ENTRY FEE 

Entry fees are used to offset necessary expenses involved in making the show possible. A non-refundable fee of $45 entitles each artist to submit up to three entries.  Please make checks payable to the Academy Center of the Arts.

Pay Fee Here

Please Fill Out the Entry Form Here – National Juried Art Exhibition Entry Form

INQUIRIES

Additional information and copies of this prospectus may be obtained by contacting A’Nyeja Adams, Curator and Communications Specialist.
(434) 528-3256 x122 | aadams@academycenter.org
Note: All work must remain on display for the entire exhibition.

2026 National Juried Art Exhibition Timeline:

  • Digital Submission, Email, or Flash Drive deadline* February 10
  • Notification sent to artists March 6
  • Receipt of shipped work March 23-27
  • Receipt of hand-delivered work March 27, 10:00am – 5:00pm
  • Opening Reception April 3, 5:00 – 8:00pm
  • Juror’s Gallery Talk April 3, 6:00 -6:30 pm
  • Final Day of Exhibition April 24
  • Return of hand delivered work April 27, 10:00am – 5:00 pm
  • Shipped work packed and mailed April 27 – May 1st

*POSTMARK DEADLINE, FLASH DRIVE, ENTRY FORM, ENTRY FEE IS FEBRUARY 10, 2026.

Juror: Heath Ballowe

Heath Ballowe currently serves as the Galleries and Museum Collections Manager at Sweet Briar College. He earned a Master’s degree (MA) in Decorative Art, Design History, and Material Culture from the Bard Graduate Center (Bard College) in 2022. He also holds a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Printmaking from the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), earned in 2010, as well as a collegiate teaching certification from Brown University (2009) and a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) in 2006.

Heath has taught at the Rhode Island School of Design in Providence, Rhode Island, and Moore College of Art and Design in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Additionally, he has managed multiple private and public art collections, including The Clay Studio cataloging project in Philadelphia, supported by The Luce Foundation for American Art.

ELIGIBILITY

Open to U.S. residents, 18 years or older, working in the following disciplines: painting, photography, sculpture, drawing, printmaking, fiber, glass, ceramics, wood, metal, and mixed media. All work submitted must be original (no reproductions), not done under supervision, and not made from kits or patterns. All work must be suitably prepared for installation. The curator reserves the right to deny entry if any work is deemed not suitable for display or too difficult to install. Entries must have been completed after January 1, 2017, and not previously exhibited in a Lynchburg juried art show.

CASH AWARDS
Awards will be given at the discretion of the juror. Best In Show Award is $1000.

PURCHASES
All of the works are available for purchase unless designated “Not for Sale” at the time of entry. The Academy Center of the Arts will facilitate sales and will charge a 35% commission. Works not for sale must have a value for insurance purposes. In this case, determine a potential sale price and enter 60% of that dollar value.

DELIVERY OF ACCEPTED WORK
Entries may be shipped or hand-delivered to the Academy Center of the Arts, 600 Main St., Lynchburg, VA. 24504. Shipped entries must be sent in reusable containers (no packing peanuts) with return shipping form enclosed. Hand delivered work will be received on March 27 from 10 am to 5 pm. Shipped entries must be received between March 23 and 27.  Accepted work will be insured for the duration of the exhibit if the artist has declared an insurance value.

LIABILITY
Accepted works are insured by the Academy Center of the Arts, March 23 – April 24,  2025.

AGREEMENT, PHOTO, AND REPRODUCTION RIGHTS
Entry in the exhibition constitutes agreement to the conditions set forth in this prospectus. The artist grants the Academy Center of the Arts permission to photograph or digitally re-print any work accepted for the exhibition for archival purposes, publicity or publication, or for film or television programs which are published, produced, or sponsored by or with permission of the Academy Center of the Arts, or to scan artist’s work for the web page.