What is an Invitational Call? Do I need a passcode to apply?
Invitational calls are opportunities that are private to the organization sponsoring the call. You don’t need a passcode to apply to publicly posted calls. If the call for entry is “by invitation only,” you would have been notified by the arts organization and provided with the passcode.
Can I submit my artwork to multiple calls?
Yes. Once an artwork sample is uploaded, you may reuse the same file to apply for any number of calls for entry.
Are my images and portfolio media locked?
No. Your artwork never gets locked or prevented from being used to apply to other calls. You may select any artwork in your portfolio to submit to as many calls as you wish.
What is Alternative Text?
Alternative text, or alt text, is a brief written explanation of an image’s content. It allows screen readers to provide an audio description of the image for users who are blind or visually impaired. Providing clear and meaningful descriptions helps create a more inclusive and welcoming online environment.
Helpful Resources
Image Description Tool: Quickly generate a description for your image.
Alt Text Best Practices – Harvard: Learn how to write clear and helpful alt text, with examples.
Can I apply with any artwork media of my choice?
Not really. Be sure to read each call’s details and requirements carefully to find out what type of work samples are being requested. Most calls only request images, others request images and video. The requirements for each call are determined by the organization sponsoring it; therefore, read the submission requirements thoroughly.
Can anyone view my portfolio on CaFÉ?
No. Your portfolio on CaFÉ is not viewable by the general public. Your portfolio is private to you. Once an artwork file has been submitted to a call for entry it can be viewed by the organization sponsoring the call and its jurors.
What do I do if my portfolio is empty or missing content?
If you log in and don’t see images or other media uploaded previously, you may have signed up for more than one CaFÉ account. Follow the steps under Forgot Username on the Login Help guide to retrieve a list of all usernames associated with your email address.
Why won’t my images upload?
Most image upload issues result from the digital file not meeting the system requirements. Make sure your image files are upload-ready by meeting these upload specifications.
If your images meet the requirements but are still getting an error at upload, make sure the JPG file name is alpha or numeric only, and do not use special characters or extra dots (.) in the file name.
You can also try uploading using an alternate web browser. The upload problem may be due to your personal browser settings and configured options.
Can I upload TIFF, PNG, GIF, DMG, BMP, or RAW files?
No. CaFÉ does not support TIFF, PNG, GIF, DMG, BMP, or RAW files.
Why won't my audio or video upload?
Ensure your audio and video files are upload-ready by meeting the upload specifications. If your audio or video file is publicly available online, enter the URL to embed the audio in your portfolio instead.
What is Art in Public Places?
The Art in Public Places option on the image upload form allows you to identify the artwork as a public art commission. The artwork would have been explicitly executed for a site-specific location and would be publicly accessible for viewing.
For example, if you were commissioned by a town, city, or other government agency to create a sculpture for a public park or for a government building, then that artwork has been commissioned by an Art In Public Places program.
If your artwork does not fall in this category, leave it marked No and skip the question.
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