CaFÉ, also known as CallForEntry.org, is an application service for arts opportunities operated by Creative West. An artist can prepare reusable work samples and submit them to individual calls. The important distinction is between information stored in an account and information attached to a particular entry.
How do the current account and discovery services fit together?
CaFÉ's artist help centre now includes guidance for the Creative West Opportunities Portal and connecting CaFÉ profiles. It describes free account creation and discovery across CaFÉ, ZAPP and GO Smart.
Use those current account instructions when logging in or linking an existing profile. Avoid creating unnecessary duplicate identities because an older bookmarked page looks different. If the service cannot locate your profile, use its account help before rebuilding a portfolio from scratch.
The account is a means of accessing services. It does not establish that you are eligible for a call, that an application is complete or that an organiser charges no fee.
What does applying cost?
Separate the account from the organiser's entry charge and any optional services. Read the fee schedule for the specific call, including charges per artwork, extra entries, discounts or waivers. Inspect the final amount before paying.
A free account is not a free exhibition. Even a call with no entry charge can require framing, transport or attendance after selection. Use the entry-fee guide for application charges and compare participation costs separately.
If a published amount and checkout disagree, stop and resolve the discrepancy with the appropriate contact. Do not assume an unexplained difference is standard or harmless.
Follow the application in distinct stages
A CaFÉ entry is easier to manage when account preparation, portfolio work and submission are treated as separate tasks.
| Stage | Artist's task | Confirmation to seek |
|---|---|---|
| Account | Access the correct profile using current instructions | Your intended profile and contact details |
| Portfolio | Upload suitable work samples | Accurate previews and captions |
| Application | Answer the call and attach its required samples | Correct files and complete required fields |
| Checkout | Finish the entry and any required payment | Submission confirmation and application status |
The official help centre explicitly separates uploading, completing the application and checking out. It also explains that stored portfolio images remain private until attached to applications. Review the permissions that apply to the actual call before authorising its required uses.
Choose and check the work samples
Start with the call's requested evidence: artworks, detail images, installation views, video or another permitted medium. Do not assume all samples in your portfolio belong in every application.
Use the current upload guidance for formats, dimensions and file limits. These are service requirements that can change, so a maintained link to the help centre is more reliable than an unqualified specification copied from an old tutorial. Call-specific limits may add another layer.
Inspect each preview and its caption. Confirm title, year, medium, dimensions, order and whether a detail image is clearly identified. A successful upload proves that the system accepted a file; it does not prove that the file is the intended evidence.
For collaborative work, identify your contribution where required. For anonymous assessment, follow the organiser's instructions about identifying material. The work-sample guide explains how to match a set to a brief.
Verify the final entry
A submission should leave an identifiable record. After completing checkout, inspect the application status and retain the confirmation reference or receipt. Confirm that the intended call and edition appear, rather than an earlier draft or another application with a similar name.
A hypothetical failure is preparing six portfolio images but attaching only four to a call requiring six. The portfolio may look complete while the application is incomplete. Another is saving every answer without completing the final submission step. Check the entry itself, not only the account.
Keep a copy of the submitted material outside the platform. If you later need to identify an accepted work, request a permitted change or discuss a technical problem, the entry reference and exact files are useful evidence.
Ask the right person for help
Technical access, upload errors and display problems belong with CaFÉ's support process. Eligibility, jury decisions, artwork substitution and programme-specific terms belong with the organiser.
When reporting an error, give the call name, affected step and exact error message. Include the entry reference where one exists. Do not send a password or full payment credentials to explain a routine support problem.
For editing, withdrawal or refunds, consult the current organiser terms and service instructions. These actions can have different consequences from updating a reusable portfolio. Ask before deleting or replacing an entry near its deadline.
What does a CaFÉ listing tell you about quality?
It tells you where an application is managed. It does not, by itself, establish whether the outcome is worthwhile for your practice or whether every claim has been independently checked.
Verify the organiser, jury where relevant, venue, support and rights. An established application service and a clear application form are useful infrastructure; the decision to apply still depends on the specific opportunity.
Where should you go next?
Read the current official call and compare it with the open-calls index. Use more than one discovery route when your search includes grants, residencies or programmes hosted directly by an institution. The software should help you submit a good-fit application, not define the entire range of opportunities you consider.