The Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art is pleased to announce the 2023 juried fine art competition, A Sense of Place. Open to participants from throughout the United States, this event, now in its 41st year, seeks to recognize the outstanding quality and diversity of work being generated by contemporary American artists. 

Founded in 1937 and housed in the historic Nicholas Ware mansion (c. 1818), the Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art (GHIA) is Augusta's only independent nonprofit visual arts school and gallery. The Institute serves as a showcase for local, regional, and national artists, offering rotating exhibitions of outstanding contemporary artwork year-round. In addition, professionally taught studio art classes in a wide variety of media are provided to students of all ages and experience levels. 

Juror: Jeffrey Richmond-Moll 

Curator of American Art at the Georgia Museum of Art, Athens, Georgia

Non-Refundable Entry Fee: $35 entry fee for up to 3 entries/images. Each image counts as an entry. If you are submitting 3D work and you need to send additional images of your work, you may email them to hwilliams@ghia.org.

Awards

Three cash prizes will be given, including a $750 Best of Show Award and two $500 Juror’s Awards. At the juror’s discretion, additional noncash Merit awards may also be presented. Award recipients will be announced on Friday, September 8, 2023, at the opening reception for A Sense of Place.

Application Requirements

Artwork and Presentation

1.       Each accepted entry must be installation-ready, framed or encased, with appropriate hanging hardware and installation instructions.

2.       2D artworks must have a hanging device, either d-rings or screw eyes with braided picture wire securely wrapped. Works under 14” in any and all directions may use saw tooth hangers.

3.       2D work must not exceed three feet in width or seven feet in height (framed). Works on paper should be framed and under Plexiglas (no glass, please). Test your framing/presentation before sending it. The presentation of your work is as important as the object and deserves extra care and consideration including clean mats and frames. Please no plastic frames or clip style frames. Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art (GHIA) retains the right to reject works from the exhibition at any time, at their discretion.

4.       3D artworks must not exceed 4’ (four feet) in any direction or weigh more than 70 pounds. Installations must conform to the space guidelines for three-dimensional artwork.  We are unable to accept work that requires suspension from the ceiling. Sculptures will be placed on pedestals or wall shelves (or floor if appropriate).

5.       DO NOT use packing peanuts for shipping. They are the bane of our existence. Please pack your work carefully and in sturdy boxes, not ones that have been reused so many times they are falling apart.

Accepted work may not be withdrawn before the close of the exhibition on Friday, October 13, 2023. If your art is accepted, it must be available for the entire exhibition. No substitutions may be made once work is juried into the show. We recommend work submitted should be considered for general viewing audiences of all ages.

Return of Artwork

Artwork must be picked up by October 20, 2023. Work with prepaid return shipping labels may take 2 weeks for us to process due the volume of artwork to be shipped. GHIA assumes no responsibility for artwork left beyond December 31, 2023, nor for work with insufficient return shipping. Any artwork left beyond December 31, 2023 will become the property of the Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art. GHIA is not responsible for artwork once it leaves the building so please make it is properly insured with your shipping carrier.

**Return Shipping MUST BE PREPAID through a shipping company such as FedEx or UPS with a prepaid label enclosed with your artwork. GHIA will not accept postage stamps for shipping, credit card numbers, or shipping accounts for return of artwork, nor will GHIA staff take artwork to the post office or anywhere else to be weighed, measured, or pay for shipping.

Eligibility Criteria

The 2023 juried fine art competition is open to all US artists age 18 and older. All works must be original, not previously exhibited at the Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art, and completed on or after January 1, 2020. Work that predates this cut-off date will not be considered.

Entries in the following media will be accepted: painting, drawing, mixed media, printmaking, ceramics, sculpture, fabric art and photography. Film and video pieces are ineligible due to our gallery limitations. Entries are not judged in media categories. 

We respectively request that if your art is accepted, it is available for the show. No substitutions may be made once work is juried into the show. We recommend work submitted should be considered for general viewing audiences of all ages.