CCAN 2026: Center for Contemporary Arts 10th Annual National Juried Art Competition & Exhibition

The Center for Contemporary Arts is excited to announce our 10th National Juried Art Competition: CCAN 2026! The Call for Entry opens July 18. The submission deadline is August 22nd. Juror: Carlyn Ray

The Center for Contemporary Arts

10th Annual National Juried Art Competition & Exhibition

CCAN 2026

Call for Entries: July 18 – August 22, 2026

Exhibition Dates: October 10 - November 21, 2026
 

CCAN 2026: AT A GLANCE

Call for Entries: July 18 – August 22, 2026

Exhibition Dates: October 10 – November 21, 2026

Eligibility: Artists 18+; original work only, made within the last 3 years

Entry Fee: $35 for one image; $20 each additional entry (limit 3)

How to Enter: Online only, through CaFÉ (callforentry.org) — no exceptions

Size Limits:

2D (wall-mounted): max 48" framed, longest dimension

3D (wall-mounted): max 36" x 36"

3D (freestanding): max 36" in any dimension

Weight limit: 50 lbs

Accepted Media: Traditional media and 2D digital art (no video or mural work)

Categories: 2D Oil, 2D Watercolor, 2D Pastel/Dry Media, 2D Acrylic, 2D Collage/Mixed Media, 2D Photography (Film & Digital), 2D Digital (Non-Photo), 2D Printmaking, Fiber/Textiles, 3D Sculpture (All Media), Functional Ceramics

Awards:

1st place in each category - $500 

Juror’s Award - $750

Best in Show - $1,000

Delivery Deadline: Accepted artwork must arrive by September 21, 2026

Ship To: Center for Contemporary Arts, Attn: CCAN 2026, 220 Cypress Street, Abilene, TX 79601

Sales Split: 80% artist / 20% CCA

Juror: Carlyn Ray, Dallas-based glass artist

Questions: (325) 677-8389 · ccan@center-arts.com

PLEASE READ THE FULL PROSPECTUS. Full details on framing/hanging requirements, shipping and insurance responsibilities, and labeling instructions are outlined below.

Eligibility
This is a national competition open to all artists 18 years of age and over. All work must be original (NO reproductions) and produced within the last three years. The digital image of the piece submitted must be the piece delivered to the CCA if selected by the juror. NO EXCEPTIONS. Please read ALL of the rules– any artwork that does not meet the criteria outlined in this prospectus will be ineligible for exhibition, even if it was submitted by invitation.

Format
Original, 2 and 3-dimensional art. No artwork over three years old may be entered for the competition.

Size
Wall-mounted (2D) work grouped or otherwise should not exceed a framed size of 48” in the longest dimension when installed. 3D work intended to hang on a wall cannot exceed 36x36". Freestanding indoor work cannot exceed 3 feet (36”) in any dimension. Weight limit of any artwork: 50 lbs.

Media
All traditional media and 2D digital art are accepted. Currently not accepted media includes video or mural work. If you have a question regarding your media, please call or email us: (325) 677-8389; ccan@center-arts.com.

Categories
2D Oil, 2D Watercolor, 2D Pastel/Dry Media, 2D Acrylic, 2D Collage/Mixed Media, 2D Photography (Film & Digital), 2D Digital (Non-Photo), 2D Printmaking, Fiber/Textiles, 3D Sculpture (All Media), Functional Ceramics

Deadline
The call will open July 18, 2026 and will end on August 22, 2026. No exceptions will be made for failing to submit by this deadline.

Entry and Fee
All entry submissions must be done through CaFÉ (https://www.callforentry.org/) No exceptions.
We strongly advise adding the CaFÉ (callforentry.org) to your email lists to receive notifications on entry submissions and selections.

Non-refundable entry fees are $35 for one image, additional entries are $20 each, limit 3. For 3D entries: to show multiple angles of your sculpture you may include a video submission with your application instead of still images (optional). Fees may be paid with Visa or MasterCard. Credit Card fees will be paid through CaFE.

Notification of Selection
All entrants will be notified via email September 1, 2026 whether their artwork has been selected or not. All applicants will receive an email for each piece submitted, regardless of invitation status. 

Delivery of Accepted Artwork
All original artwork accepted shall be either hand-delivered or shipped to arrive at the CCA no later than September 21, 2026. Late work will not be accepted, unless late delivery is cleared with the Gallery Manager.

Ship to: 

Center for Contemporary Arts
Attn: CCAN 2026
220 Cypress Street
Abilene, TX 79601

A high-quality image (at least 300 dpi) of the art will need to be emailed to the Center if art is accepted for exhibition. Email accepted images of selected entries to ccan@center-arts.com by September 12, 2026.  Please include “CCAN 2026 IMAGE” in the Subject Line.

Labeling
All accepted artworks shall be labeled on the back with: Artists’ Name, Title of Piece, Phone Number and Retail Price. Changes will not be made to the retail price submitted to CAFÉ. Please be sure of your list price and check for typing errors before submitting.

Shipping and Packaging Requirements
All shipping charges (both directions) for artwork shall be at the artist’s expense.

All Artwork shall be shipped back to the artist via artist’s carrier unless other arrangements are made with the CCA. It is highly recommended that the artist purchases a RETURN SHIPPING LABEL when purchasing the original shipping label. If return shipping is not purchased at the same time as the original label, the Artist is responsible for retaining shipping information, including weight and dimensions of original package. UPS or FedEx are preferred carriers for this competition. The Center is NOT responsible for return shipping charges incurred if an artist cannot pick up their art or acquire a return shipping label.

THE ARTIST IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING THE TRACKING NUMBER FOR BOTH THE ORIGINAL AND RETURN SHIPPING LABELS.

If emailing a shipping label is preferred, this should be sent to ccan@center-arts.com with the subject line “2026 CCAN Shipping Label: [First and Last Name].” Otherwise, place the return shipping label  in a labeled envelope inside of your shipping box.

All shipped artworks shall be in sturdy, reusable containers. Art shipping and packaging material must be useful for the return of the art, or the artist will be charged an extra fee for packing materials supplied by the CCA.

NO PACKING PEANUTS ARE ALLOWED.

No glass except for pastel art. Only plexiglass glazing will be accepted for all other artworks. This is essential for the safety of the originals.

Installation Requirements
Artwork MUST be dry, ready to install and should have hardware installed that will allow for immediate installation by the gallery with no adjustments to the pieces necessary. NO EXCEPTIONS. ARTWORK MUST HAVE HARDWARE INSTALLED FOR IMMEDIATE INSTALLATION. No saw-tooth hangers, magnets or thumbtacks are appropriate for gallery installation. Gallery-wrapped canvases are acceptable if the sides are painted, and the piece is wired and ready for hanging.

Insurance
Art is insured while on display at the Center but not during transit. The Artist is responsible for obtaining shipping insurance, as well as documenting the condition of the artwork prior to shipment. The gallery will not assume responsibility for work improperly framed or poorly packaged by the artist for shipping.

Promotional Use
Images of accepted work may be used for promotional purposes and featured in an exhibition marketing material.

Display and Sale of Original Art
The CCA prefers entries that are for sale. Please state a price reflecting the current market value for your artwork. For any artwork sold, the CCA shall be entitled to retain twenty percent (20%) of the selling price and shall remit eighty percent (80%) of the selling price to the artist. Please provide an insured value on all artworks. The CCA assumes reproduction rights for promotional purposes only. If a piece is sold between entry and notification, the piece is still eligible to compete in the show. However, if the piece cannot be sent to the CCA for display in the exhibition, it will be withdrawn from the competition. Keep in mind the retail price will be split 80/20%.

About the Juror – Carlyn Ray

Carlyn Ray is a Dallas-based glass artist known for creating large-scale installations that explore light, connection, and transformation. Through public art, architectural commissions, and fine art exhibitions, she creates immersive works that invite wonder, reflection, and a deeper sense of belonging.

A hallmark of Ray’s practice is community participation. She believes art has the power to bring people together, and many of her installations incorporate contributions from the communities they serve. Through her community studio, Dallas Glass Art, she shares the joy of creation by offering hands-on experiences that invite people of all ages to discover the transformative nature of working with glass.

Ray is also the founder of Art Reaching Out (ARO), a nonprofit organization that brings creative STEAM-based learning opportunities to underserved students through collaborative glassmaking projects. Whether creating a museum exhibition, a public artwork, or a community workshop, her goal remains the same: to share light, inspire creativity, and help people recognize the beauty and potential within themselves and one another.

Artist Statement

“The material itself is a mystery. Molten sand, at the temperature of lava, is formed with one’s breath, hand, and gravity into a delicate crystal form. Glass as a material can transmit or reflect light; it can be solid and strong or thin and fragile; it can outlive us for hundreds of years or break in an instant.

Working with the material is marvelous and a joy for me. I love the way it glows and changes hues from the metals added to create colors, to the light it shines from the heat and temperatures. Working with glass is being a part of it, being one with it. This present joy I believe transfers into the pieces we are working on. With its unique properties and beauty, a single glass piece can transform a room.

I raised silkworms as a child, and I became enamored by the life cycle of butterflies, woven patterns of light, and the transition from nourished safety to flying freely. My ideas emerge from this idea of nesting, growing, and the presence of now. Glass resonates in any space, light brings a presence to the room, and color captures a feel to the area. Together and with intention, I love using design to enhance any space to its fullest potential. I use glass to bring people into their space fully, presently, and with joy.”

2026 Calendar

July 18, 2026 - Call opens for submissions.

August 22, 2026 - Deadline for entry submissions. 

September 1, 2026 - Notification of selected artwork sent. 

September 21, 2026 - Deadline to receive artwork at The Center

October 10, 2026 - Exhibition opens to the public

October 10, 2026 - Opening Reception + Awards

November 21, 2026 - Exhibition closes

December 2, 2026 - Deadline to pick-up hand-delivered work.

Nov. 23 – Dec. 7, 2026 - Crate & return shipping.

AWARDS

Best in Show Award   $1,000

Jurors Award    $750

1st Place: 2D Oil   $500

1st Place: 2D Watercolor  $500

1st Place: 2D Pastel/Dry Media  $500

1st Place: 2D Acrylic   $500

1st Place: 2D Collage/Mixed Media  $500

1st Place: 2D Photography (Film & Digital) $500

1st Place: 2D Digital (Non-Photo)  $500

1st Place: 2D Printmaking  $500

1st Place: Fiber/Textiles  $500

1st Place: 3D Sculpture (All Media) $500

1st Place: Functional Ceramics  $500

Original, two (2D), and three-dimensional (3D) art only. No artwork over three years old may be entered into the competition.

Wall-mounted (2D) work grouped or otherwise should not exceed a framed size of 48” in the longest dimension when installed. 3D work intended to hang on a wall cannot exceed 36x36". Freestanding indoor work cannot exceed 3 feet (36”) in any dimension. Weight limit of any artwork: 50 lbs.

All traditional media and 2D digital art are accepted. Currently, not accepted media includes video or mural work. If you have a question regarding your media, please call or email us: (325) 677-8389; ccan@center-arts.com.  

All entry submissions must be made through CaFÉ (https://www.callforentry.org/). No exceptions. 

We strongly advise adding the CaFÉ (callforentry.org) to your email lists to receive notifications on entry submissions and selections.

Non-refundable entry fees are $35 for one image, additional entries $20 each, and a limit of three entries per artist. For 3D entries: to show multiple angles of your sculpture, you may include a video submission with your application instead of still images (optional). Fees may be paid with Visa, MasterCard, a personal check, money order, or cashier’s check to the Center for Contemporary Arts. Credit Card fees will be paid through CaFE.  

This national competition is open to all artists 18 years of age and over. All work must be original (NO reproductions) and produced within the last three years. The digital image of the piece submitted must be the piece delivered to the CCA if selected by the juror. NO EXCEPTIONS.