Manifest Season 23 Photo-Solo Exhibit Proposals

Manifest Creative Research Gallery is a Cincinnati, Ohio nonprofit gallery (2727 Woodburn Ave, East Walnut Hills) founded in 2005. Manifest runs a year-round seasonal exhibition program with about one-third of programming dedicated to solo exhibitions; the photo-solo track specifically calls for lens-based bodies of work for solo presentation.

Season 23 (2026/27) is timed to coincide with FotoFocus Biennial, the regional Cincinnati photography festival running September 25 through October 23, 2026. Solo exhibitors thus benefit from the heightened visitor traffic and curatorial attention the biennial brings.

Each exhibiting artist receives a $100 cash honorarium. Beyond the honorarium, one work across the entire seasonal exhibition period receives a $1,000 Grand Jury Award. Selected solo exhibitors receive a free season publication, insurance coverage while on gallery premises, and presentation in Manifest's roughly 2,000-square-foot space with 11.5-foot walls and museum-grade track lighting.

Selection is layered: most group exhibits are juried by an anonymous panel of professional and academic advisors who pass recommendations to the gallery's curators for final selection. Eligibility is open globally — anyone can submit a proposal, with the gallery looking for a consistent and very strong body of work.

Application fee is $50 (non-refundable). The 2026 deadline is June 1, with notifications sent in early August.