Show Dates

The exhibition will run from February 3-24, 2024, in the Saville Gallery of the Allegany Arts Council in Cumberland, Maryland. Cumberland is located in the scenic and historic Mountain Maryland region, midway between Baltimore and Pittsburgh, and just 2.5 hours from Washington, DC.

A Public Opening & Awards Ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, February 3, 2024, from 6-8PM. The Public Opening will announce award winners and celebrate entries exploring love in all its forms.

Background

The Allegany Arts Council hosts a number of national art competitions annually celebrating photography, contemporary art, quilting and plein air painting, but this exhibition invites artists practicing in all mediums to explore a concept that dominates each February of our calendars.

What is…Love? invites artists to contemplate the nature of this powerful force in our lives – passion, intimacy, closeness, bonding, what happens when we receive it and what happens when it disappears. All art forms are encouraged, including visual arts, literary projects, original film or video, and music performance. In celebration of this exploration, the Arts Council will host a collaborative event with local partners – the Cultural Event Series at Frostburg State University and Loft 129, a music venue, during the exhibition period.

Join us for a creative look at this untouchable, intangible thing – what is….love?

Jury

The Allegany Arts Council maintains a year-round Exhibition Committee comprised of gallery staff, artists and arts enthusiasts who routinely review and invite artists to exhibit in its Saville and Schwab Galleries.

Entries for this exhibition will be reviewed and ranked by Exhibition Committee members for inclusion in the show. Invited artists will be selected from CAFÉ entries and prizes awarded from the installed exhibition.

Application Requirements

Applicants may enter no more than six (6) entries.

Artwork(s) must meet the following criteria:

• All entries MUST be for sale. Sold artworks will receive a 65% commission to the artist with a 35% commission to the gallery.
• No entries will be accepted which have been previously exhibited in the Allegany Arts Council galleries.
• Although there is no restriction on when entries were created, artists are encouraged to enter their latest work.

Eligibility Criteria

Artists practicing all mediums are encouraged to enter the competition. Two-dimensional works must not exceed 48” in width and 84” in height, and must not exceed 40 pounds total weight. Two-dimensional works should be professionally presented and must be wired for hanging on the gallery’s hanging system. No sawtooth hangers or other non-professional presentations will be installed.

Three-dimensional works will be displayed on the floor or on pedestals and may not exceed 60 pounds total weight. Installations are encouraged, but should be submitted with detailed installation instructions.

Audio, video or film entries should be provided on a thumb drive which may be displayed on a screen or using a monitor. The use of file sharing may also be permitted.

 Literary works, prose or poetry, should be printed on placards or posters which may be displayed on walls or easels.