JUROR ANNOUNCEMENT: The ZMA is excited to announce that Charlotte Gordon will be the distinguished guest juror for the 79th Ohio Annual Exhibition. 

ANNOUNCEMENT: Celebrating Zanesville’s proud history as the “pottery capital of the world,” the ZMA is pleased to present the inaugural Ceramics Heritage Award. This significant, new award includes a $500 cash prize and will go to an outstanding ceramic artist.

Submit your ceramic work today for a chance to win the Ceramics Heritage Award!

In 1942, the Zanesville Art Institute held the ­first annual "May Show of Arts and Crafts" for artists in and around Zanesville. More than seven decades later, this annual exhibition continues at the Zanesville Museum of Art as the "Ohio Annual Exhibition." This highly anticipated exhibition, the eligibility for which has been expanded statewide, recognizes the extraordinary ­fine art and fine craft created in the Buckeye State and celebrates the museum’s commitment to discovering, encouraging, and recognizing Ohio’s finest artists and artisans. 

Each year we look forward to presenting a stylistically and thematically diverse exhibition that captures the essence of Ohio’s vibrant visual arts scene. The people, places, and customs found in each unique region of Ohio inspire its artists, and the ZMA is in the fortunate position of recognizing and fostering this creativity. 

In its 79th year, this competitive, juried exhibition welcomes submissions from all Ohio artists, in all stages of their career. In 2024, over four hundred artists vied for the opportunity to exhibit their work at the museum and earn the title Best in Show. The ZMA is excited to be able to host this exhibition onsite for the first time in three years!

Categories

1   Painting, All Types
2   Drawing, Prints, and Collage
3   Sculpture
4   Jewelry and Functional Metalwork
5   Ceramics
6   Glass
7   Photography
8   Fiber Art, Textiles, and Quilts

Awards

The ZMA’s Executive Director and the "79th Ohio Annual Exhibition" juror will present the cash prizes and awards during the exhibition opening Saturday, June 22, 2024, at 5 pm. All award and prize decisions are final and at the discretion of the museum and exhibition juror.

The Best in Show award recipient will receive $1,000.

The Ceramics Heritage award recipient will receive $500.

The Janice Ballas Excellence in Fiber Arts award recipient will receive $250.

Awards and prizes of $100 will be presented in

1   Painting, All Types
2   Drawing, Prints, and Collage
3   Sculpture
4   Jewelry and Functional Metalwork
6   Glass
7   Photography

*Please note, in the event that a category receives only a single applicant, that applicant is not granted an award by default. Decisions still remain at the discretion of the juror.

Meet the Juror
 

Entry Fee

The entry fee is $25 for each work submitted for jury. Each artist may submit a maximum of two works. Entry fee payment does not guarantee acceptance into the 78th Ohio Annual Exhibition, and the ZMA does not provide a refund for entry fees. 

Sales and Insurance

Artwork should be eligible for sale. The ZMA will retain a 30% commission on all artwork sold from this exhibition. Prices of accepted works may not be changed after submission deadline, and all artwork for sale will be insured at the sale value. The insurance value may not exceed fair market value and must be provided on the entry form. Artwork that is not for sale must be marked NFS on the entry form.

Delivery and Pick Up

Artists are responsible for the transit of artwork to and from the ZMA. 

Hand-delivering your work to the ZMA
The museum will accept artwork at 620 Military Road, Zanesville, Ohio 43701:
Friday, May 30, from 10 am to 5 pm
Saturday, May 31, from 12 to 4 pm
Sunday, June 1, 12 to 4 pm

Artists unable to drop off their work during this window should email ohioannual@zanesvilleart.org to make an appointment.

Shipping your work to the ZMA
A return shipping label must be included in the shipping box covering full shipping charges. All shipped artwork should be shipped in easily reusable packaging. COD shipments will not be accepted. Shipped artworks must be postmarked by Monday, June 3, 2024 and shipped to Zanesville Museum of Art, ATTN: Laine Snyder, 620 Military Road, Zanesville, Ohio 43701. It remains the artist’s responsibility to confirm delivery to the ZMA. To confirm shipment, please email ohioannual@zanesvilleart.org.

Pick up and return shipping your work from the ZMA
All artwork must be picked up by Saturday, September 13, 2025 from 5 to 7 pm or Sunday, September 14, 2025, from 12 to 5 pm. Artists unable to pick up their work during this window should email ohioannual@zanesvilleart.org to make an appointment to pick up their artwork.

Artworks shipped to the ZMA will be shipped back to the artist using the enclosed shipping label and original packaging and postmarked by Friday, September 15, 2025. To inquire about shipping arrangements, please email ohioannual@zanesvilleart.org. The artist must notify the ZMA in writing to authorize another party to pick up their artwork. 

Please note: The ZMA is not liable for any damage or loss incurred in transit. Settlement for any artworks damaged in transit will be the responsibility of the artist and shipper.

Application Requirements

Submission Requirements

Artwork entered into this show must not exceed 72”h x 72”w and 100lbs. 

No more than two artworks may be submitted by each artist for consideration in the Ohio Annual Exhibition. Whenever categories are in question, final decisions will be made by museum staff. The ZMA reserves the right to reject entries deemed unacceptable. Payment of entry fee does not ensure acceptance of any and all artworks submitted. The ZMA does not provide a refund or waiver of the entry fee.

Artwork Display Requirements

Two-dimensional submissions must come framed and ready to hang with D-rings. Please note, we will not hang artwork from wire, only D-Rings. Upon delivery, all artwork must be dry and in stable condition. Please attach a label with your last name, first name, and artwork title (for example: Kappes, Karl, Evening Landscape) to the bottom of a three-dimensional work or to the lower right back section of a two-dimensional work.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility

This competition is open to all artists, 18 years of age and over, who presently live in or have previously lived in the state of Ohio. All works must be original, completed in the last two years, and not previously exhibited at the Zanesville Museum of Art. Accepted works may not be withdrawn by the artist prior to the close of the exhibition and artists must abide by the specifications outlined below.  Entry shall be taken as an agreement to all conditions stipulated in this entry form.