Mother Nature: WCADC 2025 Mid-Atlantic Regional Juried Exhibition

Articles on climate change have been appearing more frequently in all media, due to tragic events like the Los Angeles wildfires and Hurricane Helene. Artists are visual, so it is no surprise that climate-related imagery is appearing more extensively in contemporary artwork. Artists' attention to this critical situation reminds us of the irreplaceable value of our shared planet. And, as artists, we are reminded of the power of our vision, and the impact our works, our messages, can have on mobilizing viewers to action.

The Women's Caucus for Art of Greater Washington, DC (WCADC) invites women and non-binary artists to submit artwork focused on addressing climate change. Depictions of flora and fauna, pieces inspired by the interconnectedness of ecosystems, and works conveying the concept of Mother Nature are all acceptable. Artwork submitted may highlight the use of sustainable materials and practices to raise awareness of environmental issues and promote conservation, such as usage of recycled/upcycled paper and fabric or found objects. Abstracts, portraits, and representational work are all welcome.

Artists may submit 1 to 3 pieces for consideration.

ELIGIBILITY
All women and non-binary artists based in Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, DC, and West Virginia are eligible to submit.

KEY DATES
SUBMISSION DEADLINE
June 1, 2025

EXHIBITION DATES
June 27 to October 4, 2025 (15 weeks)

NOTIFICATION TO ARTISTS
All artists who submitted artwork will be notified by email on/around June 10. The email will come from [email protected] with a follow up email from the WCADC Exhibitions Committee. You will receive notification even if no artwork has been selected. If you do not receive notice, please check your email spam or trash folder and contact WCADC.

ARTWORK DELIVERY
June 23, 2025, 10 am and 2 pm. Artists will bring the selected artwork to the galleries for installation. The artists may park temporarily at the curb next to the Kentlands Mansion (320 Kent Square Road) to load and unload. Transportation or shipping for delivery and pickup of works of art is the sole responsibility of the artists. All artworks must be present by the end of the delivery period to be included as part of the exhibit and if the artist cannot make it at this time, they will need to contact gallery staff at least five days in advance to make alternate arrangements.

SHIPPING ARTWORK
All shipped artwork must be received by June 20. Unsold shipped works will be shipped back during the week of October 5th. Artists are responsible for the cost of shipping. Accepted work must be accompanied by a UPS or FedEx prepaid return label or it will not be exhibited. Put an envelope inside your box titled 'return envelope' with the return label. The work must be sent in reusable packaging with no styrofoam packing peanuts. Neither the City of Gaithersburg nor the Women's Caucus for Art are responsible for damage caused in transit.

Artwork being shipped should be scheduled to arrive at the Arts Barn (311 Kent Square Road, Gaithersburg, MD 20878) on Wednesday, June 18 or Friday, June 20, 2025. The Arts Barn will be closed on Thursday, June 19, 2025, in observance of the Juneteenth holiday.

ARTIST RECEPTION
Thursday, July 10, 2025, 7 to 8:30 pm

ARTWORK PICK-UP
In person pick-up will be Sunday, October 5, 2025, 4 to 8 pm. Shipped artwork will be returned during the week of October 5th.

CATEGORIES ACCEPTED
Painting, drawing, photography, printmaking, hangable assemblage, collage, mixed media, and fiber art.

This exhibition cannot accept commercially produced prints, giclées, sculpture or artwork requiring a pedestal, jewelry, video, film, performance art, or works requiring an external electrical source and installation.

ARTWORK MAXIMUM SIZE
2-Dimensional / Hangable artwork: including its frame, artwork must be no larger than 60 inches in any direction and weigh no more than 40 pounds.

ARTWORK PRESENTATION
Artwork must arrive exhibition-ready and suitable for professional presentation, including matting and framing, as appropriate to the individual work of art. All wall-displayed artwork will be hung from a cable and hook hanging system. Hangable art should be ready to hang with wire, D-rings or screw eyes; canvas pieces should have edges finished. Sawtooth frame hangers are unacceptable.

VENUE
The City of Gaithersburg
Kentlands Mansion
320 Kent Square Rd.
Gaithersburg, MD 20878

Shipped artwork must arrive at the following address:
Arts Barn
c/o WCADC Exhibit
311 Kent Square Rd.,
Gaithersburg, MD 20878

JUROR - Zandra Chestnut
A longtime resident of Ward 7 in Washington, DC, Zandra promotes environmental stewardship by volunteering with community-based organizations that focus on the environment and respecting Mother-Earth. Working with the Anacostia Riverkeeper, Zandra performs weekly water monitoring of the Watts Branch of the Anacostia River, part of the Citizen Science project, to measure the health of the river. In early 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Zandra collaborated with other photographers of the Exposure Group and the Fotocraft Camera Club, by installing a virtual exhibition on the DC Public Library website entitled 'Washington DC, City of Interest, City of Change.' Zandra is also curating a video on beaver activities on the tributaries of the Anacostia River related to our climate crisis.

IMAGE SPECIFICATIONS
Each jpg or png image file must be named with the artist's first_lastname_title. Image file should not be larger than 5MB and 1400px wide. Images should be clear, good quality, and taken without frames or additional text added.

NON-REFUNDABLE ENTRY FEE
Payment of $25 (twenty-five dollars) for Women's Caucus for Art members and $35 (thirty-five dollars) for non-members per entry. An entry consists of one to three pieces of artwork submitted. Credit card payment through PayPal only. You do not need a PayPal account to pay through PayPal.

PLEASE READ - WCA MEMBERS
On the last page before finalizing your entry, there is a field to the right of the screen, above the SUBMIT THIS ENTRY button that reads - If you have a coupon code, enter it here before you submit your entry. Enter WCADC for the coupon and the $25 fee will be reflected in PayPal.

WHY IS THERE A FEE?
All entry fees for this exhibition will be donated to WCADC's Visual Arts Scholarship which recognizes artistic excellence among young women enrolled in high school and college within the District of Columbia, Maryland, or Virginia. To learn more about the scholarship program, please visit https://www.wcadc.org/scholarship.

INSURANCE AND LIABILITY
While precautions will be taken to protect all artwork in the gallery, it is the responsibility of the artist to insure their own work. The City of Gaithersburg does not assume liability for loss or damage to artwork exhibited in the gallery and the artist assumes the risk and waives any claim against the City in that regard.

COMMITMENT TO EXHIBIT
Submission of work to this exhibition constitutes an agreement to the conditions stated in this prospectus and a commitment to show accepted work for the duration of the exhibition. Please refer to key dates for scheduling.

SALES OF ART
The gallery staff will conduct all sales. Sales of artwork will go through the City of Gaithersburg. The City of Gaithersburg does not accept shipped work. All work must be available at drop off. The City of Gaithersburg will collect 30% of all sales and 70% goes directly to the artist.

QUESTIONS?
Email [email protected] with any questions.