[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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[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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[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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Side Arts represents an exclusive group of international visual artists. Selected through juried review process, this curated roster of featured visual artists represents professionals actively creating and promoting their art practices. Visual artists mediums include painting, photography, mixed media, drawing, glass art, ceramics, printmaking, and more.
Below are a list of featured artists or click here to view all artist profiles.
The Most Active Award is determined by the artist who submits the most number of artworks for promotion through Side Arts.
Ann Dunbar: Calvados, France (Mixed Media, Painting) (Most active award!)
- Carlos Alves: Miami, FL (Ceramics, Glass Art, Mixed Media)
- Robert Deschenes: Quebec, Canada (Painting)
- Audrey Kay Dowling: Westfield, NY (Ceramics, Mixed Media, Painting)
- John Edwe: Philadelphia, PA (Drawing, Painting, Printmaking)
- Linda Fitzgerald: Fort Collins, CO (Mixed Media, Painting, Sculpture)
- Linda Dubin Garfield: Wynnewood, PA (Mixed Media, Painting, Printmaking)
- John Michael Keating: Grass Valley, CA (Painting)
- Marcelle Mansour (Sydney, Australia – Digital Art, Painting, Photography)
- Anne Nye: Florence, AZ (Glass Art, Mixed Media, Painting)
- Richard Resnick: Brooklyn, NY (Photography)
- Roy Wronker: Johns Greek, GA (Mixed Media, Painting, Photography)
Check out their artist updates on our Instagram.
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[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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[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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[Side Arts Certified Sponsored Listing] The Tartget Prize international painting competition invites artists from around the world to participate in its first edition. The competitions is dedicated to promoting art and creating opportunities for emerging artists while consolidating the reputations of distinguished painters.
With over €50,000 in cash prizes and international recognition awards through partnerships with magazines, galleries, fine art materials, and art scholarships, there are more than 50 prizes in total.
Click here for the application / registration
Enter by: 15 February 2025 (original)
DEADLINE EXTENDED: 28 February 2025
- 30 finalist spots among all participants who submit their works before December 23, 2024.
- If you don’t secure one of these 30 spots, your work will remain in the competition, giving you another chance after the registration deadline on February 15, 2025.
- If you submit at least two works before December 23, 2024, you will receive a 50% discount on your next application.
Open to all. Figurative, conceptual, and abstract paintings are accepted, according to categories. The registration fee for the contest is $50 for the first artwork and $30 for each additional artwork or different category. For participants under 25 years old, the registration fee is $30 for the first artwork and $15 for each additional one.
There are 10 categories to enter:
- Urban and Industrial Landscape
- Natural and Outdoor Landscape
- Animals and Wildlife
- Drawing and Illustration
- Still Life and Everyday Objects
- Figure and Portrait
- Fantasy and Imaginative
- Conceptual and Collage
- Abstraction
- A special category for teenagers
Works in all styles are accepted, including hyperrealism, photorealism, contemporary realism, imaginative realism, fantastic realism, surrealism, impressionism, expressionism, plein air painting, contemporary, abstraction, and any other type of representative painting.
Tartget Prize Awards
These are the main prizes of the competition:
- Best in Show: €12,000
- Second General Prize: €6,000
- Third General Prize: €4,000
- Tartget Fusion Prize: €4,000
- Acquisition Prizes: €1,000, €2,000, €3,000, and €4,000
- Best in Category: €500
After selecting the 200 finalists, Tartget Prize, along with a panel of physical jurors, will determine the works to be included in the grand physical exhibition to be held in Madrid, Spain, from June 5 to 12, 2025, in the historic Ateneo de Madrid building, just steps away from the Prado Museum and the Thyssen, where most of the winners will be announced.
About Tartget Prize
Tartget Prize is a major international painting competition celebrating its first edition, awarding over €50,000 in prizes. It is sponsored by some of the leading fine art product brands worldwide and boasts a prestigious jury composed of renowned international painters, gallerists, collectors, art critics, and curators.
Undoubtedly, it is a great opportunity for all painters who wish to advance their painting careers, gain recognition, establish themselves in the market, open doors to new opportunities, win significant cash prizes, and exhibit their work in Madrid, one of the world’s most important cultural cities, at the physical exhibition showcasing the best finalist and awarded works.
For more information, contact ceo@tartgetpaintingprize.com
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[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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![Audrey Kay Dowling [Certified Visual Artist – Westfield, New York]](https://sidearts.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/1-768x768.png "Audrey Kay Dowling [Certified Visual Artist – Westfield, New York]")
Audrey Kay Dowling is a Side Arts Certified Visual Artist from Westfield, New York.
After a full teaching career, Audrey Kay Dowling is now a full-time artist. She attends workshops in clay, painting, and printmaking, and works in her studios daily.
Being raised in a rural area of 50 acres of woods with three creeks gave Audrey an early childhood start as a nature appreciator and advocate for stewardship of the earth. While in high school she moved to New York City when her parents took new jobs in Brooklyn. During the summer and on vacations, she would ride the subway almost daily to explore the art museums and galleries of the New York City art scene. Inspired to become an artist by both of her formative experiences – rural and urban, she attended art school for college in the Hudson Valley which combined both influences. Audrey received her BS in Art Education at SUNY New Paltz and an MS from SUNY Fredonia.
Audrey has been a gallery owner of Portage Hill Art Gallery in Westfield, New York, for the past 42 years. She is an award and grant winning artist, including an Individual Artist Grant won in 2022 from the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA).
Throughout her life, Audrey has been both an artist and an activist for keeping our earth healthy. Her work is centered around a deep regard for the natural world. Still an advocate, her work is centered around a deep regard for the natural world in both rural and urban settings.
See more artwork, visit audreykaydowling.com
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[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