Larson Gallery's annual Central Washington Artists' Exhibition is one of the longest running juried art exhibitions in the Pacific Northwest. This highly competitive exhibition features current artworks by artists living in ten Central Washington counties.The 2024 69th annual CWAE will present at least $3,000 in cash and purchase awards. The juror is Kayla Tackett, the Director of Exhibitions and Collections at the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture ("the MAC") in Spokane, WA.

Exhibition Background

The Central Washington Artists' Exhibition traces its roots to the spring of 1955, and the first in a series of exhibitions featuring  "Artists of Yakima Valley." The local annual exhibitions were the brainchild of former Yakima Valley Community College art instructor and Larson Gallery director Gaylen Hansen. Hansen left Yakima to teach at Washington State University in 1957, becoming well-known for his raw neo-expressionist paintings of flora and fauna native to the rolling hills of Eastern Washington's Palouse landscape. 

As the exhibition evolved, competitive awards were offered, and the area of eligibility expanded. The exhibition became known by its present title by a vote of the Larson Gallery Guild in 1958. The show's purchase awards have also played a key role in developing Larson Gallery's permanent collection of regional artworks.

A roster of guest jurors from diverse backgrounds keep the show fresh. Pacific Northwest-based college professors, gallery owners, museum curators, and working artists (almost always from outside the eligible area) lend their expertise to curate unique exhibitions year after year. Notable past jurors include  Roy De Forest, Ramona Solberg, Gandy Brodie, Ron Ho, Harold Balazs, and Alfredo Arreguín. 

Now in it's 69th official season, the Central Washington Artists' Exhibition is accepting applications by Washington State artists residing in Benton, Chelan, Douglas, Franklin, Grant, Kittitas, Klickitat, Okanogan, Walla Walla, and Yakima counties. 

About the Juror

Kayla Tackett is the Director of Exhibitions and Collections at the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture ("the MAC") in Spokane, where she manages exhibitions and leads the team responsible for the curation and care of the archives, loan and collection objects, Art Source sales and rental program, and the historic Campbell House. Prior to joining the MAC in December 2021, she worked in exhibition management for over 13 years at the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields. Kayla has a master's degree in Arts Administration from Indiana University and a bachelor's degree in Art History and English Writing from DePauw University, where her thesis and capstone project focused on the textile designs of Varvara Stepanova and Lyubov Popova and poetry, respectively. 

Application Requirements

• Art must NOT have been previously show in a juried Larson Gallery show.
• Art must be original and created within the last TWO years.
• Eligible media: acrylic, ceramic, drawing, fiber, glass, metal, mixed media, oil, pastel, print, watercolor, wood, photography, and non-traditional materials, etc.
• 2-Dimensional art cannot exceed 72" in any direction, including sets.
• 3-Dimensional art cannot exceed 6 sq. ft. of floor space, 6 ft. in height, or weigh over 100 lb.
• Art must be wired and ready to hang/display.
• Actual work must be identical to submitted image (do not include frame or mount in photo).
• Artists may submit one application containing up to four (4) artworks.
• Image file type: JPEG
• Artwork in multiple units is considered a set only when priced and labeled as one piece.
• Call the Larson Gallery to confirm the status of your membership before paying entry fees. Entry fees are $15 for Larson Gallery Guild Members, $20 for non-members. We cannot offer refunds for Non-member application fees if you choose to join the Guild at a later date.
• Shipping Address: 
  Larson Gallery c/o Yakima Valley College
  1107 S 16TH AVE
  YAKIMA,WA, 98902-5331
• Still have questions about eligibility or submitting your artwork? Reach out! 
  Call (509) 574-4875 (Tues.-Fri. 10am - 5pm, Sat. 12-5pm), or email your questions to gallery@yvcc.edu.

IMPORTANT DATES

9/20/2024 - SUBMISSION DEADLINE (Closes at 11:59 PM Mountain Time)

10/4/2024 - Accept/decline notices emailed to artists

10/29/2024 | 5pm (PST) - Deadline for art delivery (for in-person drop-offs and artwork shipped via courier)

11/9/2024 - 12/7/2024 - Exhibition Dates

11/9/2024 3-5pm - Exhibition Opening Reception

Eligibility Criteria

Open to Washington State artists residing in one of the following counties:

• Benton
• Chelan
• Douglas
• Franklin
• Grant
• Kittitas
• Klickitat
• Okanogan
• Walla Walla
• Yakima