Shaped by Water—Juried National Exhibition
Juror: Chris Quidley

Director, Quidley & Company

March 19 – April 25, 2026

Shaped by Water
OPENING RECEPTION: Thursday, March 19th, 6 - 8 PM 
National Show, open to all media, original works.

ABOUT THE THEME: South Shore Art Center invites artists to submit work for their National Spring 2026 juried exhibition, Shaped by Water.

Water is a powerful force—simultaneously creative and destructive, constant yet ever-changing. From oceans, rivers, and rain to memory, emotion, and movement, water shapes our physical landscapes and inner worlds alike. This exhibition seeks contemporary interpretations that explore how water influences form, environment, identity, and experience.

Artists are encouraged to submit work that reflects the theme broadly and imaginatively. Submissions may address literal, symbolic, environmental, or abstract relationships to water.

ENTRY DEADLINE: THURSDAY, February 26th, 2026, end of day. 

JPEG SIZING: Images submitted via Smarter Entry should be at least 1280 pixels in the longest dimension at 72 ppi; file size not to exceed 2 MB.

FEES
$30 for three images. $10 for each additional image up to 6 total images.

ALL WORKS MUST BE FOR SALE. South Shore Art Center receives 40% of the purchase price. Please submit only work that will be available at the time of the exhibition and will remain for its entirety. Work must have been created within the past five years. No accepted entry may be withdrawn prior to the close of the exhibition. No pricing changes will be allowed after acceptance. Living artists only. Work that is copied or done under the guidance of an instructor is not eligible. Entries must not have been previously exhibited at SSAC or the SSAC Arts Festival. If the work does not fully reflect what is represented on the submitted image, South Shore Art Center reserves the right to eliminate it from the exhibition.

SPECIFICATIONS
Two-dimensional work must be professionally presented and firmly wired. No sawtooth hangers, no sandwich frames. 3-D work should include a sturdy pedestal. 

NOTIFICATION
All submitting artists will receive a group email by the end of day on Tuesday, March 3rd with a list of accepted works. 

DELIVERY OF ACCEPTED ARTWORK 
Shipping, return shipping and a $25 handling fee for shipped work are the responsibility of the artist. No Sunday Deliveries. Delivery by Saturday, March 14th. Hand delivered work drop off: Thursday, March 12th – Monday, March 16th, 10:00am–4:00pm. We are closed Sunday, March 15th.

PICK-UP/RETURN DELIVERY OF ARTWORK
Hand delivered works may be picked up between Monday, April 27th – Thursday, April 30th, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. SSAC will return shipped work by May 16th, 2026. A handling fee of $25 is required for shipped artwork.

LIABILITY
I understand that South Shore Art Center will ensure work accepted to the extent of 60% of the artist’s stated value while the work is in the Art Center’s custody and control.

AGREEMENT
Submission to Shaped by Water constitutes an agreement with all conditions of this show. South Shore Art Center reserves the right to photograph or use a submitted image for an accepted work for publicity purposes. South Shore Art Center reserves the right to reject any work not resembling the submitted entry or work that is not ready to be shown according to the aforementioned specifications.

PRIZES
First Prize, $500
Second Prize, $300
Third Prize, $200
Awards of Merit (3)

South Shore Art Center Arts Festival 2026

Calling all Artists and Artisans!

SSAC seeks exhibitors for the 71st Annual Arts Festival on the Cohasset Town Common, Father’s Day Weekend, June 19-21, 2026. 

How to apply: 

All applicants, returning and new, must apply via Smarter Entry!

Submit your application via the Smarter Entry link that you can find on our website ssac.org under the arts festival tab or click on the link attached to this email. Please make sure you select South Shore Art Center on Smarter Entry. Upload images showing current work that you will have for sale, if accepted.  You should upload five (5) images in total, to include four (4) images of work and one (1) of booth set-up. Please also include a description of your images as well as a price point for each piece shown. An artist statement is always helpful to the jury. 

Application fees are non-refundable! 

Booth fees, if accepted, are: 

$425 Booth fee 
$500 Corner booth fee 

A principal part of what makes our Arts Festival a festival is the ‘art village’ of craft exhibitors from throughout New England and beyond who showcase and sell their original art, craft and designs to the 25,000 Festival goers each year. We invite you to apply to be one of these craft exhibitors! 

Important dates: 

February 8: Application due. 
February 12: Notifications to accepted craft exhibitors.
March 1: Booth Fees due. 
June 19-21: 71st SSAC Arts Festival on Cohasset common. 

Exhibitor Standards 

• All work must be handmade using original designs. 
• Acceptable media includes decorative and wearable fiber, leather, wood, glass, sculpture, basketry, metal, jewelry, printmaking, ceramics, and paper. 
• Fine art and photography are acceptable, but these   media will be limited to no more than 10% of the  exhibitors because of the concurrent Art Center exhibitions. 
• Unacceptable work includes imported goods, flower arrangements, and craft made from kits or unoriginal designs. 
• Booth space cannot be sublet to other artists nor can exhibitor act as a dealer for other artists or manufacturers. 

Jury Process 

A jury will review entries to ensure the handcrafted work is original and of the highest quality. Acceptance into the Arts Festival is at the discretion of the jury and the management of South Shore Art Center. Previous exhibitors will receive special consideration but are not guaranteed admission.  

Refund Policy
If accepted and unable to commit to the show, a refund may be obtained before May 1, less a $50 cancellation fee. After May 1, a $75 credit will be given toward the 2026 Arts Festival. 

Insurance, Safety and Security
Exhibitors are responsible for their own insurance. All displays must be fireproof and there can be no use of open flame. Overnight security is contracted by South Shore Art Center. 

Layout/Operations
The Arts Festival is held out-of-doors, rain or shine. Each exhibitor must provide a white canopy tent set-up to accommodate a 10’x10’ square space, including weather protection. All booths are on grass. Set-up begins at 8:00am on Friday, June 19, 2026; the Festival opens at 1:00pm. Accommodations can be made for a limited number of exhibitors to have access to electricity.

About South Shore Art Center
Founded in 1955, South Shore Art Center’s mission is to enrich the communities south of Boston by engaging artists and by fostering an understanding and appreciation of the visual arts through exhibitions and education. For over 70 years we have worked tirelessly to meet this mission by installing thought-provoking exhibitions; hosting unforgettable events; providing a space for making art; offering courses and workshops to assist artistic growth and journeys; and of course presenting a regional Arts Festival.  

Exhibitors must further agree to the following guidelines: 
1. All work displayed at my booth during the Arts Festival is my creation. 
2. I will not sublet my booth space or any portion of my booth or act as a dealer for other artists or manufacturers. 
3. All displays will be fireproof and I will have no open flames. 
4. I understand I must provide my own insurance. 
5. I understand that the Arts Festival is held out-of-doors, rain or shine. 
6. I agree to comply with all state and local regulations. 

Renewal
Gallery Artist Juried Exhibition—Bancroft Gallery

January 22 to February 28, 2026
Juror: Spencer Keasey, Director

Bakker Gallery/Bakker Auctions

359 Commercial Street

Provincetown, MA 02657

About the Theme: The theme of our Gallery Artist Showcase this year is 'Renewal' - the act of restoring something to a fresh or original condition, to begin anew with a clean canvas so to speak.  This year, we're all about starting over and committing ourselves to our primary purpose. We invite our Gallery Artists to submit works based on this theme.

South Shore Art Center’s Annual Gallery Artist juried Exhibition is open to SSAC Gallery Artists in good standing. Media categories are oil and acrylic, encaustic and cold wax, drawing and pastel, watercolor, printmaking, fiber arts, mixed media/3D, photography, digital media, and 3D. It is particularly important to us because it represents our community of talented Artists.

South Shore Art Center will be processing initial art intake online via Smarter Entry to allow for automated exhibition paperwork and fees. The Smarter Entry system does not have the capacity to determine whether memberships are current. Art Center staff will review each entry and will contact anyone with lapsed memberships. If your Gallery Artist membership has lapsed, we will ask that you renew prior to the exhibition installation or when dropping off your work.

Renewal dates: January 22 to February 28. Opening Reception: Thursday, January 22, 6:00-8:00pm.

ENTRY DEADLINE: Sunday, December 21st. All work must be original, have been completed within the last three years, and have not been previously exhibited at South Shore Art Center (SSAC) or at the Arts Festival. Membership must be current through February 2026.

FEES
There is nonrefundable $25 fee per 3 entries. Each additional entry is $10, up to 6 entries.

CATEGORIES
Media categories are oil and acrylic, encaustic and cold wax, drawing and pastel, watercolor, printmaking, fiber arts, mixed media/3D, photography and digital media.

ALL WORKS MUST BE FOR SALE. South Shore Art Center receives 40% of the purchase price. Please submit only work that will be available at the time of the exhibition and will remain for its entirety. No accepted entry may be withdrawn prior to the close of the exhibition. No pricing changes will be allowed after acceptance. Living artists only. Work that is copied is not eligible. Entries must not have been previously exhibited at SSAC or the SSAC Arts Festival. If the work does not fully reflect what is represented on the jpeg, South Shore Art Center reserves the right to eliminate it from the exhibition.

DROP OFF of actual works will take place at SSAC January 15-20th, between 10:00–4:00. Please label the back of your work with your name and title of the work so we can match it up with your Smarter Entry info. Please let SSAC know if you need to drop work off before or after these dates; we will be closed December 21, 2025 – January 4, 2026 and January 19th.

PICK UP works March 2-3rd, 10:00–4:00 pm

JPEG SIZING: Image size for entry on Smarter Entry: Images should be at least 1280 pixels in the longest dimension at 72 ppi, file size not to exceed 2 MB.

SPECIFICATIONS
It is in your best interest to submit high quality images.

NOTIFICATION
SSAC will email all submitting artists with a list of accepted works by end of day Tuesday, January 6th.

LIABILITY
I understand that South Shore Art Center will insure work accepted to the extent of 60% of the artist’s stated value while the work is in the Art Center’s custody and control.

AGREEMENT
Submission to Renewal constitutes an agreement with all conditions of this show. South Shore Art Center reserves the right to photograph or use a submitted image for publicity purposes.

PRIZES
1st Prize - $200
2nd Prize - $150
3rd Prize - $100
3 Honorable Mentions