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CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

Roots & Branches: A Juried Art Exhibition

A Collaboration Between The Compass Gallery and
FamilySearch International
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Submissions open October 1, 2026 • Deadline November 15, 2026




 

About the Exhibition

The Compass Gallery (the "Gallery") and FamilySearch International invite artists to submit work for Roots & Branches, a juried art exhibition exploring themes of family, ancestry, connection, and culture. Selected works will be featured in an online exhibition accessible to RootsTech’s global audience, and a curated selection of pieces will be exhibited in person at RootsTech 2027 at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah (March 4–6, 2027).

RootsTech is the annual conference sponsored by FamilySearch International exploring the role of technology in family history and genealogy research. It is the world’s premier family history event, drawing hundreds of thousands of participants from across the globe.



 

Theme: Family, Ancestry & Culture

Submitted works must relate meaningfully to one or more of the following:

  • The artist’s personal family history or genealogical story

  • Ideas of family, home, heritage, or belonging

  • Cultural identity, tradition, or intergenerational connection

  • Diaspora, migration, emigration, and immigration

  • The stories, faces, and places that shape who we are

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We welcome a broad range of approaches—figurative, abstract, narrative, portrait, landscape—so long as the work is grounded in a genuine connection to these themes. Artists will be asked to provide a brief artist statement explaining the relationship between their work and the theme.

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Content Standards

Artwork must be appropriate for a family-oriented audience and consistent with the exhibition theme. All submissions are subject to review by the Gallery and FamilySearch International, each of which reserves the right to reject or remove content that does not comply with the exhibition requirements or applicable event policies. Additional content standards and participation requirements are set forth in the artist agreement (the “Artist Agreement”), which artists must review and accept as part of the submission process.



 

Eligibility & Categories

This exhibition is open to all artists, regardless of geographic location, background, or experience level. Submissions will be juried in two separate categories:

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Amateur / Student

Open to artists who have not sold work professionally or who are currently enrolled in an art program. Emerging artists are encouraged to apply.

 

Professional

Open to artists with professional exhibition history or who earn income from their work.



 

Submission Guidelines

How to Submit

Submissions will be accepted online through the submission form found at thecompassgallery.com/rootstech beginning October 1, 2026.

 

The form will close November 15, 2026 at 11:59pm MST, or earlier if the capacity of 500 total submissions is reached. Artists are encouraged to submit early.

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Complete image specifications, the required artist statement, and all other materials needed for the selection process are set out in the online submission form. The submission form will not accept incomplete submissions. Artists must review and agree to the binding Artist Agreement within the form prior to submitting.

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Submission Limits

Each artist may submit up to three (3) works for consideration.

Artwork Requirements

All submitted works must meet the following requirements to be considered:

  • Works must be original, artist-created, and not previously exhibited at RootsTech.

  • Only two-dimensional works created with analog mediums are eligible, including painting, drawing, printmaking, analog photography processes, mixed media, and fiber arts. Three-dimensional works, works created using digital processes, and AI-generated works are not eligible for this exhibition. The incidental use of standard digital editing tools is permitted, provided the resulting work remains the artist's original creative expression.

  • Works must be framed and ready to hang, with appropriate hanging hardware installed.

  • No work may exceed 600 square inches, inclusive of the frame, and each work must be 21 inches or smaller on its shortest side. No work may weigh more than 15 lbs.

  • All work must be consistent with the conference's family history and genealogy focus, and may not contain inappropriate, unlawful, or infringing content.

  • All works must be available for sale. Works listed as “not for sale” will not be considered.



 

Selection & Display

All submissions will be juried by a panel of four jurors, including Gallery Director/artist Esther H. Candari, artist Greg Olsen, and Family Search Director of Events, Jonathan Wing. An additional juror will be announced at a later date.

 

Artists will be notified of selection decisions by late November 2026.

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Selected works may be designated for:

  • Online Exhibition only: Works will be professionally photographed and presented in the digital exhibition accessible to RootsTech's global online audience.

  • In-Person Exhibition at RootsTech 2027: A curated selection of works will be exhibited at the Salt Palace Convention Center during RootsTech 2027, March 4–6, 2027, in addition to the online exhibition.

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Not all submitted works will be selected, and not all selected works will be chosen for in-person display.

The jury’s decisions are final. Final selection and placement of all works is at the discretion of the Gallery and FamilySearch International.

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Delivery Requirements

Online Exhibition works: Artists selected for the online exhibition should not deliver or ship their work anywhere.

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In-Person Exhibition works: Artists selected for in-person display must deliver their work to the Gallery during a designated intake window in January–mid-February 2027 (exact dates to be communicated upon selection). Artists are responsible for transportation to and from the Gallery. The Gallery will coordinate transport of in-person works to and from the Salt Palace Convention Center.
 

Sales & Commission

All works must be available for sale. Artists should submit their requested retail price at the time of submission. Prices may not be changed after submission without the Gallery's prior written consent.

Commission rates are as follows:

  • Works priced under $4,000: 40% gallery / 60% artist

  • Works priced at $4,000 or above: 45% gallery / 55% artist

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Fulfillment

In-person works sold at RootsTech: The Gallery will be responsible for shipping or delivering the sold work to the buyer.

Online-only works sold through the exhibition: The artist will be responsible for shipping or delivering the work to the Gallery, which will then coordinate delivery to the buyer.

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Prizes & Recognition:

One winner will be selected in each of the two categories, Professional and Amateur / Student.

 

The Professional category winner will receive a prize package with a total value of approximately $810.00, consisting of a STRADA MINI Easel, a Trekell Oil Brush Set, a Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencil Set, and an Artist Corner gift card.

 

The Amateur / Student category winner will receive a prize package with a total value of approximately $540.00, consisting of a Trekell Acrylic Brush Set, a Trekell 7-Piece Brush Set, a Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencil Set, and an Artist Corner gift card.

 

All prizes are provided by FamilySearch International. No purchase is necessary to submit work or to be eligible for a prize. Void where prohibited by law. All taxes on prizes are the sole responsibility of the prize recipient.

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Return of Artwork:

Upon conclusion of the exhibition, the Gallery will arrange for the return of all in-person works to artists in accordance with the timeline communicated by the Gallery. Artists must claim or arrange receipt of their work no later than March 20, 2027. Any work not claimed by March 20, 2027 will be subject to a storage fee of $5.00 per day, per piece, which will accrue until the work is claimed. Artists will be notified of return logistics upon selection.



 

Artist Agreement

Submission of artwork is subject to the terms of the Artist Agreement, which artists must review and accept before completing a submission. The Artist Agreement contains the binding terms governing participation in the exhibition, including, among other things:

  • artist representations regarding ownership and originality;

  • image licenses for exhibition and promotional use;

  • delivery, installation, and return requirements;

  • sales and commission terms;

  • insurance and risk allocation;

  • code of conduct requirements;

  • intellectual property provisions; and

  • other requirements applicable to participation in the exhibition.

 

 

Key Dates at a Glance

  • October 1, 2026: Submission form opens

  • November 15, 2026, 11:59pm MST: Submission deadline (or when 500-submission capacity is reached)

  • Late November 2026: Artists notified of jury decisions

  • January–mid-February 2027: Intake window for in-person exhibition works

  • March 4–6, 2027: RootsTech 2027, Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City, UT



 

Questions?

Contact The Compass Gallery at staff@thecompassgallery.com. We look forward to seeing your work.


 

The Compass Gallery • 250 W Center St, Suite 101, Provo, UT • thecompassgallery.com   

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