Any Minnesota artist can be part of this Minneapolis Institute of Art show

These were just some of the nearly 5,000 artworks that were part of the last "Foot in the Door" at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. Image courtesy Mia.

It only comes once a decade, and this year it's a virtual affair.

The Minneapolis Institute of Art's "Foot in the Door" exhibition — offering any Minnesota artist the chance to show work at the state's biggest art museum — is going completely virtual.

The show takes its name from the exhibition's one requirement: artwork must not be bigger than one cubic foot.

In 2010, more than 4,800 Minnesota artists participated, exhibiting everything from a zombie yeti to a baby doll with a chicken head and many-breasted monsters. Former Star Tribune art critic Mary Abbe compared it to a "truly crazy thrift shop," albeit one that attracted 102,000 visitors.

The museum will accept digital submissions for "Foot in the Door 5: The Virtual Exhibition" from Sept. 8-28. The work will be exhibited on Mia's website from Nov. 1 to Jan. 10.

"While making the exhibition virtual was a safety necessity, we are excited about the increased accessibility offered by the digital format," said Nicole Soukup, assistant curator of contemporary art at Mia. "Artists and visitors who may not be able to visit the museum in person will now be able to submit artworks and view the exhibition from their homes."

"Foot in the Door" started in 1980 as a resume booster for artists, receiving submissions from 800 people. Its numbers grow every year. With the ease of this year's virtual submission, it's possible that there could be more artworks – and virtual visitors – than ever before.

"We welcome all artists, from the amateur to the professional, to participate," said Soukup. For information on how to enter, go to this link.