19th Annual Open Juried Photographic Exhibit

Cary Photographic Artists (CPA) is pleased to announce that it will host its 19th Annual Open Juried Photographic Exhibit from October 20, 2026 through December 19, 2026 at the Cary Senior Center, 120 Maury O’dell Place, in Cary, NC.  This well-recognized event draws entries from throughout eastern and central North Carolina, with about 200 artists typically entering their work. 

Judging will be of prints only in the MONOCHROME and COLOR categories. Cash prizes are awarded in both categories as well as the Bobbi Hopp Best-in Show Award, named for the late founder of CPA.

Jurors for this year's exhibit are Stacy Bloom Rexrode and Sarah Shea Roberto. Winners of past years can be found at https://www.caryphotographicartists.org/cpa-open-juried-exhibitions-1 

Cary Photographic Artists is pleased to announce its 19th Annual Open Juried Photographic Exhibit.

The 50 mounted and framed, juried images will hang October 20, 2026 through December 19, 2026 in the Cary Senior Center, 120 Maury Odell Place, Bond Park (off High House Road), Cary NC 27513

There will be two categories—MONOCHROME and COLOR.

This is a PRINT ONLY exhibit.

Only mounted and framed images will be judged.  Prints must be delivered to the Cary Senior Center between 4:00 pm and 8:00 pm on Monday, October 19, 2026.  

Notification of artists whose images are accepted into the exhibit will be made by phone the evening of Tuesday, October 20, 2026.  

Artists who do not receive notification that their images have been accepted into the exhibit must pick up their images on Wednesday, October 21, 2026. 

Entry and the payment of the entry fee is via CaFE only. Each artist may submit a total of 3 entries in any combination of color and monochrome. The entries must be submitted in digital form through CaFE, however, digital images will not be judged; they are simply your entries which will be judged when those images are printed, mounted, framed and delivered to the Cary Senior Center on Monday, October 19, 2026. There is no on-site registration on Delivery Day.

A Reception with comments by the jurors and presentation of awards will begin at 6:00 pm Friday, October 23rd, 2026 at the Cary Senior Center.  This competitive exhibit typically draws about 200 images. We hang 50 images.

KEY DATES AND FEES

Registration Deadline through CaFE: Friday, October 16, 2026.  There is no on-site registration on Delivery Day.

Registration Fee: $40.00 for up to three images

Delivery Day/hours: Monday, October 19, 2026 between 4:00 and 8:00 pm

Notification of Images Accepted: Tuesday, October 20, 2026 by phone.

Pickup of Images not juried into the Exhibit: Wednesday, October 21, 2026.

At the end of the Exhibit, Images must be Picked up: Friday, December 19, 2026 or Saturday, December 20, 2026.

JURORS

Sarah Shea Roberto

Sarah Shea Roberto is a North Carolina–based photographer and visual artist whose work focuses on analog and digital photographic practices, specializing in the silver gelatin darkroom. Working at the intersection of experimentation and tradition, she utilizes classic black and white chemistry, paper, and modern digital tools to push the boundaries of the photographic print. She currently teaches experimental darkroom techniques at the NC State University Crafts Center and A Photographer's Place, both in Raleigh, NC. 

Stacy Bloom Rexrode

Stacy is a multidisciplinary artist who examines critical social issues through projects incorporating traditional methods of craft and materials from the home.

She received her BA from Dickinson College, PA, and her MFA from The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, NC. She completed a residency at the Vermont Studio Center on an artist’s merit grant and is a recipient of the Ella Fountain Pratt Emerging Artist Grant and the NC Arts Council’s Artist Support Grant. Her work has been reviewed by publications such as BURNAWAY and ArtsATL and was featured in the digital publication Matrons & Mistresses, founded by Elizabeth Mathis Cheatham.

Stacy currently resides in Chapel Hill, NC, and has exhibited nationally, including at the North Carolina Museum of Art, Raleigh, NC; Mint Museum UPTOWN, Charlotte, NC; ArtFields, Lake City, SC; Weatherspoon Art Museum, Greensboro, NC; Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO and SouthFirst Gallery, Brooklyn, NY.

She is currently the Curator of Exhibitions and Collections with the City of Raleigh in North Carolina.

AWARDS

Bobbi Hopp Best in Show        $400
Monochrome
     First Place         $200
     Second Place    $125
     Third Place          $75
Three Honorable Mentions 

Color 
     First Place         $200
     Second Place    $125
     Third Place        $75
Three Honorable Mentions 

ENTRY RULES

• All registration and payment is through CaFE. (Call For Entry and Application Management for the Arts | CaFÉ)
• This exhibition is open to photographic prints only and must be delivered to the Cary Senior Center on Monday, October 19, 2026 between 4pm and 8pm.
• Any photographic process may be used as long as the photographic process is dominant. No AI or text to Generative Fill generated images will be accepted.
• Canvas wraps and prints on wood, metal, foam core, or other surfaces are acceptable.
• Work accepted into prior CPA Juried or Digital Exhibitions is not permitted.
• Images may not be substituted after registration closes on October 16, 2026.
• Images must have a label on the back with Artist’s Name, title of the image, phone number, email address and price/not for sale.
• All work must be properly wired for hanging, with wire ends securely taped. Sawtooth or alligator hangers are not permitted.
• Framed image size cannot exceed 33 inches on the longest edge.
• To help with the judging process, the artist’s signature may not appear on the front of the submission. Works that are delivered with a visible signature will be accepted if the person delivering the work obscures the signature with masking tape or other opaque material that will remain in place through judging. If accepted into the exhibit, the material may be removed.
• Artists whose images are accepted into the exhibit will be notified by phone the evening of Tuesday, October 20, 2026.
• If an artist does not receive a call on October 20, 2026 indicating an image or images have been juried into the exhibit, images must be picked up on October 21, 2026.
• Accepted pieces may not be removed until December 19th, 2026.
• Entry fees are non-refundable.
• The decisions of the judges are final.
• Submitters attest that the images are theirs and they have the copyright to all elements in the images. Artists are solely responsible for any infringement of the copyright of any other parties. We will credit you and your copyright where feasible.
• Submitters attest that the images/s were not generated by AI, specifically text to image.
   

DISCLAIMERS

Entries will be handled with the utmost care; however, neither the Cary Photographic Artists nor the Cary Senior Center can be held responsible for loss or damage from any cause.  

Entry in this exhibition serves as agreement on the part of the artist to comply with all exhibition rules and agreements stated herein. CPA‘s mission is to promote photographic art. Because we respect the work of all our fellow photographers, entrants retain the rights to their images. In entering, you grant CPA the right to use your images on our website and social media to promote CPA activities in perpetuity. We will credit you and your copyright where feasible. Submitters attest that the images are theirs and they have the copyright to all elements in the images.  Artists are solely responsible for any infringement of the copyright of any other parties. We respect your copyright and will give you credit as the creator of the image but cannot prevent others from downloading screenshots or photographic prints.

CARY PHOTOGRAPHIC ARTISTS

Cary Photographic Artists, founded in 2007 by Bobbi Hopp, is the Triangle’s only group whose mission it is to develop and enhance the practice of photographic art.

For additional information or questions, please contact Jo Bolton at exhibits2@caryphotographicartists.com or Don Ducey at exhibits1@caryphotographicartists.com   

CARY PHOTOGRAPHIC ARTISTS

Cary Photographic Artists, founded in 2007 by Bobbi Hopp, is the Triangle’s only group whose mission it is to develop and enhance the practice of photographic art.

Please provide up to three images in accordance with the criteria listed above.

This competition is open to all over the age of 18.  Please see the entry rules above.