A juried exhibition at Milan Art Gallery, Sarasota
Unbridled Hope
Inspired by movement, connection, and healing.
Paint the horse as you see it: freedom, energy, grace, connection. The jury selects 10 to 20 works to hang in our Sarasota gallery from August 7 to 21, in front of real collectors.
The show
Two weeks on a real gallery wall
The jury hangs 10 to 20 pieces for a two-week exhibition, in the gallery and online at the same time. Selected artists get:
- Two full weeks on the wall at 80 S Palm Ave, in the heart of downtown Sarasota
- An opening reception on Friday, August 7, streamed live for the online audience
- Your piece listed in the online collector showcase, shared with thousands of collectors
- Our team presents and sells your work, with a 50/50 split on every sale
The theme
Freedom, energy, grace
Unbridled Hope invites you to explore the horse as a symbol of freedom, energy, grace, and emotional connection. From bold and expressive to soft and atmospheric, we welcome artwork that brings the spirit of the equine world to life.
Interpret it your way. What does freedom look like to you: raw power, tenderness, or the calm before the gallop?
What the jury wants to see
- Intentional composition and design
- Expressive use of color, texture, and movement
- Your own interpretation of the equine subject
- Emotional connection and visual impact
- Work that feels alive, engaging, and inspired
Why this show
Hope you can stand in front of
For centuries the horse has carried our hopes alongside us, into work, into open country, into whatever came next. Painters have kept that meaning alive for just as long. This show gathers it into one room.
We built Unbridled Hope on a simple conviction: people need hope they can stand in front of. A painting holds hope still, long enough to be felt. So we're hanging a room full of freedom, movement, and healing in downtown Sarasota, and opening the doors.
It works in both directions. Every entry puts a working artist in front of a jury that takes the work seriously, and every sale sends half the price home with the person who painted it.
The awards
$6,000 across four awards
Each award is decided by a different group: the jury, our collectors, visitors at the gallery, and the online audience.
Cash award. Chosen by the jury as the strongest work in the show.
Cash award. Goes to the piece our collectors respond to most, in the room and online.
Art supply shopping spree. Voted by visitors in the gallery across the two weeks of the show.
Art supply shopping spree. Voted by the public in the online showcase while the show runs.
All four winners are featured on Milan Art Gallery's website and social channels, and gain exclusive online representation to our collector network.
How entering works
Pay for your entries first, upload when you're ready
One for $25, three for $50, or seven for $100.
Your artwork submission link is on the confirmation page and in your email receipt.
Add titles, sizes, prices, and photos any time before July 16 at 11:59pm ET. You don't have to upload everything in one sitting, come back to the same link with your remaining entries.
Selected artists are announced Monday, July 20, and ship their work to Sarasota by August 3.
- Entries close
- Thursday, July 16, 11:59pm ET
- Artists announced
- Monday, July 20
- Artwork arrives by
- Monday, August 3
- Opening reception
- Friday, August 7
- The show runs
- August 7 to 21
Your jury
Three working artists review every entry
Before you enter
What your artwork needs
- Any painting medium: oil, acrylic, or mixed media
- Sized between 9x12 and 40x40 inches, frame included in the measurement
- Ready to hang: wired, signed, varnished, edges painted or framed
- Canvas needs 1.5 inch depth or a quality float frame; works on paper need a frame or mount
- Available for sale for the length of the show
- Up to 7 entries per artist. International artists are welcome and handle their own shipping and customs.
The gallery
Your work, on Palm Avenue
Milan Art Gallery is a white-wall collector gallery at 80 S Palm Ave in the heart of downtown Sarasota. Selected work hangs here for two full weeks.
Questions, answered
Common questions
Can I enter from outside the U.S.?
What happens if my work is selected?
What if I'm not selected?
How are sales handled?
Can I change titles or pricing after submitting?
Are entries refundable?
Do unsold pieces come back to me?
Enter now
Enter your artwork
Pick how many pieces you'll put in front of the jury. You upload your artwork right after checkout, or any time before July 16.
Entries are final. Artwork uploads stay open until July 16 at 11:59pm ET.
