THE CENTER ANNUAL

THE CENTER ANNUAL

©Isabella Kahn (left), ©Simon Silva (right), ©Katie Kehoe (bottom)

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SUBMISSIONS CLOSED —

REOPENS MARCH 20, 2026

The Center Annual is Houston Center for Photography’s yearly group exhibition that seeks to highlight and provide insight into current themes, technologies, and practices in photography. The show features a diverse array of works from members of our global photography community and is selected by a leading curator, editor, or artist. This annual exhibition opens our galleries to photographers from anywhere in the world, whether emerging, mid-career, or established, and as such, aims to provide viewers with critical insight into our current moment—both within the field of photography and within society at large. Of those selected, two artists are chosen to receive the HCP Juried Membership Honoraria of $500 each.

About the Juror: Asha Iman Veal

Asha Iman Veal is a curator of contemporary art and an art school professor at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago​. Based in Paris, France/Chicago, US, Veal is focused on conceptual photography and moving-image, cross-diasporic themes, and intercultural dialogues through methodologies of art education.

Asha Iman has been invited as a distinguished jury reviewer for awards and residencies, including the East African Photography Awards, Earth Photo Award by Forestry England and the Royal Geographical Society, Terra Foundation/American Academy in Rome, Visual Studies Workshop NY, University of Chicago Arts + Public Life, Arts Work Fund Chicago, and more. She has been an invited portfolio reviewer and crit panelist for the FORMAT International Photography Festival UK, Rencontres d'Arles France, FotoFest Houston, University of Chicago DOVA, RISDI, Chicago Artist Coalition, and others.

Additionally, Veal bridges interdisciplinary relationships between the arts, government, corporate and nonprofit sectors through her role as a Senior Fellow of Humanity in Action (EU/UK/US), member of the BMW Foundation Responsible Leaders Network (Global Table), and a Chicago Council on Global Affairs’ Emerging Leader. She is a board member of Filter Photo (Chicago), and was a recent board member of Experimental Sound Studio and Audible Gallery. Previous grant supporters of her exhibitions include the National Endowment of the Arts, Andy Warhol Foundation, The Joyce Foundation; BMW Foundation, Humanity in Action/Alfred Landecker Foundation, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs, and others. 

Asha Iman Veal earned her BA at New York University’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study, focusing on contemporary literary practices, nonfiction narrative, and creative examples that deepen the understanding of contemporary multiculturalism. She earned her MFA in creative writing at The New School (NY), where she completed her literary nonfiction thesis Brooklyn (the Black), which she later published in 2015. Veal earned her MA at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2017.

All entrants must be, or become, HCP members at the time of submission. To become an HCP member, click here.

Please note that memberships are non-refundable.

Your membership number and discount code may be acquired by emailing info@hcponline.org with the subject line “Membership ID request.”

DEADLINES/CALENDAR - 2026

Friday, March 20th – Call for entries opens

Sunday, April 19th, 2026 – Call for entries deadline

Early May 2026 – HCP notifies applicants

Early June 2026 – Exhibition opens

 FAQs

  • Absolutely not! As long as you’re an HCP member and want to show your photo-based work, you’re welcome to apply.

  • No, this is an international open call.

  • No, there is no entry fee, but you must be a member of the Houston Center for Photography to apply for this call, for which there is a fee. If you are a member but do not know your membership number, contact us at (713) 529-4755 ext. 10 or info@hcponline.org.

    Not a member? Click here to join!

  • Members receive 15% off online and onsite courses, along with gaining the opportunity to enter either one or both of annual calls for entry: The Center Annual and the HCP Fellowship Awards.

    The calls you may enter depends on the membership level you select.

  • Carefully edit a group of no more than 5 images or videos that describe your current photographic work.

    Videos should be saved as either QuickTime (.mov) files or MPEG-4 (.mp4) files. Images should be resized using the following specifications:

    • JPEG (.jpg) or PNG (.png) filetype

    • 72 DPI

    • 2000 pixels (px) on the LONGEST side

    • Adobe RGB (1998)

    You will also need to have the following information available:

    • Artist Statement

    • Artist Bio

    • CV or Artist Resume (PDF or Word Doc)

    • Artist Website (if applicable)

    • Title, Year, Size (in inches) and Medium of each piece

  • We use the application platform Submittable for all of our calls for entry. Once the call opens, clicking the “APPLY NOW” button will take you directly to the online portal to submit your application.

    Once on Submittable, You will need to click “Submit” to begin the submission process. Then you can start to copy/paste your artist statement and resume or bio into the form and complete the questions. At the end, you will be able to upload your images to submit.

    Make sure you have your HCP membership number handy since you’ll have to enter it during the application process.

  • Yes. Each year a new juror is selected to ensure that there is a fresh set of eyes on our members’ work.

  • No, you cannot submit work that has previously been exhibited at Houston Center for Photography.

  • Applicants will be notified via the e-mail used for their Submittable submission about whether or not their work was accepted into the exhibition shortly after the Juror makes their decision. From there, the HCP will reach out to the Exhibitors to schedule shipping arrangements.

    HCP retains the right to reject any selected work that differs from the work submitted.

  • Yes, HCP’s staff, Board of Directors, and Friends & Founders Circle members are eligible to apply for the Center Annual, however they are not eligible for cash awards, purchase prizes, or any further recognition by the juror.

  • HCP shall provide insurance covering the Selected Work commencing from the time the work is picked up for shipment from the Exhibitor, continuing throughout the Exhibition, and terminating upon redelivery of the work to the Exhibitor or to such other address as specified by the Exhibitor. HCP retains the right to display and reproduce work accepted for this exhibition for publicity and promotional purposes—including but not limited to advertisements regarding the future of HCP’s Exhibitions department, Education department. A. C. E programs, and other areas in promotional of the HCP. The Exhibitor retains the original copyright to their artwork.

    • HCP is responsible for the payment of the costs of shipping to and from HCP via ground shipment only. HCP will not cover the cost to produce a crate or for any other packaging materials. Packaging peanuts are NOT permitted.

    • HCP is responsible for installing and lighting the Exhibition.

    • The Exhibitor’s entry constitutes understanding and agreement with the conditions outlined in this prospectus.

    • HCP Memberships are nonrefundable.