TEDxPortland + I SEE PDX Poster Exhibit
Artists Make the Call
A peer-juried poster competition celebrating Portland's creativity, community, and sense of place — as seen through the eyes of the artists who live and work here.
Your Art on Portland's Biggest Stage
TEDxPortland is the largest independently organized TEDx event in North America.
For Year 14 — Homecoming — the event returns to the Armory, the venue where it all began, with a focus on reconnecting with place, community, and the work that brings Portland back to itself.
I See PDX has been invited to exhibit at Homecoming with an original poster gallery created by Portland artists. This is an open call for artists to contribute work that captures the spirit of a city defined not by its challenges, but by the people who show up every day to shape its future.
At I See PDX, artists are collaborators in shaping how Portland sees itself. These posters are not just artworks — they are civic touchpoints placed on city streets, in storefronts, galleries, and public spaces. Each one becomes a visible portal to the I See Map, connecting people to real stories of Portland doers moving the city forward.
More Than Exposure
Selected artists are creative partners - credited, compensated, and celebrated across the TEDxPortland exhibition and the I See PDX platform.
$500+ Awards
Cash awards for each selected poster design, funded by sponsor support dedicated to compensating and promoting artists.
I See PDX Poster Gallery
Permanent inclusion in the I See PDX digital poster gallery and platform, extending your work's reach beyond the event.
TEDxPortland Exhibition
Your work exhibited at Homecoming, April 11, 2026, at the Armory — in front of Portland's most engaged civic audience.
Peer Juried Selection
Ranked-choice voting - applicant receives 3 votes total: 1 vote may be cast for their own poster, and the remaining 2 votes must be cast for other applicants’ posters.
How It Works
1
Review the Brief & Download Assets
Read the poster brief above and download the I See PDX logo files and QR code. These elements must be incorporated into your final design.
Design a 24" × 36" (2:3 aspect ratio) portrait-format poster that reflects Portland as you see it. Any visual medium is welcome — make it yours.
Create Your Poster
2
Submit by March 29th
3
Upload your poster and complete the submission form. Submissions close on March 29, 2026 at 11:59PM Pacific Time. You'll receive a confirmation email with details on voting and next steps.
Artists Vote (March 30th - April 5th)
4
Using ranked-choice voting, each applicant receives three votes total: one vote may be cast for their own poster, and the remaining two votes must be cast for other applicants’ posters. Poster gallery voting link will be sent to all submitting artists.
Top-voted posters are exhibited at TEDxPortland Homecoming at the Armory in April 2026, and permanently featured in the I See PDX poster gallery.
Poster Exhibition (April 11th)
5
The Brief
Your poster should reflect Portland as you see it.
Its identity, its people, its sense of place.
We're not prescribing a style. We want to see Portland through your eyes: your materials, your medium, your message.
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Portland Identity
Portland Doers
Civic Pride
Place-Based Storytelling
Community & Connection
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I See PDX Logo
Must include one of the provided logos
Artist determines placement and scale
Logo must remain legible and unaltered
Background color is artist's choice
QR Code
Must include the provided official QR code
Minimum size: 3" × 3"
Artist determines placement and color
Test the QR code before final submission
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Style:
Open to interpretation. We welcome illustration, painting, drawing, text-based art, infographic, collage, photography, and mixed media. What matters is that the work feels like Portland — and like you.
Note: All submissions are subject to TEDx Content Guidelines. -
File Format
24" × 36" (2:3 - portrait orientation)
PNG, JPG, or PDF
Minimum 240 DPI (300 preferred)
CMYK color format recommended
Includes: I See PDX logo files, official QR code, and full poster brief (PDF).
Eligibility & Questions
This call is open to visual artists based in the Portland metro and neighboring cities. Emerging and established artists are equally welcome. If you make art and you care about Portland, this is for you.
Who Can Submit
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You’ve only got one shot - quality over quantity.
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Using ranked-choice voting, each applicant receives three votes total: one vote may be cast for their own poster, and the remaining two votes must be cast for other applicants’ posters.
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One time payout for each of the selected poster designs exhibited at TEDx will be sent by April 15th, 2026.
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I See PDX is a civic art and storytelling platform that spotlights the projects, businesses, and organizations moving Portland forward. Through artist-created posters and the I See Map, it makes their impact visible — on city streets and online. The TEDxPortland exhibition is part of a larger, ongoing effort to change how the world sees Portland, one story at a time.
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Reach out to Logan at logan@iseepdx.org — we're happy to help.
See Portland Through Your Eyes
Your art. Portland's story. TEDxPortland's stage.
Submissions close March 29, 2026.