Vagabond Art Club's inaugural Art Prize 2026 is an open call to French artists or artists resident in France. Theme: Et soudain.

Vagabond Art Club champions a contemporary and accessible vision of art.

It is the first portable art prize, which aims to reveal emerging artists without distinction of age or experience by confronting them with the demands of a professional environment: the gallery.

In partnership with a renowned art gallery, the Prix Vagabond brings together the public, artists and contemporary art players each year around a program that highlights the emerging scene.

For its first edition, the Prix Vagabond has Christophe Gratadou, president of the jury and host of Galerie Gratadou, a fixture of the Marais galleries in Paris, by the Musée Picasso.

Other jurors include journalist Kate van den Boogert, president of Les Amis d'Idem Christophe Billard, curator Joanna Cohen, and business & IP lawyer Caroline Deleaude.

The winner and runners-up will be exhibited at the gallery from November 25 to 29.

"Et soudain": The 2026 Vagabond Prize explores astonishment, temporality, and the ephemeral.

"Et soudain" examines the moment of rupture—the instant that surprises or the sudden intrusion of the unexpected into everyday life.

The theme calls for works that captivate through their ability to astonish, unsettle, or transform one’s perspective—or works that emerge as tipping points. Reject comfort, and celebrate the present moment.

The call for applications is aimed at all artists of French nationality, and/or legally residing in France, at the beginning or mid-career, with no age limit. No distinction is made between students, emerging or confirmed.

Artistic disciplines accepted:

• Painting
• Sculpture
• Drawing
• Photography
• Installation.

Each artist can only present one work.

Collective projects are accepted.

Mandatory format: Portable art 

• Maximum dimensions 55 × 35 × 25 cm (IATA cabin baggage) 
• Maximum weight 10kg.

Public sale price at the gallery: max €1,500, incl. tax. Comission is 50%.

Schedule

• Call for applications: until October 15, 2026 (midnight).
• Pre-selection of applications by Vagabond Art Club: July–October 2026
• Final artist selection by the jury: October 28–31, 2026
• Announcement of selected artists and the winner: October 31, 2026
• Public unveiling of the selection: November 2026
• Opening and exhibition: November 25–29, 2026 at Galerie Gratadou, Paris

Participation Fee:

€30

Free for Vagabond Art Club members

Extensive Media & Press Coverage

Benefit from professional PR support via Détaché de Presse. Our previous major exhibition at the Club du Jeu de Paume secured 22 press publications and over 500,000 digital page visits, offering exceptional visibility for participating artists across media and social platforms.