ArtPop Artist Cohort | 2026 Open Call

ArtPop invites local artists within the Charlotte region (NC & SC) to apply for the 2026 Artist Cohort. This flagship program activates public spaces with engaging art and empowers local creatives through educational, marketing, and networking benefits. 24 local artists will be selected through a jury process: 19 adults and 5 high school seniors.

Eligible applicants must currently reside in one of the following counties: Cabarrus, Catawba, Cleveland, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Rowan, Stanly, or Union (NC); or Lancaster or York (SC). Adult applicants must be 18 or older and have both an active artist website and social media profile. High school senior applicants must be enrolled in their final year of high school, planning to study the arts in higher education, and have a social media profile. Artists previously juried into ArtPop's Artist Cohort are not eligible to reapply.

Each applicant may submit exactly one original artwork of any medium (traditional or digital). Artworks must be properly cropped and formatted to specifications: 7300px wide x 2200px high at 300DPI, maximum 5MB file size. Plagiarized images, copyright infringement, works created for paid commissions, and images created with generative AI are ineligible. Per billboard regulations, artworks depicting smoking, nudity, slander, religion, or copyrighted brand images, logos, and characters are ineligible. All eligible submissions will be blind-reviewed by a jury of artists and art-lovers based on artistic execution and potential impact as a public art display.

Juried-in artists are required to participate in ArtPop's events and activities, provide high-resolution artwork files, attend the private reveal event on April 22, 2026, make at least one monthly social media post about their involvement in 2026, and add website acknowledgement with a link to ArtPop's website (if applicable). Failure to meet these requirements will result in removal from the program and fees to cover billboard printing costs. Entry deadline: March 22, 2026 at 11:59pm EDT. Entry fees: $30 for adults, $10 for high school seniors.