Emerging Artist Competition 2026

THE RULES

1. This competition is for emerging artists only. An emerging artist is defined as an artist who has not sold work that portrays sexuality.
2. Submissions open 25th March 2026.
3. All submissions must be received by the closing date of 22nd May 2026 at Midnight Pacific Daylight Time.
4. After submissions close, the judging process begins. Judges will make their scores and the results will be tabulated. All competitors will be notified of the final results when their entries are posted on our website. The Winners will be highlighted at an upcoming ToF Art & Culture Festival. The first, second and third place winners of the 13th Tom of Finland Emerging Artists Competition will be notified of the final results when their entries are posted on our website.
5. A selection of previous submissions to the contest are currently on display online.
6. The entry fee for a single work is $25, or 2 entries for $35. Entrants may submit the appropriate fee using the SUBMIT ENTRY FEE buttons found in the ENTER THE CONTEST section below. If you are paying under a different name and/or email account, please indicate the name you entered the competition in the note section.
7. Artists may submit either one or two pieces maximum, but may not receive more than one award in any given category.
8. Subject requirement for submissions is limited to the erotic, which may include Heterosexual, Homosexual, Lesbian, Pansexual male or female, surrealism, fetishism, fantasy, or any combination thereof. Non-erotic artwork, artwork depicting minors (under 18 years-of-age) or bestiality will be disqualified.
9. We ask that all artists submit works that are original to themselves. If the submission is modeled (identical or to some degree) on the work of another artist, it must be indicted: MY ARTIST NAME Title (after Henri Matisse), 2005, Oil on canvas, 12″x14″ So that the work can be judged accordingly.

Entries information

Complete anonymity is guaranteed to any contestant requesting it. Any pseudonym chosen by the artist is acceptable (except for “Anonymous”). Entry of work(s) to the Emerging Artist Competition constitutes permission to reproduce the work for the purpose of judging, advertising, and promoting the competition and Tom of Finland Foundation. Winning works may be reproduced in media coverage of the competition and/or advertising of the Emerging Artist Competition and Tom of Finland Foundation. Work will not be sold or reproduced for any profit-making venues whatsoever without prior written approval of the artist.

Categories

The competition is open to all media. Submissions may include photography, drawings, paintings, mixed media, collage, sculpture, three dimension art, or digital renderings (No AI). [Final decision of category placements will be determined by Foundation.] (A) Single Figure, (B) Dual Figure, (C) Multiple Figure, (D) Fantasy, (E) Photography When a work fits in more than one category, it may default to one with the least competition from the other entries.

Photography

Please note that all photographs of any identifiable person(s) must include:

• A signed model release and
• A legible copy of valid I. D. proving model’s age to be 18+.

Photography not accompanied by model release(s) can not be considered. Cropped photos are eligible. We do not accept digitally or otherwise enhanced or altered photos in the Photography Category. If it is determined that an artist has altered his or her photo, we reserve the right to move the photo to another of the four categories. Minor adjustments, including spotting, dodging and burning, sharpening, contrast and slight color adjustment or the digital equivalents, are acceptable for the Photography Category.

HOW IT IS JUDGED

Judges will make their decisions based, above all, on erotic content, taking into consideration all artistic criteria by which art is usually judged. Sixteen categories of prizes will be awarded. There are three winners in each of the five categories, plus an overall Grand Prize Winner from all categories combined. Only one prize category will be awarded to any individual artist.

AWARDS

Categories

THE BILL “THE HUN” SCHMELING SINGLE FIGURE AWARD
THE GARILYN BRUNE DUAL FIGURE AWARD
THE DEAN CAMERON MULTIPLE FIGURE AWARD
THE PALANCA FANTASY AWARD
THE JAY R. LAWTON PHOTOGRAPHY AWARD
THE TOM OF FINLAND GRAND PRIZE AWARD

Tom of Finland Grand Winner receives:

• US$5,000 grant from Tom of Finland Foundation
• Complimentary participation in a future Tom of Finland Art and Culture Festival
• plus the Awards below

First, Second, and Third Place Winners in each category receive:

• 40th Anniversary Limited Edition Print
• Foundation Membership
• The book: TOM OF FINLAND: Threesome from David Kordansky Gallery

Winners are responsible for their own transportation to the A&C Festival. The real prize awarded all participants of ToF EAC is the publicity, exposure, and international recognition accorded them through the Foundation’s promotion of the Competition. The winners are determined using a blind scoring process by a distinguished panel of judges who are selected from an international roster of individuals in the field of the arts. Judges score each work on a scale of 1 to 10. Scores are tabulated, and the works with highest point totals become the winners.

JUDGES

The eight internationally renowned creators who will be judging this year’s competition:

PRESS

ENTER THE CONTEST

Registration for the 2026 Competition is now open!

EAC Entry Form