13th Annual National Juried Exhibit Call For Artists

Description

Bower Center for the Arts invites artists from across the country to submit works for consideration for our 13th Annual National Juried Exhibit.  These works will be on exhibit in our galleries from October 9 - November 15, 2025, with an artist's reception and awards presentation scheduled for October 24 at 5:00pm.  

Works will be accepted in numerous media including, but not limited to, painting, drawing, print-making, collage, mixed media, photography, mosaics, sculpture, fabric, ceramics, wood and glass.  

Early Bird Deadline is July 12, 2025 at 11:59pm.  

Early Bird Entry Fee: $35 entry fee for up to 3 works of art, plus $10 for a 4th art entry.

Regular Registration Deadline is August 9, 2025 at 11:59pm.

Regular Entry Fee: $45 entry fee for up to 3 works of art, plus $10 for a 4th art entry. 

Submission Details: 

Be sure to download the 13th Annual National Juried Exhibit Call for Artists here for full details. (Failure to follow instructions laid out in the call for artists may result in a delay to process your entry or cause it to be rejected.)

This exhibit is open to all artists over the age of 18. All entries must be original works (no reproductions) and created by the artists within the past three years and not been in a previous exhibit at Bower Center. 2-Dimensional art must be in sturdy frames or gallery-wrapped and wired for hanging (no saw-tooth hangers or use of loops embedded in cardboard backing).

• 2-Dimensional works cannot exceed 60" in either direction.
• 3-Dimensional works are accepted, but there is limited space for free-standing, broad based, or suspended sculptures. There are limited pedestals. Art requiring pedestals cannot have bases larger than 15"-20" and are limitied to 3'-4' in height. 

You may enter online by clicking the Registration button on this page or downloading the paper entry and mailing it with check made payable to Bower Center to 305 N. Bridge Street, Bedford, VA 24523.

Introducing our Judge/Juror: Veronica Jackson

Veronica Jackson is a multidisciplinary artist whose work critically explores the lived experiences of Black women, particularly how they claim and mark space. Rooted in a decades-long career in architecture and interpretive exhibit design, her visual art practice blends autobiography, cultural critique, and storytelling through the use of familiar objects and text.

Jackson has been awarded residencies at the Santa Fe Art Institute (NM), Women’s Studio Workshop (NY), Visual Arts Center of Richmond (VA), and others, allowing her to deepen her exploration of identity, memory, and representation. Her work has been featured in solo and group exhibitions across the country, including NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, Verge Center for the Arts (CA), the Daura Museum of Art (VA), and the Visual Arts Center of Richmond. Her art is part of several private and institutional collections, including Virginia Humanities and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.

She holds a BS in Architecture from the University of Virginia and an MA in Visual & Critical Studies from California College of the Arts. Jackson currently lives and works in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Central Virginia.

To read more about Veronica, check out her website: https://jacksondesigngroup.com/veronica-jackson

Registration Notes:  

For best results, please use Google Chrome when completing your online registration.  

When completing your registration, please note that a Login is not required. If you are new user, and you do not wish to create an account for future use, enter your email address and select the "Go" button under Your Contact Information. Then enter your first name and last name under your email address and select the "Continue" button. (Do not select the Go button again, as it will not go anywhere.)

When selecting quantity, make sure you only select "1". This is good for up to 3 works of art!  Also ensure that you have checked all required boxes on the form. All fields with a red line on the right-hand side must be answered in order to submit your registration. Please note that if you are entering more than one piece, the fields are not marked as required, but you need to fill out all the information for each piece you are submitting.