Call for Submissions: Solving a Problem Exhibition
Mark Bedford | National accessArts Centre
Deadline to apply: January 8, 2026
In partnership with National accessArts Centre, curator Mark Bedford invites artists in all stages of their career to apply for the group exhibition, Solving a Problem.
Exhibition Information
How do you solve a problem? Do you pounce at a puzzle with brute force? Are you slow and steady with strategy? Perhaps you feel nervous or confused when you face a challenge. Perhaps, instead, you feel inspired and mystified. From chess to squabbles to mysteries, Solving a Problem is looking for artwork that explores how people approach obstacles.
Curator Information
Mark Bedford is an emerging artist and curator working in Calgary, Alberta. He came to Alberta from Essex, England 30 years ago. Mark has a passion for the puzzles of life, which includes activities like art, chess, and lego building. Mark is a huge fan of music, movies, and anything that connects him to his feelings.
Mark works out of National accessArts Centre, where he’s participated in professional track programs such as the Drawing Intensive, ArtShare, and the artist Practicum Program. He has sold artworks, and recently participated in Cats, Dogs, Horses at the NaAC as well as Cordially Invited at Make Studio in Baltimore, MD.
This exhibition welcomes artists who:
- Work in drawing, painting, sculpture, craft, fibre, ceramics or video
- Are 18 years of age or older
- Are in any stage of their career
Important Dates:
- Submissions open October 9, 2025
- Deadline to apply January 8, 2026
- Applicants contacted February 12, 2026
- Exhibition opens May – July 2026 (exact dates TBD)
Application Requirements
- Please submit your application via email to submissions@accessarts.ca with the subject line SUBMISSION: SOLVING A PROBLEM.
- Please submit written responses in a single PDF.
- Please send artwork documentation in a PDF or Dropbox link or Google Drive link.
In your application, please include the following:
- Artist Bio (2 – 4 sentences)
- A brief description of who you are as an artist
- Artist Statement (3 – 6 sentences)
- A paragraph long description of the art you make. You can include why you make the art, how you make the art, how you feel when you make art, and any art research that you think about when you make art.
- Up to ten images of your artwork or up to three minutes of a video work sample
- As well as a list describing each artwork (title, date, materials, dimensions or duration)
- (Optional) a one-page CV outlining your experience in the arts
If you have any questions, please reach out to submissions@accessarts.ca.
