Step Out - Virginia Beach Annual Exhibition

A juried exhibition inviting artists who exhibited with the center during 2026 to move beyond their usual artistic routine by trying a new medium or muse. The exhibition runs December 4–23, 2026, with a December 4 reception from 6–8pm and award presentation at 7pm. Ken Wright is the judge. Diverse visual artworks are welcomed, including abstract work, collage, photography, jewelry, digital art, prints, paintings and 3D work. Awards are $250 for first place, $200 for second place, $100 for third place, and six honorable mentions. All exhibited work must be for sale.

Try something new and different from your customary work: take a leap of faith with a new medium or a new muse.

Eligibility: Artists aged 18 or older who exhibited during the 2026 season in the center's main gallery, classroom or satellite location. The call describes eligibility as local/regional and requires in-person drop-off, but explicitly permits out-of-town artists to send accepted work by UPS or FedEx only, with a return label; no exceptions. Work must relate to the theme, be original and created by the submitting artist, have been created within the last two years, and never have appeared in any of the center's art shows. Broad and abstract interpretations are encouraged. Explain any use of AI and the process in the medium field. Art must be suitable for viewers of all ages and free of copyright infringement; the artist bears responsibility for copyright compliance.

Fees: $30 for up to three pieces for non-supporters; $25 for annual supporters. Each additional entry costs $5, with a maximum of five entries per artist. Fees are non-refundable and payment is required for consideration. For a single 3D piece, entry boxes two and three may show additional angles. When submitting three pieces, using boxes four and five for additional views incurs the extra fee; this option is only for 3D artworks. Selection is juried.

Apply using the form on this page by November 12, 2026; the schedule specifies 11:59pm, while the submission instructions say midnight. Late submissions are not accepted. Supply name, email, website, social media handles separated by semicolons, telephone and address, plus artwork images, title/year, medium and AI process, price, dimensions including frame, and a statement of 30 words or fewer for each piece. JPEG/.jpg images have a maximum file size of 20MB. Rename files on the device before uploading; the instructions specify last_first_title.jpeg and upload labels specify lastname_firstname_title, while helper text also says lastname_title. Do not use special characters. Crop images to the artwork's edges without frames or background objects, photograph straight-on in good lighting, and use professional presentation. Titles should use title case without quotation marks; prices should omit dollar signs. Verify originality, proof titles/prices/statements, and agree to all rules, liability terms and promotional-image permission. The team may edit statements for clarity, length or typos. Prices and statements cannot be amended after the deadline; the form also says prices cannot be changed after submission. Complete payment on the confirmation/payment page before leaving. Artists must check this page for acceptance; the schedule lists notifications on 12/20, despite the exhibition beginning earlier.

Delivery: December 1, 2026, 10:30am–4:30pm only; no early delivery or acceptance after 4:30pm. Label the back of 2D work or underside of 3D work with artist name and title. Work is checked at delivery and may still be refused for presentation, hanging-wire or craftsmanship problems, or if it differs from the juried work. The detailed pickup instructions specify Tuesday, January 5, 2027, 10:30am–4:30pm; the schedule conflicts by printing '12/5/27' for pickup. Confirm this discrepancy with the curator. The schedule also lists opening to visitors December 3 at 10am.

Presentation: No reproductions. Photography, digital art and hand-pulled prints must be limited editions of 25 or fewer, signed and numbered. All work must be visibly signed: 2D on front or back, 3D underneath. A sold photography/digital print may not be replaced with another copy of the same juried artwork. Gallery-wrapped canvases at least 1 inch deep must have painted sides, either continuing the image or using a complementary color, with no visible side staples. Paintings on canvas, cradle board or another substrate less than 1 inch deep must be framed. Photography on metal or aluminum sheets does not need framing. Hanging wires must be tight and positioned one-quarter down from the frame's top. Sawtooth hangers and eyehooks are prohibited, except built-in sawtooth hangers on photography presented on metal or aluminum sheets.

Size/installation: 2D works may be no more than 60 inches wide including frame and weigh no more than 40 pounds. A 3D base may be no larger than 20 inches square. Artists must install and move 3D works over 40 pounds. Size/weight exceptions and special installation must be cleared with the curator before submission.

Sales and rights: All work must be priced for sale and remain at the gallery for the entire exhibition. Prices must be consistent with the artist's other work; the center checks websites/social media. The center retains 30% of sales for invitational artists and 25% for resident and exhibiting artists. Artists are notified of sales; sales checks are ready for pickup by the 10th of the month following the exhibition's close. Awards: first place $250, second place $200, third place $100, and six honorable mentions. Submitting images grants Virginia Beach Art Center permission to use artwork images for promotion. Virginia Beach Art Center and The Artists Gallery disclaim liability for damage before, during or after the exhibition. Contact curator Jorge A. Saenz at exhibitions@artcentervb.org about questions or exceptions before the submission deadline; check spam folders for correspondence.