Exhibition
Contrive: A National Exhibition of Manipulated & Reimagined Photography
Norfolk, Virginia
Entry Fee: $30
Media Fee: $5
Contact Information
d'Art Center (Norfolk)
Contact Email: abradley@d-artcenter.org
Requirement Overview
- Location Eligibility Type: National
- Eligible Applicant Types: Artist
- Submission Limit: 1
Media Requirements
- Images | Min: 3, Max: 10
- Audio | Min: 0, Max: 0
- Video | Min: 0, Max: 0
- Total | Min: 3, Max: 10
Opportunity Summary
Contrive is a national exhibit of photography that has been manipulated, reimagined, and transformed using physical or digital methods such as long or double exposures, compositing, hand embellishing, and professional editing softwares (NO AI RENDERED IMAGES OR COMPONENTS PERMITTED).
This exhibition will take place in our smaller exhibition space, The Vault, to create a more intimate and close up experience for our patrons. This will be a competitive call as this intimate space will only be able to accommodate about 25 works.
Hang/pedestal ready art (including the frame if applicable) can not be longer/larger than 36 inches in its longest dimension. Depending on artist involvement with installation, these stipulations may be waived by contacting the Gallery Director.
If you have a question about if your work qualifies, please email abradley@d-artcenter.org. No phone calls please.
This is an in person exhibition & will also be featured digitally on d’Art Center’s archive site.
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...General Information
Exhibition Prospectus
*Note: The $30 entry fee covers 3 entries. The minimum image submission requirement is 3 images. You do not have to submit 3 different works, but artists have the option to do so for the $30 fee: one image per submission. If you do not have three works to submit, use the additional image requirement slots for detail images, or just submit the same image 3 times. Each additional submission over 3 submissions is an additional $5, and artists can submit up to 10 works to be juried for the show.
Contrive is a national exhibit of photography that has been manipulated, reimagined, and transformed using physical or digital methods such as long or double exposures, compositing, hand embellishing, and professional editing softwares (NO AI RENDERED IMAGES OR COMPONENTS PERMITTED).
Throughout history, photographers have created their own worlds using darkroom tricks and optical illusions. Today we can create our own peculiar worlds using real-life objects/settings, editing programs, or both.
This exhibition will take place in our smaller exhibition space, The Vault, to create a more intimate and close up experience for our patrons. The Vault is a historical bank vault within The Center, and gives artists an opportunity to exhibit their work in a unique space in the heart of Norfolk’s Arts District (The NEON District). This will be a competitive call as this intimate space will only be able to accommodate about 25 works.
Hang/pedestal ready art (including the frame if applicable) can not be longer/larger than 36 inches in its longest dimension. Depending on artist involvement with installation, these stipulations may be waived by contacting the Gallery Director. Wall hanging art must have a wire.
If you have a question about if your work qualifies, please email abradley@d-artcenter.org. No phone calls please.
If your work is selected for the show, please be sure to read the full Limitations and Artwork Specifications section before shipping or hand delivering work.
This is an in person exhibition but this exhibition will also be featured digitally on d’Art Center’s archive site.
This is a juried exhibition, and it will be curated by d’Art’s Gallery Director, Amanda Bradley. Award winners will be selected by a panel of d’Art Center’s professional artists and staff members.
Image Submission Tips: If you are submitting a 3D work, create a tile image for the submission so that other sides can be seen, or use the other image slots for detail images and label them as such. The $30 entry fee covers 3 entries. The minimum image submission requirement is 3 images. You do not have to submit 3 different works, but artists have the option to do so for the $30 fee: one image per submission. If you do not have three works to submit, use the additional image requirement slots for detail images, or just submit the same image 3 times. Each additional submission over 3 submissions is an additional $5, and artists can submit up to 10 works to be juried for the show.
Exhibition Dates and Important Information:
| Exhibition Dates | Saturday, October 31st - Saturday, December 5th, 2026 |
| Reception: | d’Art Center will hose an opening reception in conjunction with our Main Gallery Exhibit, VIVID, on Friday, November 6th, 5:30 - 7:30pm. d’Art Center will do a FB Live of the reception awards, and will upload the exhibition to be digitally viewed permanently on their archive site. |
| Call Open: | Friday, August 21st - Sunday, September 20th 2026 |
| Jury Period: | Monday, September 21st - Sunday, September 27th, 2026 |
Notifications (by email): | By 5pm, Monday, September 28th, 2026 |
| Accepted works arrive by: | DEADLINE - 5pm Saturday, October 24th, 2026 All accepted works must arrive by the deadline. Hand delivered works are accepted through pre-arrangement only; please contact: abradley@d-artcenter.org. No phone calls please. The d’Art Center is open Tuesday - Saturday, 10am - 5pm, and until 7pm on Thursdays. Hand deliveries must fall within that time range. Please ship your work or arrange hand delivery anytime between receiving your exhibition invitation and the deadline! |
| When to pick up work/expect your work shipped back (if it does not sell): | The final day of the exhibition is Saturday, December 5th, 2026. The first day works can be picked up is Tuesday, December 8th. The d’Art Center is open Tuesday - Saturday, 10am - 5pm, and until 7pm on Thursdays. Pick ups must fall within that time range. Please pick up your work as soon as possible - storage space is limited! Shipped work is generally shipped back out by the following Wednesday after the last day of the show. This may vary due to holidays. |
| Payments | If you win an award or sell a piece, payments are settled at the end of the month that the exhibition ends. Expect your check in the mail a few weeks after the final date of the month that the exhibition ends. ****PLEASE MAKE SURE YOUR ADDRESS IS CORRECT IN THE CaFÉ SYSETM. |
| Awards | Best in Show - $300 |
| Gallery Commission | d’Art Center commission on sales is 60/40 (60% artist, 40% d’Art Center). Works can also be NFS. |
| Packing & Shipping | The artist is responsible for shipping costs to and from the gallery. Art may be shipped anytime between receiving the invitation for the exhibit and the arrival deadline. Please send work to: d’Art Center ATTN: Amanda Bradley, CON 740 Boush St. Norfolk, VA 23510 Hand delivered works are accepted through pre-arrangement only; please contact abradley@d-artcenter.org. No phone calls please. NO FREIGHT SHIPPING. Artists must issue pre-paid return labels for their works through UPS or FedEx. We do not arrange shipping in any other manner. Works must have pre-paid return labels through FedEx or UPS to be returned which allows us to call for pick up as the Center’s insurance does not cover transporting work offsite to local shipping companies or the United States Postal Service, which is why the postal service or other shippers are not an option for shipping. Works should be shipped in reusable containers/boxes and packaging for return. PLEASE MAKE YOUR RETURN LABEL IS EASY TO FIND UPON UNPACKING. Clearly indicate any packing directions for return of works. NO PACKING PEANUTS. Works packaged with packing peanuts will be returned immediately and not included in the exhibition. We highly recommend (but do not require): Investing in ULINE’s Charcoal Foam Shippers: https://www.uline.com/BL_2353/Charcoal-Foam-Shippers Investing in ULINE’s Deluxe Artwork Shippers: https://www.uline.com/BL_2356/Deluxe-Artwork-Shippers ULINE’s boxes can be used over, and over, and over, for your artwork shipments! ***Works that do not include a return label, and/or works that are not picked up within one month of the end of the exhibition become property of the d’Art Center. |
| Artist Statements | The d’Art Center displays artist statements with the art work in its exhibitions. Please make sure that your artist statement on CaFÉ is 555 characters (including spaces and punctuation) or less. Please also make sure that your statement is free of grammatical errors. |
Center Information:
| d’Art Center Brief Description | Our building is located in Norfolk, Virginia, and is comprised of three galleries, resident artist studios, and multiple activity rooms. The d'Art Center's Main Gallery and Vault are rotated monthly with new and nationally curated exhibitions, while our Artist Wing displays our frequently updated 30+ community artists' work. There is always something new to admire during your visit to d'Art Center! |
| d’Art Center’s Main Gallery | d’Art Center’s Main Gallery is located within The Center at 740 Boush St. Norfolk Virginia, in the heart of the NEON District; Norfolk’s Art District. d’Art’s 2,200 sq ft gallery has incredible visibility to Boush Street traffic and pedestrians due to its massive street side window facade. The Gallery is also amongst a thriving new apartment community of over 400 new apartments and more than 1,000 residents. |
| d’Art Center History | As Norfolk’s community art center, The d’Art Center proudly serves the greater Hampton Roads area by connecting the community with the visual arts. A non-profit 501c (3) organization, d’Art offers both youth and adult art education and classes, exhibits that give the public a broader exposure to many local and national artists, programming and outreach through art in public spaces, and events to showcase local artists, ceramicists, sculptors, fiber artists, and woodworkers. Celebrating 40 years in 2026, d’Art was founded in 1986 at the College Place location in downtown Norfolk. Modeled after the Torpedo Factory Art Center in Alexandria, Virginia, part of d’Art’s mission from the onset was to provide working artists with affordable, short-term studio space. In the NEON District (Norfolk's Arts District): The Atlantic Permanent Building. The NEON District is anchored by the Chrysler Museum of Art, Harrison Opera House, and The d’Art Center, and extends to The Plot on Granby Street. The NEON District includes many creative small businesses and arts partners. |
| The Vault | This one hundred and thirty two square foot exhibition space is a historical bank vault within the center, and gives artists an opportunity to exhibit their work in a unique space in the heart of Norfolk Arts District (The NEON District). All styles and aesthetics are considered. |
Application Requirements
$30 for 3 submissions, one image per artwork submission.
Image Submission Tips: If you are submitting a 3D work, create a tile image for the submission so that other sides can be seen, or use the other image slots for detail images and label them as such. The $30 entry fee covers 3 entries. The minimum image submission requirement is 3 images. You do not have to submit 3 different works, but artists have the option to do so for the $30 fee: one image per submission. If you do not have three works to submit, use the additional image requirement slots for detail images, or just submit the same image 3 times. Each additional submission over 3 submissions is an additional $5, and artists can submit up to 10 works to be juried for the show.
All entries and payments must be submitted via Call for Entries (CaFÉ). Please follow the directions on CaFÉ. If you have art or exhibition related questions, please contact abradley@d-artcenter.org no phone calls please; questions related to submitting through the CaFÉ platform should be directed to CaFÉ. Please note that artists with questions or technical difficulties who are submitting within 24 hours of the deadline and/or outside of business hours may not receive help in time. Please leave ample time for your submissions to avoid any issues.
Limitations and Artwork Specifications
If your work is selected:
ALL WORK MUST BE HANG/PRESENTATION READY. Wrapped canvases that are not framed must have finished edges. All 2D artwork must have a wire for hanging. All 3D works that requires presentation other than standard pedestals must include those items with the works. Works that require special installation must come with clear instructions. Any works that require complicated specialized installation must be installed by the artist.
Hang/display ready art (including the frame if applicable) can not be longer/larger than 36 inches in its longest dimension. Depending on artist involvement with installation, these stipulations may be waived by contacting the Gallery Director.
We reserve the right to reject work for the exhibition that differs significantly from the submitted images and/ or for craft issues.
Eligibility Criteria
This exhibition is open to all artists, 18 or older, residing in the United States. All work must be original and created without the aid of an instructor or kit. Work needs to have been produced within the last eight years. All styles and aesthetics are considered. The d’Art Center is a public non-profit art center open to everyone; as such, the content of submissions should be appropriate for all viewers. Work must be hang or pedestal ready. We reserve the right to reject work for the exhibition that differs significantly from the submitted images and/ or for craft issues.
Terms to Apply
Entry Fee: $30
Media Fee: $5