2026 Raleigh Fine Arts Society NC Artists Exhibition

Raleigh Fine Arts Society North Carolina Artists Exhibition promotes North Carolina art and artists in the state's largest all-media juried exhibition. 

• Prizes totaling $10,000 are awarded.
• Applicants must be residents of North Carolina.
• Applicants must be age 18 & over.
• Students enrolled in out-of-state educational institutions are eligible to enter provided they (a) are classified as North Carolina residents; and (b) provide a valid North Carolina address.
• Artists may submit two original works.
• Works must be created after July 1, 2024.
• Artworks selected for previous Raleigh Fine Arts Society exhibitions are ineligible.
• All works must be the sole work and exclusive property of the submitting 
artist.
• Works must be no larger than 60 inches in any dimension, including frame, and weigh no more than 50 pounds.
• All art must be available for purchase. Artists will receive 70% of total sales price and RFAS receives 30%.
• Sale prices are firm.
• Exhibition will be open for 3 weeks at Meredith College.

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Announcing our 2026 Juror...

Allison Perkins joined the staff of Reynolda House Museum of American Art in Winston-Salem as executive director in 2006. She was named Wake Forest University’s associate provost for Reynolda House and Reynolda Gardens in 2015. Annually, more than 250,000 visitors come to the historic 1917 estate. Perkins considers herself an audience advocate and, in her role at Reynolda, she upholds the institution’s mission to connect people with the beauty and complexity of the American story through the integration of art, nature, and history.

Perkins spent the first half of her career in art museum education, holding prior positions at the Baltimore Museum of Art, moving there from her previous role as education director of the Amon Carter Museum of American Art, Fort Worth. Perkins received a Bachelor of Arts in art history from Lake Forest College and completed graduate work in art history at the University of Chicago. She was appointed to the National Museum and Library Services Board by President Biden and served until 2025.
 

Eligibility: 

• Applicants must be residents of North Carolina.
• Applicants must be age 18 & older.
• Artists may submit two original works.
• Students enrolled in out-of-state educational institutions are eligible to enter provided they (a) are classified as North Carolina residents; and (b) provide a valid North Carolina address.
• Works must be created after July 1, 2024.
• Artworks selected for previous Raleigh Fine Arts Society exhibitions are ineligible.
• All works must be the sole work and exclusive property of the submitting 
artist.
• Works must be no larger than 60 inches in any dimension, including frame, and weigh no more than 50 pounds. Image size and frame size must be specified.
• All art must be available for purchase. Artists will receive 70% of total sales price when works are sold; Raleigh Fine Arts Society receives 30%
• Sale prices are firm.
• Exhibition will be open for three weeks at Meredith College in Raleigh.

Deadline: 

Entries may be submitted beginning May 1, 2026. Entries must be finalized with entry fees received online no later than 5:00 p.m. on June 8, 2026.  Entry fees are nonrefundable.

Procedure:

• Raleigh Fine Arts Society uses CaFÉ for online submissions, and artwork must be submitted using this software program. 
• ​If an artist is unable to submit an entry online, or has questions or technical problems with the CaFÉ program, the artist should contact the CaFÉ support staff at cafe@westaf.org.
• If an artist has other questions, including questions about the artist’s statement and biographical information for the Artists Exhibition Catalogue, the artist should contact artistsexhibition@gmail.com.
• Artists must provide the name of the medium used. An artist who submits mixed-media work must include the names of all media used in the creation of the artwork.
• Artists may submit two artworks. For each two-dimensional artwork, the artist may upload one image of the artwork. For each three-dimensional artwork, the artist may upload up to two images of the artwork. The juror will be able to zoom in on the image. The Raleigh Fine Arts Society reserves the right to edit submitted entries to meet these requirements. TO AVOID AN ADDITIONAL $40 ENTRY FEE, ALL IMAGES MUST BE SUBMITTED AT THE TIME YOU ENTER.
• File sizes of the photo images of submitted art may not exceed 5MB. Minimum image size is 1920 pixels on the longest side. Resolution must be 72 dpi. Artists whose artwork is selected for the exhibition will be asked to provide higher resolution photo images for the catalogue.
• Images must be oriented correctly. They should not include the framing or empty space, but should be cropped to show only the image of the artwork.
• All entries will be juried from digital images. Awards will be selected from the original works of art.
• Raleigh Fine Arts Society and Meredith College reserve the right to eliminate from the exhibition any work deemed inappropriate in content or form.

Entry Fee:

The entry fee is $40.00 for up to two works and is nonrefundable. Payment is accepted online in CaFÉ.

Awards:

The Juror will present awards totaling $10,000.

(1) $5,000 Betsy J. Sykes Award 

(1) $3,000 award from the Joyce Wilkins Pope Endowment for the Raleigh Fine Arts Society, a component fund of the North Carolina Community Foundation. 

(2) $1,000 Juror's Choice Awards 

Art will not be separated into categories for judging.

Artists Exhibition Catalogue:

Raleigh Fine Arts Society will publish a catalogue for the Raleigh Fine Arts Society: 2026 North Carolina Artists Exhibition. Copies of this catalogue will be available at the Opening Reception & Art Sale on Sunday, October 11, 2026. Meredith College will offer the catalogue for viewing during the Exhibition, which closes October 31, 2026. 

Due to publishing deadlines, all information provided must be complete and no changes are permitted after June 8, 2026.

The Artists Exhibition Catalogue will feature a full page for each artist selected for the Exhibition and will include the following information:

• Each artist’s page will include a 1/3-page photograph of the selected artwork, along with the artist’s name and the title, dimensions and media of the artwork. The cost will be listed elsewhere in the catalogue.
• ​Each artist’s page will also allow space for the artist to provide information about their credentials and work which should include (a) an artist’s statement in the first person and (b) a biographical statement in third person. THIS INFORMATION MUST NOT EXCEED 200 WORDS FOR BOTH STATEMENTS TOGETHER.
• The artist’s statement written in the first person may consist of information about the artwork submitted or about the artist’s work in general. If more than one artwork is submitted, a separate artist statement should be written for each piece.
• The artist's biographical statement written in third person may provide information about the artist’s professional background, such as: (a) where the artist is from; (b) whether the artist has any higher education degrees in art; (c) other art training the artist has obtained; (d) what the artist does for a living; (e) whether the artist’s occupation or profession is related to art; (f) any awards or honors the artist has received, including juried shows for which the artist was selected.
• The artist may list up to two North Carolina galleries that represent them.

The artist’s statement and biographical information may be submitted with  their entry in CaFÉ or no later than the final date for submitting entries to the Exhibition: June 8, 2026. THERE WILL BE NO CHANGES AFTER THIS DATE.

Specifications for Submitted Artworks:

The maximum dimension of a single work, sculpture included, is 60 inches (including frame), and the maximum weight is 50 pounds. Image size and frame size must be specified.

 Delivery of Accepted Works:

• Selected works must be delivered in excellent condition and ready to install or Raleigh Fine Arts Society will refuse art at delivery.
• Two-dimensional work must be properly framed, wired and ready to hung.  If using glass use conservation or museum glass. Paintings that are canvas wrapped may be submitted without frames or glass if the sides of the canvas are neat and painted.
• Three-dimensional sculpture work will need display stands suitable for presentation.
• Submitted works must be the original work of the artist. Giclée prints or reproduced art works are not acceptable. Digital photography is acceptable, and the digital print method may be used to produce original photographic images.
• Each artist must include a card or label with their name, address, email and phone number in a discreet place behind or under each piece of art. The card or label must be securely affixed to the artwork. Please note: the name an artist puts on this card or label will be the name used in the catalogue and on the label beside the artwork at Meredith College.

Hand delivery: Delivery is September 30 and October 1, 2026, from 11am-3pm at Meredith College, The Rotunda Building, 3800 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh, NC. 27607

Shipping: A prepaid return label must be enclosed. Ship via UPS or FedEx to: Meredith College, The Rotunda Building, 3800 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh, NC. 27607

Raleigh Fine Arts Society and Meredith College are not responsible for damage during shipment. Raleigh Fine Arts Society members will inspect shipped art upon receipt.

Pick up of Unsold Exhibited Work:

Accepted entries may not be removed during the Exhibition. Artists must pick up unsold works November 2, 2026, from 11am-3pm. Shipped artwork will be returned to the artist in the original packing materials after November 2, 2026, if accompanied by a prepaid return label.

Liability:

Raleigh Fine Arts Society and Meredith College are not responsible for loss, theft or damage during transport by lender/artist. Raleigh Fine Arts Society will take all reasonable care of loaned works while art is in its custody. Artists, if they wish, may make their own insurance arrangements to cover the first $2,500 in value for any art on loan to the Raleigh Fine Arts Society. Insurance coverage of value lost over $2,500 may be available in some circumstances.


2026 Calendar

Digital Entry Submission Schedule
May 1, 2026 - June 8, 2026

All Notifications of Acceptance will be sent by August 3, 2026 (via email)

Hand Deliver Works to the Rotunda at Meredith College
September 30 and October 1, 2026 from 11am-3pm to the Rotunda building at Meredith College, 3800 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh, NC 27607.

2026 Artists Exhibition Opening Events 

Sunday, October 11

Preview of Art for RFAS Members
2:00pm - 3:00pm
The Rotunda at Meredith College, 3800 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh, NC 27607

Jurors' Lecture & Awards Ceremony
 for artists and family 
3:00pm
Jones Auditorium at Meredith College, 3800 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh, NC 27607

Opening & Reception for artists and family
4:00pm - 5:30pm the Rotunda at Meredith College, 3800 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh, NC 27607

Closing of 2026 North Carolina Artists Exhibition 
 
Saturday, October 31

Pickup of Unsold Exhibited Works by Artists 
and
Pickup of Sold Works by Buyers

November 2, 11am-3pm

Agreement, Photography, and Reproduction Rights:

see Legal Agreement

• Works must be created after July 1, 2024.
• Artworks selected for previous Raleigh Fine Arts Society exhibitions are ineligible.
• All works must be the sole work and exclusive property of the submitting 
artist.
• Works must be no larger than 60 inches in any dimension, including frame, and weigh no more than 50 pounds.
• All art must be available for purchase. Artists will receive 70% of total sales when works are sold and Raleigh Fine Arts Society receives 30%.
• Sale prices are firm.
• The entry fee for up to two pieces of artwork is $40.

• Applicants must be residents of North Carolina 
• Applicants must be age 18 & over.
• Artists may submit two original works.
• Students enrolled in out-of-state educational institutions are eligible to enter provided they (a) are classified as North Carolina residents; and (b) provide a valid North Carolina address.
• If selected by juror, artists agree to list Raleigh Fine Arts Society: 2026 North Carolina Artists Exhibition when referencing the exhibition in curriculum vitae, promotional materials, written materials, speeches or videos.