Desert Art Center Gallery Membership and Jury Spring 2026

The Desert Art Center, the longest running art center in the Coachella Valley, invites artists to apply for gallery membership through a two-stage jury process. Gallery members are allowed to exhibit and sell their art in the center's main gallery shows held at the historic building on Palm Canyon Drive. The Desert Art Center is a non-profit organization that provides art education to adults and children in a range of mediums, using all profits for educational work.

Gallery membership is both a privilege and a commitment. Members are expected to become involved in the cooperative nature of the volunteer organization and to host the gallery six hours per month. When jurors judge your work, they assess artistic excellence, whether your work will add something new and different to the gallery, whether it will sell, and your willingness to become involved in the organization. Members are expected to submit work for at least two shows each year.

Stage 1 is a digital application process with a non-refundable $25 jury application fee payable to OnlineJuriedShows. Applicants must submit 6-10 digital images of their artwork in jpg format, under 4 mb, in sRGB colorspace. Images should be at least 1920 pixels on the longest side at 72 dpi. The title of each photo should contain the title of the work, the medium, and dimensions. You may submit in only one category. Stage 2 requires shortlisted artists to bring two representative pieces to the finalists show for in-person presentation. Successful applicants will be notified by email and become eligible for gallery membership after paying the annual Gallery Members' fee. Applications open February 3 and close March 3, 2026. The finalists show runs March 16-21, 2026, with intake for new members' first show on March 30, 2026. For digital application help, contact [email protected] or 888-666-1351. For other questions, contact [email protected]. By submitting artwork, artists acknowledge that insurance is the responsibility of each individual artist, and the Desert Art Center will not be held responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged property.