About The Exhibition:

The Bank of the Arts National Juried Exhibition is Craven Arts Council & Gallery's signature exhibit, featuring artists and artwork from across the country, in a variety of mediums, styles, and movements. ​The 2026 Bank of the Arts National Juried Exhibition offers $5,000 in awards, including the $1,500 CAC&G Permanent Collection Purchase Award. The show’s juror will be Ben Billingsley.

All entries and submissions for this exhibition will be handled through CAFE. If you need help completing an application, please contact Craven Arts Council & Gallery. 
Entry Fee (up to 3 entries):
$40 (Nonmember)
$30 (Member)
Members can refer to their Luminary newsletter, or contact Craven Arts for their discount code.
Categories
  • 2D (paintings, mixed media)
  • Photography
  • Contemporary Crafts (pottery, jewelry, textiles, wood, glass and metal art)
  • Indoor Sculpture
  • Outdoor Sculpture
        
Awards
  • $1,500 CAC&G  Permanent Collection Purchase Award  (indoor)
  • Four $250 Best-in-Category Awards (indoor)
  • Five $100 Merit Awards (indoor)
  • Two $1,000 Honoraria (outdoor)

Ekphrasis 2026:​

​This year’s exhibition will also continue the Ekphrastic Poetry Competition.  Ekphrastic allows poets to create original compositions inspired by the artwork in the exhibition, with awards and readings during the August ArtWalk Reception on August 9th. Poets may enter up to 3 poems for $10 each. Read more about Ekphrasis, here.​

Meet Our Juror:

Bank of the Arts National Juried Show Juror

Ben Billingsley

Award-winning artist Benjamin Billingsley holds an MFA from UNC-Greensboro and has exhibited work in the United States, Latvia, Estonia, Russia, and Japan. Ben taught studio art and art history at Cape Fear Community College from 2001 - 2026, and in 2006 received the Marilyn Goodman Anderson Endowed Award for Excellence in Teaching. Billingsley is also Associate Curator at the Cameron Art Museum, where he has curated several recent exhibitions, including From Mountains to Sea and The Game Changers: Diebenkorn, Frankenthaler, and Rauschenberg. Billingsley served as co-curator for Proof: Printmaking in Eastern North Carolina at the Wilma W. Daniels Gallery and A State of Printmaking at ECU's Wellington B. Gray Gallery. Billingsley has judged many prestigious regional exhibitions, including the Wilmington Art Association’s 2021 Azalea Festival Spring Show, Wilmington's Orange Street ArtsFest, the Thalian Association's ARTfall show and sale, and the 2026 Craven Arts Council's National Juried Exhibition. 
Important Dates
March 1: Call Opens
11:59pm, June 12: Call Closes
5:00pm,  June 27: Artist Notifications Sent
5:00pm, July 22: Artwork Drop Off Deadline
5pm-8pm, August 14: ArtWalk Opening reception
6:00pm: Awards Announced
August 14: Juror's Talk (time TBD)
5:00pm-8:00 PM, September 11: Artwalk Poetry Reception
September 29-October 3: Artwork Pick Up

2026 Bank of the Arts National Juried Exhibition Terms and Conditions

Below is a brief overview of the Terms and Conditions for the 2026 Bank of the Arts National Juried Exhibition. Artists can read the full Terms and Conditions on the CAFE website for the Call here. 
-All entries should have a sale price. No "Not for Sale (NFS)" works will be accepted. Any works sold will be in accordance with Craven Art's standard consignment split, 60/40, in the artists' favor. 
-Works will be insured for up to 60% of the sales price, not to exceed $2,500
-Max size of works is 8' in any direction, and no more than 100 pounds, for indoor works. Outdoor works will be leased for one year, and should be able to withstand exposure to the elements in a coastal environment. 
-Craven Arts Council and Gallery will not accept any AI artworks. CAC&G's full AI Statement can be found here.