the Artist Opportunity Grant, which was awarded by the Montgomery County Arts and Cultural District. Sam currently teaches as a Visiting Lecturer at Indiana University East. In addition, Sam is also the Chautauqua Visual Arts Assistant at the Chautauqua Institution.
Surviving the Carnage
2023, oil and collage
on wood panel
10 × 6 ¾ inches