2020 Bank of the Arts National Juried Exhibition

Bank of the Arts is housed in a historic, turn-of-the-century former bank building featuring impressive original plaster work pillars and decoration illuminated by a large skylight and modern lighting fixtures. The Craven Arts Council hosts rotating exhibitions of local, regional, and national art in three gallery spaces. New Bern, the first colonial capital of North Carolina, has become a destination for retirees, families, and tourists, with a rich history and active art community supported by collectors and donors.

The 2020 Bank of the Arts National Juried Exhibition offers $5,000 in awards, including a $1,500 CAC&G Permanent Collection Purchase Award. The juror is Brandon Cordrey, Executive Director of Visual Art Exchange (VAE) Raleigh. The exhibition features five categories: 2D (paintings, mixed media), Photography, Contemporary Crafts (pottery, jewelry, textiles, wood, glass and metal art), Indoor Sculpture, and Outdoor Sculpture. Awards include one $1,500 CAC&G Permanent Collection Purchase Award (indoor), four $250 Best-in-Category Awards (indoor), five $100 Merit Awards (indoor), and two $1,000 Honoraria (outdoor).

Entry fee is $35 for three entries, or $30 for current members of Craven Arts Council & Gallery. Artists may submit 1-3 images. The entry deadline is July 5, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. MDT. Artists will be notified of acceptance or rejection by July 11. Work drop-off or delivery is July 14-August 1. The exhibition also features an Ekphrastic Poetry Competition with North Carolina Poet Laureate Jaki Shelton Green as juror. The August 14 Artwalk Opening Reception will announce visual art winners, and the September 11 Artwalk reception will feature poetry winners and readings.