The National Family Farm Coalition (NFFC) is pleased to announce a call for artists to help us commemorate our 40th anniversary! We invite visual artists from all experience levels to submit a proposal for original artwork to celebrate NFFC’s unique role and voice in the family farm movement.

NFFC was founded in 1986, at the height of the 1980s farm crisis, to be a voice for farmers in Washington, DC. Since then, the organization has grown into a national grassroots coalition with 30 member groups spread across the country, each representing their own constituency. In the four decades since our founding, NFFC has accomplished a number of significant policy goals and built additional awareness about issues affecting independent farmers, ranchers, and fishers, and the rural communities that depend on them. 

Our 40th Anniversary theme of Harvesting Our Past, Sowing Our Future reflects the interconnected and multigenerational strengths of our movement – and the pride, joy, and love felt by the diverse farmers who feed our communities and steward the land and sea.

Guidelines:

• • Disciplines: All 2D visual arts disciplines are welcome with the exception of photography. We will not accept AI-generated art.
  • Eligibility: Open to artists of all levels and experience levels who currently reside in the US. We especially encourage artists who have lived experience as farmers, ranchers, or fishers to apply, and/or artists who belong to our member groups.

• Application Deadline: 11:59PM ET, April 6, 2026

• Application Requirements: Please submit 3 or more examples of your art; a brief description of your idea for this project, and a short artist biography. Materials should be submitted via our online application form. There is no cost to apply, but only one application per person will be accepted.* 

Selection Process:

A group of NFFC staff and members will review applications and select finalists. We will contact all artists by April 24, 2026 with our final decisions.

Selection Criteria:

• The proposal’s interpretation of our 40th Anniversary theme, Harvesting Our Past, Sowing Our Future. 
• The proposal’s integration of NFFC’s mission and values.
• The artist’s personal or professional experiences with farming, ranching, and/or fishing will be considered. NFFC membership is a plus.
• The proposal’s suitability for assorted printed materials such as posters, t-shirts, bags, coffee mugs, etc.

Project Scope:

Up to three (3) artists will be selected to create commemorative artwork for NFFC’s 40th Anniversary. Each artist will receive $500 to cover expenses related to creating and submitting the final artwork including, but not limited to, costs associated with labor, materials, and digitization.

Selected artists will be responsible for the following:

• Create a 2D visual artwork using any medium other than photography. 
• Provide the artwork in a digital format that meets the minimum specifications for size and resolution:
  • Minimum dimensions: Postcard size (5”x7” at 300 dpi)
• Be available via phone or email to coordinate with NFFC staff during all project phases of artwork design, production, and reproduction on assorted materials (e.g. coffee mug, tote bags, etc).
• By submitting the final artwork, the artist verifies that no intellectual property was stolen or misused to create the artwork. The artwork should be wholly original, must not infringe on any copyrights, and should not have used generative AI for its creation.

*By submitting an application you confirm that wholly original artwork will be created for the purpose of this project, and NFFC will be permitted to reproduce the final artwork for promotional and fundraising purposes. You also confirm the artwork will not be created using licensed stock imagery, clip art, AI-generated material, or any other third-party assets.

Questions? Email samantha@nffc.net with “Call for Artists” in the subject line.