UNCP 45th Annual Juried High School Art Exhibition

The A.D. Gallery at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke invites you to celebrate the 45th annual juried exhibition for regional high school students. This show is designed to offer a professionally organized gallery exhibition to artistically accomplished high school students. The exhibition celebrates and rewards student talent and recognizes art teachers for their encouragement and effective teaching skills.

The competition is open to all current regional North Carolina and South Carolina high school students who are selected by their art instructors to represent their school, and who can deliver their artwork to the gallery by Monday, March 2, 2026.

UNCP 45th Annual Juried High School Art Exhibition 
Thursday, March 19-Saturday, March 28, 2026
Entry Deadline: Friday, February 13, 2026

The A.D. Gallery at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke invites you to celebrate the 45th annual juried exhibition for regional high school students. This show is designed to offer a professionally organized gallery exhibition to artistically accomplished high school students. The exhibition celebrates and rewards student talent and recognizes art teachers for their encouragement and effective teaching skills.

The competition is open to all current regional North Carolina and South Carolina high school students who are selected by their art instructors to represent their school, and who can deliver their artwork to the gallery by Monday, March 2, 2026.

Juror: John Rhodes-Pruitt
John Rhodes-Pruitt is an artist based in eastern North Carolina whose work is an amalgamation of printmaking techniques, alternative-process photography, origami, and drawing. Born in New Bern, John grew up making art in childhood while learning from local artists in the area. He attempted a brief foray into television and radio as both an on-air personality and a visual effects editor before coming to his senses to pursue visual art as a career. He attended the University of North Carolina at Pembroke for his undergraduate studies before attending graduate school at East Carolina University, obtaining his MFA in Drawing and Painting in 2023. He now teaches others, both at his alma mater UNCP and at Methodist University and works to pay forward the lessons instilled in him on to new generations of art students. 

Awards will be given for First, Second, and Third place winners.

Entry Fee: There is no entry fee for this exhibition.

Shipping and Handling Fee: Accepted art instructors must provide for delivery and return of work, as listed below. Please do not submit work for consideration if you are unable to deliver accepted artwork to Pembroke, North Carolina by Monday, March 2, 2026. Shipped artwork must arrive by Monday, March 2, 2026, at 5 p.m. UPS or FedEx is the preferred method of shipment.

CALENDAR

Entry Deadline: Friday, February 13, 2026
Jury Notification: Tuesday, February 17, 2026
Delivery of Accepted Work: February 23 – March 2, 2026
Dates of Exhibition: March 19 - March 28, 2026
Reception & Awards: Saturday, March 28, 2026, 11 a.m – 1 p.m.
Pick up / Return Shipment: March 28 – April 2, 2026

Entry Procedure: Each art instructor must submit work following the guidelines below. 

Entries must be submitted by Friday, February 13, 2026.

Entry Guidelines:
• All entries must be submitted on CaFÉ.
• Art Instructors may enter up to 12 works for one school.
• Submitted images should be in JPEG format at 72 dpi
• Submitted files should have a minimum of 1200 pixels on the longest side.
• Submitted files should be no larger than 5MB. 
• A full view of each submitted artwork is required.
• For information on how to apply for a call, go to https://www.callforentry.org/artist-help-cafe/how-to-apply-artists/
• For information on uploading your media, go to https://www.callforentry.org/artist-help-cafe/uploading-media/
• If you have any questions or need assistance using CaFÉ, go to https://www.callforentry.org/artist-help-cafe/

Eligibility: The competition is open to all current regional North Carolina and South Carolina high school students who are selected by their art instructors to represent their school, and who can deliver their artwork to the gallery by Monday, March 2, 2026.

Entry Fee: There is no entry fee for this exhibition.

Shipping and Handling Fee: Accepted art instructors must provide for delivery and return of work, as listed below. Please do not submit work for consideration if you are unable to deliver accepted artwork to Pembroke, North Carolina by Monday, March 2, 2026. Shipped artwork must arrive by Monday, March 2, 2026, at 5 p.m. UPS or FedEx is the preferred method of shipment.

Acceptance and Delivery of Work: Art Instructors whose student work is selected for the exhibition will be notified by Tuesday, February 17, 2026. Please do not submit work for consideration if you are unable to deliver it by Monday, March 2, 2026. Art Instructors are responsible for delivery of the work to and from the gallery.  Accepted work may be delivered in person or shipped postage paid by the art instructor in appropriate packaging for artwork that is reusable upon return shipment. If inappropriate shipping materials are used, damaged work will not be covered by the gallery. All packages must include a prepaid return address label. Shipped artwork must arrive by Monday, March 2, 2026, at 5 p.m. UPS or FedEx is the preferred method of shipment. 

Mailed entries should be shipped to:
UNCP Department of Art 
c/o Nicole Beverly 
1 University Drive 
PO BOX 1510 
Pembroke, NC 28372-1510

Return of Work: Return postage should be prepaid by the art instructor and included with the work at the time of delivery. If work is dropped off in person, it should be picked up in person. The gallery will only return work if the art instructor provides appropriate packing & shipping material with a prepaid shipping label. Shipped work will be returned after April 2, 2026.

Presentation: Wall-mounted work: Not to exceed 5’ in height or width, and 60 lbs.; Installations: May not alter the character of gallery walls, ceiling, or floor.

Pedestals will be provided for 3-D work.

All works must be ready to install. 2-D work must be framed under plexiglass or glass (with exception of works on canvas) and wired with the necessary hanging device attached. Unframed works should be shipped with the appropriate hanging equipment and installation instructions. The juror or gallery director may withhold works that are misrepresented by digital submission.

Art Sales: Sale of work is not permitted as this is a non-profit gallery supported through a state funded university.

Contractual Agreement: Entry to this exhibition implies agreement on the part of the sender to the conditions set forth in this prospectus.

All entries selected for this exhibition will be insured for the listed value from time of receipt through return shipment. Elected work must remain on view until the close of the exhibition.

Copyright Policy: All works must be original. Any audio/music scores associated with submitted works must be original and/or copyright free.

Permission to photograph artwork for exhibition publicity is considered granted unless otherwise stated.