Call Description

The Visual Art League (VAL) of Lewisville, Texas is pleased to announce a call for entries for Fresh Ideas 2025, a juried show to be held at the Lewisville Grand Theater Main Art Gallery in Lewisville, Texas August 16 - September 13, 2025

Fresh Ideas is VAL's Annual Premier Juried Art Exhibition and sale, which is housed in the beautiful 2,400 sq. ft. Lewisville Grand Theater Main Art Gallery (see www.lewisvillegrand.com and visualartleague.org).  It is open to all visual artists 18 yrs and older who reside in Texas. The non-refundable entry fee, for a maximum of (3) pieces is:

• $55 for non members of VAL
• $40 for VAL members
• Artworks will be available for sale if the artist chooses. See Legal Agreement

Important Dates:
Exhibition Dates: August 16th  - September 13th 2025
Deadline to enter: July 29th 11:59 pm 
Artist Notification: August  2nd - 3rd

Load in: Monday August 11th  *Lewisville Grand Theater Staff cannot accept shipped artworks!
Opening Reception: Saturday August 16th 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Pick up artwork: Monday September 15th 

Awards

• 1st Place - $1,000 and a solo show in summer of the following year at the Lewisville Grand Theater.
• 2nd Place - $500
• 3rd Place - $250
• Six Honorable Mentions @ $100 each
• People's Choice Award - $100

Accepted mediums: oil, watercolor, acrylics, pastel, mixed media, collage, altered books, assemblage, drawings, printmaking, ceramics, glass, textiles, fiber, encaustic, sculpture and photography (film, digital, altered processes, photographic montage). *Digital compositions using AI Image Generator Software are not allowed!

Juror: 

Du Chau, born in Vietnam and now based in Dallas, Texas, exemplifies the pursuit of passion across multiple disciplines. After relocating to the U.S. in 1981, he started his career in clinical laboratory science and currently serves as the Pathology Technical Coordinator at Methodist Hospital of Dallas. However, his artistic journey flourished after studying at Dallas College Brookhaven Campus, leading him to earn both a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a Master of Fine Arts from the New York College of Ceramics at Alfred University.

His artwork has been exhibited across the U.S., including at the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts and the Amarillo Museum of Art, and featured in collections at the Curaumilla Art Center in Chile and the CRETA Foundation in Italy. Du Chau has received numerous accolades, including the NCECA International Residency Award in 2017 and the Moss/Chumley Award from the Meadows Museum in 2024. Patron Magazine also recognized him as an Art Influencer that same year.

Beyond his work, Du Chau co-founded the Goldmark Cultural Center in Dallas, which provides studio space for 170 resident artists and cultivates a vibrant artistic community. Balancing his dual passions for art and science, he continues to impact both fields significantly.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES::

Images of entries to be considered for the show must be submitted via Callforentry.org. Image must meet the requirements of that site for size and type of file to be accepted online.  Artists may submit up to (3) pieces for consideration.

 ARTWORK REQUIREMENTS:

1. Original 2D and 3D artworks must have been created in the last (2) years and must not have been previously shown in any VAL exhibits. The gallery is owned by the City of Lewisville and is considered family-friendly, so no explicit nudity, confrontational political content, or disrespectful religious images allowed.  No collaborative artworks. No installation or video artworks. All art submitted must be an original composition of an individual artist.
2. Maximum size for hung work is: 60x60, including frame.
3. 2D artworks intended to be hung on the walls, must look professionally finished and be ready for installation.
4. Framed pieces must be equipped with d-rings attached to the back and stretched with wire. Sawtooth hangers uniframes, and cleat hangers are not acceptable. Please tape wire ends to prevent injury to the hanging committee.
5. Wires when stretched to hang the art, should not come closer than two inches from the top of the frame to prevent the hanger from showing when the art is hung.
6. Plexiglass, or similar material, must be used in place of glass for any piece larger than 16 x 20.
7. Any artwork printed on acrylic or metal must have smooth round edges or be framed. No sharp edges!
8. Diptychs, triptychs, or other multi piece works constitute one piece, and must be no wider than 60" when hung together.
9. Pieces that are hung may not be over 50lbs in weight.
10. Hanging canvas pieces should have clean, gallery-wrapped edges or be framed. Depth of canvas determines finish. 1.5" or greater depth should have a clean finished edge. Less than 1.5" requires a frame.
11. 3D artwork must be able to securely sit on a pedestal with a base that will fit on a 20 x 14 surface or rest on the floor freestanding, or safely hang using a wire.
12. Any pieces, including sculpture, which are very fragile or heavy, the artist will be expected to assist with the installation.

​Please Note:

1. This is a juried show. The juror has the right to reject any submitted artwork during the jury process.
2. VAL reserves the right to reject any accepted artwork if: it does not look professionally presented, framed pieces over 16" x 20" have glass, or it is not properly wired and ready for installation. NO EXCEPTIONS!
3. ALL ACCEPTED WORKS MUST REMAIN ON EXHIBIT FOR THE DURATION OF THE FRESH IDEAS SHOW.
4. VAL and The Lewisville Grand offer an amazing opportunity to engage with the community and potential buyers as a Gallery Sitter. Bring your sketch book, or project to work on in the gallery, or simply enjoy the exhibit  peacefully, and connect with other art enthusiasts when they visit the gallery. Gallery Sitting hours are in 2-hour increments and will be available to sign-up via SignUp Genius once selections for the exhibit are chosen.

Important Information on Delivery of Accepted Artwork:

• A link for Sign-Up Genius will be sent to artists to schedule an intake time.
• Work accepted into the exhibition must be delivered to the Lewisville Grand Theater Main Art Gallery, 100 North Charles Street Lewisville, TX at your scheduled time.
• It is the responsibility of the artist to arrange for delivering their works themselves or by a representative of the artist.
• Any artwork not received at the Gallery by 5:00 pm on August 11th, 2025 will not be included in the show.

Application Requirements

You must submit a minimum of one jpeg image or a maximum of three. No detail images. One image per artwork.

Eligibility Criteria

You must be a Texas Artist 18yrs or older.