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Artist Calls
To submit your art for consideration for our exhibitions and
to find out about our open artist calls - click on the links below.
to find out about our open artist calls - click on the links below.
Cultural Affairs 2025 Arts and Culture Grantees
Submission Date: Closed
Exhibition Dates: March 13 - May 17, 2026
The Virginia Beach Art Center invites all 2025 arts and culture grantees to submit work for this exhibit being held in the Jean Rawls Classroom. The center has over 11,000 visitors a year and hosts over 20 exhibits in the main gallery, satellite location and the classroom. There is no fee to enter the exhibit with up to five submissions. The only requirement is that you are one of the grantees.
FEMININE SPIRIT
Submission Date: Closed
Exhibition Dates: May 1 - May 31
The “feminine spirit” encompasses a powerful group of qualities that have shaped so much of our world. Whether expressed through nurturing, strength, compassion, creativity, beauty or the actual female form, there are so many ways to honor these inherent qualities. How do you interpret the “Feminine Spirit”?
THE GREAT HEIST - $100 AND BELOW IN THE JEAN RAWLS CLASSROOM
Submission Date: Closed
Exhibition Dates: May 22 - August 23
Just in time for the summer season at the beach the center will be presenting The Great Heist. Artworks priced $100 and below for a quick pick me up and take home. The center is visited by many tourists during the season, and the works are intended to be small and easy to carry. We will keep accepted art on reserve so as the works sell, we are able to replenish. Think no larger than 11" x 14" including a frame. We also not charging a submission fee and will be holding a ticketed fundraising event for this exhibit. Keep reading the art call for all the exciting news about this exhibit.
EBB AND FLOW
Submission Date: Closed
Exhibition Dates: June 5 - June 28
Ebb and Flow represent the very nature of life, a never-ending cycle of change. It could be the rise and fall of the tides, seasons changing literally or in life from young to old, welcoming a birth or grieving a loss. The one thing in life that is certain is change. How do you navigate the ebb and flow of life?
XS TINY ARTWORKS EXHIBITION
Submission Date: By 11:59pm June 11, 2026
Exhibition Dates: July 3 - August 2
Some of the most incredible things in the world are sometimes the tiniest. Think of the component of the phones we use or the gears that turn a wristwatch. A hummingbird, butterfly and bees, are so important to the environment yet small in scale in comparison to other animals. So it is in art that small masterpieces have been created throughout the centuries. Nicholas Hillard, Issac Oliver and Hans Holbein the Younger perfected small-scale portraiture in the 16th-17th centuries. Samuel Cooper and Richard Cosway achieved fame in the 18th century.
Today we have artist like Jon Almeda who creates functional pottery often no larger than a coin and Slinkachu a street artist who creates tiny, amusing, and poignant figurines placed in urban landscapes. You could turn to Dina Brodsky, Rosa de Jong and Anja Markiewicz, all modern artists of our own time for inspiration. So, for this year's tiny artworks exhibit you can only create no larger than 6" x 4" or smaller on a substrate of your choice. This size includes the frame so be mindful that you are not exceeding the required size.
TEACHERS AND STUDENTS EXHIBITION AT TOWNE PAVILION CENTER 1
Submission Date: By 11:59pm June 11, 2026
Exhibition Dates: July 10 - February 15, 2027
It’s back, our annual Teachers and students Exhibition and this year we will be holding it at our satellite location at Towne Pavilion Center 1. Six levels dedicated to art created by our wonderful instructors and their students. We are looking forward to seeing how the instructors have influenced their students and even vice versa. The theme is open but there are some important guidelines to follow. The submission is open to students that have taken classes at the Virginia Beach Art Center during 2026. You do not have to be currently enrolled but may have taken a class earlier in the year, this also includes students that are or have taken private classes.
ILLUMINATED
Submission Date: By 11:59pm July 9, 2026
Exhibition Dates: August 7 - August 30
There are so many troubling things in our world today. We all need to feel a sense of “light at the end of the tunnel”. Where there is shadow, there is light! Illuminated can take on so many interpretations, whether it be shedding light on a social issue to spotlight your muse for a photo shoot. Let light be your inspiration for this exciting exhibition.
ANIMALIA
Submission Date: By 11:59pm August 13, 2026
Exhibition Dates: September 4 - September 27
Animals of all kinds! From the tiniest microorganism to the largest animal on earth, they are all living things and contribute to our world. The options are too many to name! Impress us with your interpretation of Animalia.
AWARE'26 "Love Our Earth"
Submission Date: By 11:59pm September 10, 2026
Exhibition Dates: October 2 - November 1
This amazing planet we call earth is approximately 4.54 billion years old, with an incredible small margin of error of about 50 million years. This amazing celestial body has endured many changes and is continually in flux with ever changing environments. Modern humans have inhabited the earth for about 300.000 years with other human lineage stretching to about 6 million years. With evolution perfecting our species we are the custodians of this planet. It is upon us to love it and take care of it for future generations to come. We challenge you to create art that will enlighten the community and teach us how to ensure we are taking care of the planet. This year we have partnered with Lynnhaven River Now (LRNow) to aid us in disseminating the AWARE'26 message,
"Love Our Earth".
AWARE'26 "Love Our Earth" Community Project
Coming Soon!
SOLO EXHIBITION
Accepting Applications
Calling all artists to apply for a solo exhibit in the Jean Rawls classroom. This is a great space to attract collectors who will also see your artworks during our monthly exhibition openings and while they are taking one of our art courses offered at the center. So don't be shy apply and see what happens.
RETROSPECTIVE AT TOWNE PAVILION CENTER 1
Submission Deadline: Closed
Exhibition Dates: February 20 - July 5, 2026
Our first exhibit of the year at our satellite location will contain a retrospective body of work by artists that have exhibited in the main gallery at the center in 2025. Artists may submit any work that has graced the walls of our main gallery in 2025.
The theme is open to any interpretation and if the artist wishes to create something new, they may do so if they exhibited with us in the past year.
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Location:
532 Virginia Beach Blvd. Virginia Beach, VA 23451 (17th Street between Baltic and Mediterranean Aves.--the Purple Building) Hours:
Monday Closed Tues.-Fri. 10am-5pm Sat. 10am-4pm Sun. 12pm-4pm Free parking, Free entry Virginia Beach Art Center is a harassment-free environment and does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, disability, political affiliation, genetics, sexual orientation or any other classification protected by law. Art displayed in the building is the sole expression of the individual artist and does not reflect the opinion or position of VBAC or its board of directors, volunteers or staff.
The Art Center building is handicapped accessible. The Virginia Beach Art Center is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Donations to the Virginia Beach Art Center are tax-deductible. The Art Center's financial statement is available upon written request from the Office of Charitable and Regulatory Programs.
Copyright 2025: All content on this website is copyrighted by The Virginia Beach Art Center.
All artist images are copyright owned by the artist. No content from this site may be saved, copied or reproduced without permission. All rights reserved. |
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