Fine Arts Competition

30th Friends of Polish Art Fine Arts Competition

Organized and Presented in Partnership with the Polish Institute of Culture & Research at Orchard Lake

September 12 – October 24, 2026 at the PICROL Galeria

Calendar

Monday, August 17: Application deadline
Wednesday, August 19: Exhibition Status Notification
Saturday, August 22: Art intake 10am-2pm
Saturday September 12: Reception 2-5pm
Awards at 3pm

*See contact info below for alternate intake arrangements. Artists are also responsible for picking up their artwork following the close of the exhibition, see “Logistics” for details.

Awards

Richard Kubiński Best in Show: $500
First: $400 Second: $300 Third: $200
Best Polish Theme**: $400
Three Honorable Mentions: $100 each

**Should there not be a Polish Theme of sufficient merit, FPA/PICROL reserves the right to withhold award.

The Friends of Polish Art Fine Arts competition, formerly known as the Kubinski Fine Arts Competition, began in 1985 to encourage the development of artists of Polish descent and to promote Polish culture. The annual exhibition is dedicated to the memory of Richard Kubinski, former FPA vice-president, art chair & cultural activities chair.

Richard Kubinski was a former Kosciuszko Foundation art scholarship recipient who studied in Poland. He was a talent extraordinaire, gifted in poetry, writing, journalism, translation, art painting, history, dance, spoken word and in the media, both radio and television.

His premature death before the age of 35 was a deeply felt tragic loss.

Since 1985, competition has evolved and now allows all artists in the community to participate and display their artwork in the Galeria on the Orchard Lake Schools campus. A special award category continues the competition’s legacy of recognizing art that expresses Polish cultural values and themes. Award winning artists will have a moment to briefly share insight about their presented works during the opening ceremony. Note that all artists will have the opportunity to speak about their work, if they desire to do so, at the exhibition’s closing reception.

Entry Procedure

An artist may submit up to five entries. There is a non-refundable entry fee:

Artist: $30 for up to 5 entries

College Student (18 yrs. +): $10 for up to 5 entries

Eligibility

Participation is open to all artists 18 and older. Original artworks in all media (both 2D & 3D) that have not been previously exhibited in the FPA Fine Arts Competition will be accepted for jury. Artists of all backgrounds are welcome to participate.

Artworks will be juried in person, digital files are still required for entry

Submit 1 image for each 2-dimensional work. Submit a maximum of 3 images for each 3-dimensional work.

Digital Specs

Save images as .JPG Please keep files to a maximum of 5 MB.
Image file names should be formatted as follows: Last Name_First Name_ArtworkTitle

Entry Process

Entry form to be completed on FPA Website: https://www.friendsofpolishart.org/competitions/fine-arts-competition/. Up to five artworks can be submitted in the form.
Pay entry fee either by Paypal via the payment button on the submission form or by check or money order payable to “Friends of Polish Art” and mail to the address below.
Applicant to be notified of acceptance status by email
Optional: Artist is welcome to share their CV & an Artist Statement to supplement their application and contextualize their practice should their artwork be included in the exhibition. Note that neither document is a requirement, nor will they impact the jury decision.

Mail entry fee to: Friends of Polish Art Fine Arts Competition
2615 W. 12 Mile Road, Ste 118
Berkley, MI. 48072–1067

Note: As mentioned above, payment is also accepted via Paypal or credit card on the button on the submission form on the FPA website.

Presentation Requirements

Work must be mounted and framed in a professional manner (canvases may have finished edges) and properly wired for hanging – note that the Galeria’s hanging system requires that a wire (or alternate forms of hardware) be attached, no nails can be installed in the walls. For wall hanging works, the maximum dimensions are 60” on the longest side. Sculpture pieces should not be larger than 24”x24”x24”. A limited number of standard white pedestals are available for use upon request. The artist is responsible for any special hardware and instructions for installation, assistance in placement of floor pieces over 100 lbs., and may be requested to provide a pedestal or display case for small or fragile works.

Logistics

Entries accepted for the final jury and exhibition must be delivered to the Galeria on Saturday, August 22 between the hours of 10 am – 2 pm. Please contact Elijah Majeski (emajeski@picrol.org) for alternate arrangements. Note that the artist is completely responsible for artwork transportation, delivery, and return. Professional precautions will be exercised for the safety of the artwork. However, neither Friends of Polish Art nor PICROL/Orchard Lake Schools can assume any risk of handling, or the responsibility of loss, theft, or damage, whatever the cause. Liability forms to confirm these terms will be required to be signed upon receipt of the artwork. Condition reports will be made for each work upon arrival. Please note and record the number of parts or pieces per entry. Artists wishing to insure their work should contact their insurance agents directly. Following the exhibition, artworks may be picked up Monday – Friday, October 26 – December 5 from 10 am – 5 pm; weekend pickup dates will be announced closer to the exhibition closing. Please note that artworks must be picked up by December 5 at the latest as adequate storage is not available on the PICROL campus. Please contact Elijah Majeski at (emajeski@picrol.org) at least 24 hours in advance to confirm the time and date of pickup.

Juror: Dennis Orlowski

Dennis Orlowski was born in Detroit on February 26th, 1944 to second generation Polish parents. At age 14 he began 3 years of training under Cleta Popovich, a church artist and Master Craftsman. He began formal painting as a teenager. He then went on to New York City on an Art Scholarship to study at The Art Students’ League. After 3 years in Europe, courtesy of the US Army, he returned to Detroit to study at the Center for Creative Studies. Mr. Orlowski also spent a year in Mexico City, Mexico, where he studied Fresco painting at the University of Mexico under a former assistant to Diego Rivera. Orlowski holds a master’s degree in painting from Wayne State University and his bachelor’s degree is in Art Education. He is currently retired from teaching art at Detroit Public Schools where he donated much of his time to students. Dennis Orlowski is responsible for over 100 Murals throughout Southeastern Michigan in a variety of public places ranging from schools and libraries to churches, as well as murals elsewhere, including Mexico and Germany.

Sales

A 40% commission is retained by FPA & PICROL on all sales made during the exhibition to support the competition. Sale price of art may not change after entry. No discounts will be offered. The artist will be notified within 48 hours of a sale and provided with the name of the purchaser for their records. Payment will be made to the artist within 30 days of the closing of the exhibition. Sold works will remain on view through the run of the exhibition on October 24, 2026. The purchaser will be responsible for arrangements for the pickup or delivery of the acquired artwork at the conclusion of the exhibition.

Rights & Reproductions

FPA & PICROL reserve the right to photograph and reproduce, in color, black and white or video, all entries accepted for the exhibition regardless of copyright. Photographs and reproductions may be used for educational and publicity purposes only.

Agreement

Submission of work to the juror constitutes an agreement to comply with all the conditions set forth in this prospectus. The juror may request the title, media and dimensions. Identities of artists are not disclosed. The decision of the juror is final. An artist may only win one award. All accepted work will remain as placed by the installation team and may not be withdrawn before the close of the exhibit. The juror may exercise the right to reject any work that fails to meet eligibility requirements.

Location

The Galeria (Bldg. 8) on the Orchard Lake Schools Campus

3535 Commerce Rd, Orchard Lake, MI 48324

Contact the Exhibit Cordinator
586-703-0301 or emajeski@picrol.org
For information: www.friendsofpolishart.org
For a map of campus: https://www.orchardlakeschools.com/campus-map-directions