OPEN CALL FOR POSTERS
Signs and Symbols will be juried by
Nolen Strals & Ryan Meyer.
The exhibition will be on view at the
501 Gallery in Birmingham, AL
with an opening reception on April 17, 2026.
This show is open to all forms of posters and broadsides, whether they're promoting events, causes, products, organizations, or ideas. As long as the art or design is effectively using "Signs and Symbols," it's eligible for consideration.
SUBMISSION DEADLINE: MARCH 22, 2026
....................................................................................................................
PROJECT
SPECS:
• Everyone is welcome to submit up to five pieces.
• All work must be created in the last five years.
• JPG, PNG, and TIF file formats are preferred for the submission phase.
• Keep individual file sizes under 10MB.
• Email submissions to signsandsymbols2026@gmail.com
• Use "Poster Submission" as the subject line.
• Include your full name, poster title(s), and year created.
• If your work is selected you will be asked to send a print-ready file.
• Accepted work will be printed on site. No need to ship anything!
• Show will be up from April 17 - May 1
• The 501 Gallery is on the University of Alabama at Birmingham campus.
• The address is 501 12th Street South, Birmingham, AL
FAQ's:
What qualifies as a sign or symbol?
Any iconic image from a halo to a hamburger, cowboys to crowns, mice to monuments. They can be rendered in drawing, photography, or any digital or analog medium in between. Think recognizable, clever, unexpected, layered, witty, script-flipping imagery that says something more than itself within the poster design.
Will I be notified if my work is not selected?
Because of the anticipated volume of entries, we will only be contacting entrants whose works were selected for display in the show. Thank you for understanding.
What will happen to the digital files I submit?
They will be saved for the documentation of the show and possibly used in classroom lectures.
After the show is over, what happens to the prints?
UAB will keep the prints in an archive.
Will you provide documentation of the show?
Entrants whose works are selected for the show will be sent photos from the exhibition via email. These will be provided so that accepted entrants have a record of display for their archives.
JUROR
BIOS
Nolen Strals wears many creative hats, but in short he's a designer working with clients nationwide from his office in Birmingham, Alabama. He was a founding partner at Post Typography which won numerous awards over its long tenure and was profiled in Communication Arts. At the Maryland Institute College of Art he taught Experimental Lettering & Typography and Design for Music. He has designed posters for local shows, global tours, independent films and festivals, and more. His printed works are collected by famous designers and punk rock kids alike.
Ryan Meyer is an Assistant Professor of Digital Media & Graphic Design at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. His research exists simultaneously in the worlds of fine art and commercial art and often uses mixed media to examine STEM themes within a semiotic context. Meyer received his MFA from the University of California, Davis and his work has been exhibited nationally and internationally.