Excellence in Traditional Fine Art Competition Updates

We are thrilled with the excitement and interest that has been created around the Excellence in Traditional Fine Art Competition and thank you for helping us build the prominence for this quarterly showcase of contemporary-traditional fine art.

Updated Rules

As we look forward to continually expanding the attention for this initiative, we want to inform you that you may now:

  • Submit artwork created anytime during the last three years.

The previous guidelines noted that the work must have been created during the past two years.

  • Works may be submitted as “Not for Sale” (NFS).

This allows you to submit for consideration work that has been sold or that you prefer to retain.

All artwork selected as finalists by the guest judge will continue to be featured on the CAC website in a virtual exhibition on display for approximately three months. Those being offered for sale must still comply with the guideline that the work cannot be concurrently displayed in any other exhibition, and it may not be removed from the exhibition prior to the closing date.

If you have already submitted a work for this competition and would like it to be designated as NFS, please email exhibitions@californiaartclub.org with your request.

We are also pleased to inform you that the 2024 competition themes will continue to take inspiration from the seasons. This will allow you, for example, to seek out imagery this summer for submission in next year’s summer installment.

2024 themes are:

  • The Wonders of Winter
  • The Signs of Spring
  • The Sensations of Summer
  • The Fascinations of Fall

 

Additional Competition Guidelines

California Art Club members in any artist categories are eligible to submit works for consideration in the themed competitions, which will award the top three entries with cash prizes, while also bestowing honorable mentions and other awards, as determined by a renowned industry professional who will serve as a guest judge.

The cash prize structure is as follows:

First Place:$1,000
Second Place:$500
Third Place:$250
Honorable Mention/s:$100

Additional honors will include Special Recognition Awards for the following membership categories:

  • Student Artist
  • Mentorship Program
  • Associate Artist

Recipients of the Special Recognition Awards will receive $50.

In addition to the above mentioned honors, multiple opportunities for visibility will be provided for approximately 30-40 works of exceptional artistic merit from each competition, including:

  • Exhibition on the CAC website
  • A selection will be promoted on social media channels and e-blasts
  • Winners will be featured in the California Art Club Newsletter

Submission Fees

The cost for submitting entries for each quarterly competition is $35 for first entry and $15 for each additional entry in a single quarterly competition.  There is no limit to the number of submissions. Please note that all submission fees are non-refundable.

Submissions will be accepted via Online Juried Shows.  The link can be found on the Calls for Entries page. All notifications of acceptance will be posted to artist’s Online Juried Show’s profile.

Eligibility Requirements

Artists who are not currently members of the California Art Club and would like to submit need to first join the organization in one of the artist categories.  See our membership page for more information on the categories available to new members.

The following mediums are eligible for consideration; paintings in oil, acrylic, gouache, tempura, watercolor, or pastel; sculptures in permanent materials such as marble, wood, terracotta, fiberglass, resin or bronze.

Please note that no giclees, prints, photography, digital works or digitally altered works will be accepted. This will automatically disqualify artwork from the competition.

For questions about the Excellence in Traditional Fine Art Competition, email exhibitions@californiaartclub.org.