Images 2026 Juried Gallery Exhibition

The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts presents Images 2026, a juried exhibition recognizing excellence in two-dimensional visual art by Pennsylvania artists. Held July 1–31, 2026 at the Schlow Centre Region Library in downtown State College, the exhibition is a featured component of the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts, one of the nation's most respected juried arts festivals. Located in the center of the Festival footprint, the exhibition offers participating artists exceptional public exposure. The Festival attracts approximately 125,000 visitors and includes nationally ranked juried artist exhibitions, performances, and cultural programming.

Amanda H. Hellman, Director of the Palmer Museum of Art at Penn State, will serve as juror for Images 2026. Cash awards totaling $1,800 will be presented, including Best of Show ($500), Best Painting ($200), Best Pastel ($200), Best Photograph ($200), Four Merit Awards ($150 each), and Best Student Submission ($100). Awards will be presented at a public reception on July 9, 2026.

Open to Pennsylvania residents age 16 and older. Entry fee is $35 for up to 3 submissions. Maximum of 2 works accepted per artist. Eligible work includes original two-dimensional art in drawing, painting, pastel, mixed media, photography, hand-pulled prints, watercolor, fiber, paper, and digital art. All work must be original and completed after January 1, 2023, not previously exhibited in Images, not include AI-generated or AI-referenced source material, be available for sale, and remain on display for the full duration of the exhibition. Image format: JPG or PNG, maximum 5 MB. Maximum framed dimension: 48 inches on the longest side. Notification of results: May 29, 2026. Hand delivery: June 29, 2026, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM. Shipped work must arrive June 25–26, 2026. Pickup: August 3, 2026, 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM. All artwork must be offered for sale. The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts requests a 25% commission on sales resulting from the exhibition. A printed catalog will be produced and distributed during the Festival. An online exhibition, including juror remarks, will be hosted on the Festival website through June 30, 2027.