Call to Artists

THE SECRET SHOW: CURATED BY EMMA HAPNER

Submission deadline: January 5, 2026

This is a digital exhibition AND a physical exhibition. Some work will be selected for digital exhibition only, and a generous portion of entries will be selected for the in-person, month long, physical gallery exhibition in downtown Philadelphia in a beautiful, secret location. There will be a secret exhibition opening reception in the style of a French salon.

Secrets have always held allure. They live in the margins of letters, in glances across a room, in the space between what is spoken and what is withheld. For centuries, secrets have inspired artists, writers, and dreamers—an invisible thread binding us in mystery and imagination.

THE SECRET SHOW invites contemporary artists to explore the delicate art of concealment and revelation. From whispered confessions to secrets of state, from secret admirers to hidden chambers of memory, this exhibition asks: what is the role of secrecy in art, and how does the unseen shape what we allow to be seen? And who do we allow in to our secrets?

Taking cues from the opulence of Marie Antoinette’s 18th-century salons—spaces both intellectual and indulgent—artists are encouraged to draw from Rococo influences: lush ornament, pastel palettes, allegory, and play. Imagine a clandestine letter slipped into a silken glove, or a painting that reveals only under candlelight. The Rococo spirit of elegance, wit, and theatricality becomes the lens through which secrecy is reimagined for the contemporary moment.

Curated by artist Emma Hapner, THE SECRET SHOW will unfold in two layers: a full online exhibition, and a special in-person gathering in a secret location—either in Pennsylvania, New York City, or both. The physical exhibition will be revealed only to participating artists and select guests, keeping with the theme of hidden worlds and treasured confidences.

Artists working in painting, drawing, sculpture, installation, video, photography, or mixed media are invited to apply. Submissions should align with the exhibition’s theme and spirit, merging the mystery of personal secrets with the grandeur of Rococo imagination.

View our Secret Show inspiration board on Pinterest soon.

ABOUT THE CURATOR

Emma Hapner is a figurative oil painter based in New York City. She earned her Master of Fine Arts with a concentration in painting from the New York Academy of Art, after completing her Bachelor of Fine Arts at Ball State University in her home state of Indiana. Hapner primarily works in oil paint on canvas, creating figurative pieces that reclaim the language of classical painting through a contemporary feminine perspective. Find out more about Emma Hapner by clicking here.

Paintings, sculpture, video (under 10 minutes), photography and experimental works and installation will be considered.

Deadline to digitally submit work: January 5, 2026

Notification of acceptance: by January 15, 2026.

This is a digital and in person exhibition, with the art being up for sale on eracontemporary.com from February 1, 2026 to April 1, 2026 and the artworks displayed in person for approximately one month (February 1 to March 1), to be determined. Some work may be selected just for the online exhibition.

For submission guidelines, click the button below.

Image credits:

The Love Letter, by Jean Honore Fragonard, early 1770s, public domain.

Emma Hapner in her studio in New York City.