Athenaeum Solo or Group Show 2025-2026

The Athenaeum Gallery in Alexandria, Virginia exhibits visual arts created solely by artists living or working in the region (DC, Maryland and Virginia) and strives to present visitors with a wide variety of excellent art and unique experiences.  In addition to the shows curated by the Gallery Director, the Athenaeum Gallery invites artists and curators to submit show proposals.

Summary
The Athenaeum Gallery in Alexandria, Virginia exhibits visual arts created solely by artists living or working in the region and strives to present visitors with a wide variety of excellent art and unique experiences.  In addition to the shows curated by the Gallery Director, the Athenaeum Gallery invites artists and curators to submit show proposals.

Eligibility
Artists who live or work in Virginia, Maryland, or the District of Columbia may submit a proposal for a solo show.  A group of artists who live or work in the area may submit a proposal for a group show.  A curator, living or working anywhere, may submit a proposal for a show featuring works by artists living or working in this area.

Selection Criteria
Proposals will be evaluated by Athenaeum Gallery Director, Twig Murray.  Some of the selection criteria include:
·      What is the artist trying to achieve or communicate through the work?
·      What makes it unique or interesting?
·      Is the work technically excellent?
·      Have the works or the artist been on display in this area recently?

Media/Artwork Specifications
·      All visual media is welcome, but every work must be wall-mounted. 
·      Work must be less than 9 inches deep.
·      Painting, drawing, collage, etc. must be framed or fully finished, wired, and ready to hang on picture hooks. 
·      Sculpture must be less than 9 inches deep and lighter than 30 pounds.
·      No floor mounted or free-standing work will be considered.
·      Work that requires electricity will not be considered.

Delivery/Shipping
The artist/artists or curator is responsible for getting, or arranging to have their work delivered, to the Athenaeum Gallery and having unsold works picked up form the gallery at the close of the show.

Sales
The Athenaeum Gallery will retain a 40% commission on works sold, and will issue a check for 60% of the sales price to the artist no longer than thirty days after the show has closed.
For a curator-proposed show, the commission structure can be adjusted with the full agreement of the gallery and the curator.
Sold work remains in the gallery until the last day of the show.
Work does not have to be for sale to be included in a show.

Insurance
All works in the show will be insured by the Athenaeum Gallery for 100% of the retail price during the run of the show.

About the Athenaeum
The Athenaeum Gallery is the headquarters of the Northern Virginia Fine Arts Association (NVFAA). Founded in 1964, the NVFAA is dedicated to the pursuit of excellence in all forms of art, and to establishing programs that will enrich the cultural life of Northern Virginia and the surrounding metropolitan area. The Athenaeum Gallery exhibits work created solely by artists living or working the region and strives to present visitors with a wide variety of excellent work and unique experiences.

Each application needs to meet the Media/Artwork Specification as stated above.

Each application needs to represent work created by artists in DC,MD, VA.