North America Archives - Side Arts

Cat And Mouse: Fine Arts Exhibition (Decatur, GA) – Call For Artists

Cat And Mouse: Fine Arts Exhibition (Decatur, GA) – Call For Artists

[Side Arts Certified Sponsored Listing] The Decatur Arts Alliance announces a call for artists working in all media for their 2025 Fine Arts Exhibition, Cat and Mouse.

Click here for the application / registration

Enter by: 14 March 2025

Cat and mouse is a playful way to illustrate a certain type of power struggle. This game of constant pursuit, capture, and escape is a trope of fables, fiction, movies, and cartoons. Will one win over the other, or are the combatants locked in a never-ending game where the upper hand is gained, but eventually lost?

After her enemies forced her to abdicate her throne on July 24, 1567, leading to unsuccessful attempt to regain the throne, Queen Mary of Scotland fled to England, seeking the protection of her cousin, Elizabeth I. Perceiving Mary as a threat, Elizabeth confined her in various castles and manor houses in the interior of England.

Queen Mary was a skilled needlewoman and sewed many embroideries while she was under house arrest in England. An important means of expression for Mary, her amazing collection of embroideries featured fantastical beasts, Latin sayings, and hidden meanings.

One embroidery in particular, Mary’s embroidery of a cat, is imbued with hidden meaning. The cat depicted has red fur, a nod to Elizabeth I’s red, Tudor hair. The cat has its paw on the tail of a mouse, stopping it escaping. Is this a reference to the power struggle between these two female monarchs, or to Mary’s imprisonment, where the meek mouse, though under the cat’s foot, is bound to escape?

Cat and Mouse Artist Benefits

  • Best of Show:  $1,000
  • Gold Award:  $700
  • Silver Award:  $500

Purchase awards totaling $2,500 are selected by the City of Decatur for inclusion in its public art collection. Local institutions and universities frequently purchase exhibiting artwork. Purchase awards will be publicly announced on the exhibition website.

The Decatur Arts Festival draws approximately 40,000 people to downtown Decatur for a celebration of the arts that includes a juried Artists Market, Children’s Festival, New Dance, Literary Arts, Performing Arts Stage, and a Concert on the Square, as well as the Fine Arts Exhibition. This large audience represents a broad spectrum of knowledge and appreciation of the arts, and the Fine Arts Exhibition addresses this spectrum with a diversity of styles and media. Works selected for the show reflect a wide range of artists’ experiences and viewpoints, with excellence as a common thread.

About Decatur Arts Alliance

Decatur Arts Alliance (DAA) connects residents, businesses, tourists, and artists to increase arts access and engagement in the city of Decatur, Georgia. Founded in 1989, the nonprofit produces the annual Decatur Arts Festival, numerous city-wide public art programs, community art and music events, and in 2024, launched the “Creative Village” project at Legacy Park that offers affordable artist studios and community workshops for all ages and skill levels.

The DAA provides a collaborative environment to coordinate the interests of artists, gallery owners, theater groups, dance groups, and performance venues within the city, helping to make Decatur home to a strong arts community. The Decatur Arts Alliance is supported by membership and sponsorship, along with proceeds from the Decatur Arts Festival and the Decatur Wine Festival.

For more information, contact amacon@decaturartsalliance.org

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M&T Bank Clothesline Art Festival (Rochester, NY) – Call For Artists

M&T Bank Clothesline Art Festival (Rochester, NY) – Call For Artists

[Side Arts Certified Sponsored Listing] Memorial Art Gallery (MAG) of the University of Rochester announces a call for artists for the M&T Bank Clothesline Art Festival,  their largest annual fundraiser and biggest celebration of the arts for over 60 years.

Over 300 artists from across the country offer their work for purchase at this juried, two-day festival that takes place on the beautiful grounds of the Memorial Art Gallery. Clothesline is also the place to experience all-day live entertainment, sample food from some of Rochester’s favorite food trucks and vendors, enjoy free family art activities, and visit the museum.

Click here for the application / registration

Enter by: 1 May 2025

Three M&T Bank Clothesline Art Festival artists will receive awards recognizing extraordinary quality, craftsmanship, creativity and/or outstanding presentation. The Memorial Art Gallery requires that all participating Clothesline artists and makers submit original work, either one-of-a-kind or limited-edition. The work must be conceived and designed solely by the artist or maker and show vision, imagination, and originality. Each winner will receive a cash prize of $300. MAG will recognize one first-time exhibitor based on the same criteria who will receive a cash prize of $100.

About Memorial Art Gallery

A visit to the Memorial Art Gallery is a journey through more than 5,000 years of art history. From the relics of antiquity to works in the vanguard of contemporary practice, MAG offers a panorama of the world’s art. The 14-acre campus is a spectacular public art space that is a popular destination for Rochesterians and out-of-town visitors alike.

MAG’s permanent collection of more than 12,000 objects has been called “the best balanced in the state outside of metropolitan New York City.” In addition to its collection, the museum offers a year-round schedule of temporary exhibitions, lectures, concerts, tours, and family activities.

For more information, contact clothesline@mag.rochester.edu

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Wild About Art At The Toledo Zoo (Ohio) – Call For Artists

Wild About Art At The Toledo Zoo (Ohio) – Call For Artists

[Side Arts Certified Sponsored Listing] The Toledo Zoo announces a call for artists for Wild About Art, seeking creative artists and skilled makers to take part in a uniquely wild, two-day art fair that takes place throughout Zoo grounds. This event features local and regional artists with various mediums on display and for sale to thousands of Zoo visitors. It includes live entertainment, hands-on art activities, and, of course, animals!

Click here for the application / registration

Enter by: 25 April 2025

Mediums permitted: ceramics, drawing, painting, glass, jewelry, mixed media, metal working, photography, printmaking/graphics, sculpture, textiles, and wood. Artwork does not have to be animal related.

Artists will set up around the beautiful, historic grounds and animals and be exposed to a diverse audience of animal and art lovers. Wild about Art will be promoted to a huge, loyal membership base of over 76,000 households, as well as over 454,000 Facebook followers. Staff and volunteers assisting with the event are top notch. They bend over backwards to make sure artists feel welcome and taken care of.

Artist Amenities include:

  • Free parking and Zoo admission
  • Free electricity
  • Air-conditioned artist lounge with complimentary beverages and snacks
  • Volunteer booth sitters available up to 15 minutes
  • Volunteers on hand to assist with set up and tear down
  • 24-hour security
  • 10,000 Zoo visitors for the weekend

Animals take part in the art fair by creating their own works of art, which is a huge attendance driver for the event.

About The Toledo Zoo

The Toledo Zoo is celebrating their 125 year anniversary. It is home to more than 16,000 animals representing over 680 species. In an effort to save endangered wildlife, they participate in more than 80 Species Survival Plans that ensure healthy, genetically diverse Zoo populations. With historic WPA-era buildings, beautiful gardens, you can travel around the world from the tropics to Greenland, ocean to sky, and desert to rainforest in one Zoo visit.

For more information, contact artfair@toledozoo.org

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ART 64 Live Painting Competition (Wauwatosa, WI) – Call For Artists

ART 64 Live Painting Competition (Wauwatosa, WI) – Call For Artists

[Side Arts Certified Sponsored Listing] Discover Wauwatosa announces its 4rd annual call for artists for ART 64, presented by North Shore Bank. ART 64 is a one-of-a-kind live painting competition where 64 artists go head-to-head in a bracket-style tournament. The twist? The public votes in real-time to determine who advances through three rounds of fierce competition—all for a shot at the $20,000 grand prize!

Click here for the application / registration

Enter by: 28 February 2025

No fee to apply.

Any artist, age 18+, across the country and beyond can apply. This is your chance to showcase your talent to a lively crowd and engage with a supportive community of art lovers. Plus, it’s a wonderful opportunity to grow your network, be inspired by other artists, and potentially win big! All participants receive money for participating, increasing based on the round they reach in the competition.

A jury of artists and Discover Wauwatosa staff will select the final 64 artists who will compete. Accepted artists will be notified on March 21, 2025.

Event Date: June 6 – 7, 2025

ART 64 Artist Benefits

All accepted participants will receive money for participating: All 64 artists who participate will receive a minimum of $100. Artists who advance to Round 2 will receive $250 in total. Artists who advance to Round 3 will receive $750 in total. The sole winner of ART 64 will receive $20,000 in total. This is a two-day competition with great exposure and networking opportunities for artists of all ages and backgrounds.

The 2024 ART 64 event saw over 11,000 visitors in The Village of Wauwatosa, thousands of votes cast for artists, and over 100 tournament paintings sold. The event also included family-friendly activities, live music, food and drinks, and shopping from unique, local small businesses.

Last year’s winner, Tyrone Acierto, reflected on the experience: “Winning the ART 64 painting contest was one of the most rewarding and inspiring experiences of my career. The live painting format challenged me to push my creative boundaries, while the support and energy of the community fueled my work. I encourage all artists to apply—not just for the chance to showcase your talents, but to join a vibrant network of creators and art lovers.”

About Discover Wauwatosa

ART 64 is hosted by Discover Wauwatosa. Wauwatosa is located immediately west of Milwaukee, and is a part of the Milwaukee metropolitan area. It is named after the Potawatomi Chief Wauwataesie and the Potawatomi word for firefly.

Also affectionally called Tosa, this city in Milwaukee County has a lot to offer. The great thing about Wauwatosa is that there is always a great deal going on. But that can make it challenging when it comes to planning a trip — where to begin? Worry not, as Discover Wauwatosa is here to help you find your ultimate Tosa experience, from lodging and food to events and activities.

For more information, contact art64tosa@newaukee.com

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Coffee Culture (Fredericksburg, VA) – Call For Artists

Coffee Culture (Fredericksburg, VA) – Call For Artists

[Side Arts Certified Sponsored Listing] LibertyTown Arts Workshop announces a call for artists for Coffee Culture, a national juried art exhibition.

The nineties are back, baby, and with it, so is the nineties’ coffee house culture. Join LibertyTown this March to celebrate all things coffee and coffee culture, whether they are images of coffee, coffee bean art, celebrations of your life in a coffee house, or deeper examinations of this strange, fermented bean water’s journey from bush to mug. LibertyTown wants to see all of your art celebrating, incorporating, or exploring our sweet, sweet, caffeinated friend, coffee.

Click here for the application / registration

Enter by: 17 February 2025

A non-refundable application fee must be paid for each submitted piece before it will be juried. Payment may be submitted electronically via submittable or by check delivered to LibertyTown. “Friends of LibertyTown” Members receive discounted jury fees. If you aren’t already, you can become a member at http://libertytownarts.com/product/friends-of-libertytown/.

Application Fees

  • 1st piece (Non-member): $25
  • 1st piece (Member): $15
  • Each additional piece: $ 5

All artists age 16 and older, working in any media, may apply to this show. Work previously exhibited in LibertyTown’s gallery is not eligible. Work must be original and not from kits and made in the least five years.

Work accepted into the show must be for sale. Applications must be submitted electronically; no physical pieces will be accepted at the gallery for jurying. Work that will be displayed must be ready to show, with no unfired media, no wet paint, no sawtooth hangers, staple-free edges or other unfinished surfaces. LibertyTown will provide pedestals and shelving as needed. LibertyTown reserves the right to reject works accepted by the juror due to content, space constraints, or inability to properly install the work.

Calendar

  • 2/19: Notifications sent via Submittable Only
  • 3/3: Accepted work due at LibertyTown by 8PM
  • 3/7: Opening reception
  • 3/30: Show closes, unsold work may be picked up/will be shipped back

Coffee Culture Awards

  • 1st Place: $400
  • 2nd Place: $200
  • 3rd Place: $100

LibertyTown keeps a commission of 40% on all show sales. Artists are responsible for any costs related to transporting accepted work to the gallery and transporting unsold work away at the end of the show. Artists applying to this show grant LibertyTown Arts Workshop unlimited non-exclusive right to use images of accepted work to promote the exhibit and the gallery.

About LibertyTown Arts Workshop

LibertyTown Arts Workshop is a 13,000 square foot art facility located in downtown, Fredericksburg, Virginia. LibertyTown is home to over 80 artists, working artists’ studios, and a full spectrum of art classes offered to the public. Main gallery Shows rotate monthly. This ensures that LibertyTown is always presenting new items for local patrons to enjoy and experience. LibertyTown features show items for viewing and sale on their website and features show items on Facebook and Instagram pages. Located downtown, the location is walkable, and they have many visitors local and visiting. LibertyTown participates in First Friday art receptions, which is a well-attended event that happens monthly.

For more information, contact info@libertytownarts.com

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Creative Climate Awards 2025 (New York, NY) – Call For Artists

Creative Climate Awards 2025 (New York, NY) – Call For Artists

[Side Arts Certified Sponsored Listing] The Human Impacts Institute (HII) announces a call for artists for the 2025 Creative Climate Awards (CCA), themed Inspiring Futures. HII invites artists to submit works that envision possible futures where humanity rises to the challenge of climate change. This year’s theme aims to shift the focus from fear and uncertainty to hope and solutions, sparking bold, creative visions of a sustainable, equitable, and vibrant future.

Click here for the application / registration

Enter by: 10 February 2025

The Human Impacts Institute’s Creative Climate Awards (CCA) is an annual series of events showcasing artists who address climate change through their creative works. This year’s theme, Inspiring Futures, focuses on using art to shift the climate narrative towards hopeful and solutions-oriented futures. The CCAs are a month-long festival of public exhibits, virtual conversations, screenings, artist talks, and a citywide art installation in New York City.

Prompt: In what ways does your work envision “Inspiring Futures” where we successfully address climate change?

Submit 2D works, films (shorts and features), and 3D works (sculptures and installations), as well as performances (dance, theater, music). Only completed pieces will be considered. Please do not submit concept notes or requests for commissions. Artists from underrepresented communities and those most impacted by climate change are encouraged to apply.

Artists are responsible for costs of shipping works to and from New York City. Performers must be able to perform in New York City between April 20th and May 20th, 2025.

  • Selections Announced: mid-February, 2025.
  • Exhibit and performances: mid-april to mid-May, 2025

Creative Climate Awards Artist Benefits

The Creative Climate Awards provides an opportunity to creatively engage tens-of-thousands of people in climate action, while having your work seen by judges and mentors from some of the top art and environment institutions, including the Brooklyn Museum, MOCADA, Children’s Museum of NY, PBS, and All Arts/WNET.

  • A month long exhibit in New York City
  • Present your work through HII social media takeovers
  • Meet-and-greet curators, mentor, judge and artists events.
  • Cash prize for the top 3 artists selected by external judges

About Human Impacts Institute

The Human Impacts Institute (HII) is an innovative organization at the intersection of art, education, and environmental action. Since 2011, HII has been building a global cultural movement that inspires bold and creative solutions to the climate crisis. Through programs like the Creative Climate Awards, Artivism & Amplifiers Fellowship, and the C3 Lab, HII amplifies diverse voices and fosters collaboration among artists, activists, educators, and community leaders.

By combining storytelling, public engagement, and cutting-edge education, HII transforms complex environmental issues into accessible and actionable initiatives. Its emphasis on inclusivity and creativity makes it a trailblazer in driving systemic change for a sustainable and equitable future.

For more information, contact programs@humanimpactsinstitute.org

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Laguna Art-A-Fair Summer Festival (Laguna Beach, CA) – Call For Artists

Laguna Art-A-Fair Summer Festival (Laguna Beach, CA) – Call For Artists

[Side Arts Certified Sponsored Listing] Laguna Art-A-Fair announces a call for artists for the 2025 Laguna Art-A-Fair Summer Festival. In it’s 58th year, the fine arts festival will be open daily from June 27th to August 31st, 2025.

Laguna Beach, California, is an acclaimed destination for those interested in artwork of all types, with dozens of galleries. The three summer festivals located adjacent to each other along Laguna Canyon Road draw a high number of visitors, with Laguna Art-A-Fair located between the other two festivals.

Click here for the application / registration

Enter by: 3 February 2025

Unlike the other two summer art festivals adjacent to Laguna Art-A-Fair, there are no residency requirements.

Over 50,000 attendees visit Laguna Art-A-Fair each summer. Laguna Beach is a very popular summer tourist destination for its beaches, coastline, restaurants, and art galleries. Juried-in exhibitors choose booth sizes from 1/2 booth (8 linear feet) up to 1 1/2 booth (24 linear feet). Booths are constructed with drywall walls for exhibitor use, making the displaying of artwork very easy.

Since all sales are processed through a central cashier, even if an exhibitor isn’t in attendance, sales opportunities are not lost. There is 24-hour security, which minimizes concerns of theft of artwork. The fair is aggressive in its social media promotion of the festival with over 300,000 Facebook followers and over 100,000 Instagram followers.

About Laguna Art-A-Fair

Laguna Art-A-Fair is renowned for the high quality and wide diversity of its fine art offerings. Laguna Art-A-Fair’s theme is a “Festival Without Borders”. Each year, artists from other states and even other countries exhibit in the festival. The art fair is consistently voted as the best summer art festival in Laguna Beach. The organization runs as a cooperative, with each exhibitor as a member who has a say in the festival’s operation, and a Board of Directors elected from the membership. Besides booth fees, exhibitors pay only a 20% commission on sales.

For more information, contact lagunaartafair@gmail.com

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ARC Salon (International Art Competition) – Call For Artists

ARC Salon (International Art Competition)  – Call For Artists

[Exhibition Update]

Congratulations to the participants and winners of the Art Renewal Center’s 17th International ARC Salon Competition! The ARC received over 5,000 entries from 87 countries; 40%, 1,970 works have been selected as semi-finalists. Finalists comprise a select group of the very top-rated entries, 1,226 works in all, or approximately 24% of entries. Both finalists and semi-finalists have been published on the ARC website.

The highest award, Best in Show, which is a $25,000 prize generously donated this year by the MacAvoy Foundation, has gone to Pavel Sokov for his entry of Watching the Dance.

Special congratulations are also due to our additional six first place category winners. Hiroshi Furuyoshi, for his work in the Figurative Category, Julia, depicting what appears to be a young and reluctant bride from the Medi-eval period sitting on a throne in deep contemplation. Casey Baugh, for his thought-provoking work in the Imaginative Realism Category titled The Music TeacherSara Gallagher, for her symbolic and introspective drawing of Let Them FallLynette Cook, for her contemporary landscape, Illumination, depicting the side of a modern building but with reflections and shadows of the natural world. Donald Demers, who in addition to winning First Place plein air, has also won the Plein Air Magazine Award with his work, The Lower Flume. And finally, Angela Zhou, our Teen Category First Place winner, who painted her work Laboratory Study at age 15.

View more details about and images from the exhibition here: https://www.artrenewal.org/17th-arc-salon#/


[Side Arts Certified Sponsored Listing] The Art Renewal Center announces an extended deadline for The 17th International ARC Salon Competition call for artists. Due to a large number of requests for more time and individuals needing last minute technical assistance, the deadline for the 17th International ARC Salon Competition will be extended until the end of the day on July 1, 2024.

Click here for the application / registration

Enter by: 1 July 2024

When talking about competitions dedicated to 21st Century Realism, the International ARC Salon is the largest in the world. With over $130,000 in cash awards and international recognition through partnerships with prestigious magazines, galleries, and museums, don’t miss your chance to compete. Categories include figurative, portraiture, imaginative realism, drawing, landscape, still life, plein air painting, fully from life, sculpture, animals, and a special category for teens.

Works do not need to be available for sale to win any of the awards other then Purchase Awards. Works do not need to be available to exhibit in the ARC Salon Exhibition for all awards other then FWSD Awards.

ARC Salon Artist Benefits

All winners, honorable mentions, finalists, and semi-finalists will have their entries accompanied by their name and artwork details displayed on the ARC website. Biography, photo of the artist, and painting descriptions provided during the entry process may also be shown for all qualifying works. All winners, honorable mentions, and some finalists will be featured in the 17th/18th International ARC Salon Book, “International Realism.” In addition, all winners and honorable mentions will receive an award certificate suitable for framing.

The show will consist of approximately 100 of the best works from the combined 17th and 18th International ARC Salon Competitions. The exhibition is planned to open at what will be Sotheby’s New York’s new flag ship, Madison Avenue location, in the summer of 2026, where the official award ceremony will be held.

About Art Renewal Center

Leading the revival of realism in the visual arts, the Art Renewal Center® (ARC), a 501(c)(3), non-profit, educational foundation, hosts the largest online museum dedicated to representational art. It includes works by the old masters, 19th century, and 21st Century Artists as well as articles, letters, and other online resources. The ARC is the foremost and only vetting service for representational art schools ensuring that the teaching curricula and quality of teacher and student work meet strict standards to become ARC Approved.

The ARC runs the ARC Salon Competition, which is the largest and most prestigious competition in the world for realist artists painting, sculpting, and drawing with eleven categories and thousands of works competing, culminating in a live exhibition of many of the winning works.

The ARC works with other ARC Allied Organizations, artist groups, museums, and publications to become a central news hub for the 21st Century Representational Art Movement. Read the ARC Philosophy written by ARC Chairman, Frederick C. Ross, to learn why ARC is so passionately dedicated to representational art.

For more information, contact sabrina.foland@artrenewal.org

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Perceptions Unscripted (Online Art Competition) – Call For Artists

Perceptions Unscripted (Online Art Competition) – Call For Artists

[Side Arts Certified Sponsored Listing] KiteraSpace announces a call for artists for Perceptions Unscripted, an online international art competition. Perceptions Unscripted calls artists to explore the concept of transcending perceptual limitations, whether physical, emotional, cultural, or imaginative. It challenges creators to reflect on breaking barriers, crossing thresholds, and pushing past the edges of what is accepted as real.

Click here for the application / registration

Enter by: 28 February 2025

2D and 3D works in all styles, media, and subjects are welcomed.

Finalists will have their work featured in the virtual galleries of Kitera.Space and Art.Space and will move on to the final round of jurying in consideration for cash awards and honors. Exhibition will be freely accessible through any device and viewable online.

Bring your work to life and the world. Promote your art in the Competition Virtual Galleries. Share freely, get instant visitors and sell your art directly. Enjoy a 3D-Virtual space to exhibit your art quickly and easily. Have more visibility in a respected, global virtual gallery platform. Network with worldwide curators, collectors, and art professionals. Inclusion in a milestone development celebrating emerging and contemporary artists through virtual exhibitions.

About KiteraSpace

KiteraSpace’s mission is to connect contemporary art with curators, collectors, art professionals, education professionals, and the general public world wide. The submission fees received go towards awards, funding the platform, and providing opportunities and free resources to artists and educators around the world. They support the production of free virtual exhibitions, enabling an independent platform dedicated to artists.

KiteraSpace provides online art curated collections in a familiar art gallery setting, with free movement and true scale. Unlimited by reality. Accessible for everyone. Visit 3D art exhibitions from the comfort of your browser. Discover new and interesting art to acquire directly from the artist. Experience more art than would ever be possible in reality. Whenever and Wherever.

For more information, contact art@kitera.space

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Street Photography (Online Photography Competition) – Call For Artists

Street Photography (Online Photography Competition) – Call For Artists

[Side Arts Certified Sponsored Listing] The New York Center for Photographic Art (NYC4PA) announces a call for artists for Street Photography, an online photography competition.

Street photography, as an art form, captures a special essence of life, not posed, not set up, but there in the streets, yards, and avenues we pass every day. The challenge is composing those photographs that set them apart from snapshots. Take your camera or phone outside with you and capture the odd juxtaposition of a passerby and a window decoration, special look, split-second moment of communication, or scene that conveys a message or feeling. The examples are too numerous and varied to list. All 2D photography is welcome.

Click here for the application / registration

Enter by: 9 February 2025

NYC4PA offers opportunities to participate in themed calls for photographers. Each call has a different theme and 50 images win. The prizes total $4000. There is a grand prize, 3 first prizes, 3 second prizes, 3 third prizes, 20 juror’s selections, and 20 honorable mentions. All 50 winners are posted in a gallery on the NYC4PA website and included in an exhibition gallery. The call is open to any photographers worldwide and of any age, amateurs or professional. A professional photographer, gallery owner, or photography teacher is the juror.

About New York Center for Photographic Art

The mission of the New York Center for Photographic Art is to provide exhibition opportunities in the vibrant New York City gallery world to photographers around the globe. NYC4PA offers international, themed, open call competitions juried by recognized experts in the field of photography. Prizes include cash awards, online gallery, catalog, and New York City gallery exhibits.

For more information, contact nyc4pa@gmail.com

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