Call for Art & Design

ImageOut invites designers, illustrators, visual artists, and creatives to submit original artwork for consideration as the official theme for our 2026 film festivals. One of the incredible experiences for our artists is seeing their design on the big screen, in print media, and on merchandise throughout our greater Rochester community. After reading the information below, any contest or submission questions may be emailed to office@imageout.org.

What We’re Looking For

• A strong, visually compelling “key image” that will serve as our festival poster and principal branding visual (print, digital, merchandise)
• A suite of supporting graphics (e.g., festival header/banner, social-media tile, small format badge) derived from the key image, as requested
• Artwork that reflects our festival’s mission: inclusive of LGBTQ+ identities and cultures, responsive to intersectionality, and attuned to the themes of “visibility,” “storytelling,” and “community” that define ImageOut’s ethos
• If you include people or symbols in your artwork, we encourage that your design shows the diversity within the LGBTQ+ community.
• Flexibility in usage: The selected design will be used across multiple touchpoints for the festival, including print collateral, website, social media, signage, and partner/sponsor materials.
• You may submit more than one design. Each design needs to incorporate all the requirements above.
• Previous designs can be found online www.imageout.org/festival-guide/.

Submission Guidelines

• File format for initial submission: high-resolution JPEG (3000px X 3000px) with dimensions: 8” x 8” for the main image; supporting graphics may be sized accordingly.
• Submit a brief proposal (max 300 words) explaining how your artwork addresses our mission and resonates with LGBTQ+ community and culture.
• Include a short bio (150 words max) highlighting relevant previous design or illustration projects and a headshot.
• All work must be original and created by the submitting artist(s). AI generated and copyrighted work is prohibited. By submission, you grant ImageOut a non‐exclusive, world-wide, royalty-free license to reproduce and adapt the work for festival promotion (print, digital, and merchandise) during 2026 and subsequent archival usage.
• Submissions accepted via the Google Form portal. All entries must be received by 11:59 pm (EST) on Friday, January 2, 2026.

Selection & Awards

A jury of ImageOut staff, board members, and invited design professionals will review all submissions. The selected artist will receive:

• A modest stipend of $500 or an equivalent honorarium
• Full credit on the festival poster, in the festival guide, etc: “Official Festival Artwork by [Artist Name]”.
• 2 full festival passes to both the Spring & Fall Film Festivals
• Invitation and honors at the Spring and Fall Film Festival Opening Parties

Submission Deadline & Contest Timeline

• Submission Deadline: 11:59 pm (EST) on Friday, January 2, 2026
• Finalist Announcements: Monday, January 12, 2026
• Notification of Selected Design: Monday, January 19, 2026
• Design Finalization (including any requested adjustments/collaboration): Friday, January 23, 2026
• Artwork Delivery (in final formats: vector and print-ready): Monday, February 2, 2026

Why Participate?

• Your work will be showcased locally, regionally and nationally via the ImageOut Film Festival brand, reaching a diverse audience of LGBTQ+ artists, filmgoers, creatives, and community supporters.
• You will be aligned with a respected and long-established non-profit arts organization whose mission is to elevate LGBTQ+ culture and storytelling.
• The opportunity to have your design featured as the face of an entire festival season—on posters, social media, partner venues, and merchandise—is a significant platform for visibility and professional recognition.