Deadline for entry: October 5, 2026
St. John’s Church in Florence, South Carolina invites artists to submit two-dimensional works to its Advent Art Competition (AAC) addressing the principle of “Hope”.
Hope during the Advent Season contemplates a confidence in the future anchored by the past and relied upon in the present.
2026 AAC seeks submissions which might inspire, encourage reflection or offer new perspectives towards this understanding of hope.
Selected artworks will be displayed on campus, and featured in church materials and media, through the season of Advent (November 29, 2026 – January 5, 2027). Awards will be presented at an opening reception honoring their work on the evening of December 3 at 5:30 pm.
A 30% commission fee will be collected by St. John's from any artwork sold to support the nonprofit, Tenacious Grace which includes the operation of a two-year residential recovery program, Five Sparrows, for women who are survivors of abuse, addiction, poverty, and prostitution. (tenaciousgrace.cc)
Artwork insurance is the responsibility of the artist.
Awards
- First place: $575
- Second place: $425
- Third place: $275
- Honorable mention: $125
Artwork Delivery
November 4–14, 2026 Monday through Thursdays, 10am-4pm or email Beth at [email protected] to schedule a delivery time, outside of those hours.
Shipping Artwork
Mail to:
St. John’s Church
252 S. Dargan Street,
Florence SC, 29506
Shipping costs are the responsibility of the artist.
Please include a return shipping label.
St. John’s Church
252 S. Dargan Street,
Florence SC, 29506
Shipping costs are the responsibility of the artist.
Please include a return shipping label.
Artwork Pickup:
January 11–21, 2027, Monday through Thursdays, 10am-4pm or email Beth at [email protected] to schedule a delivery time, outside of those hours.
Juror
Katie Tynes Watford is an Atlanta-based multidisciplinary artist and designer whose work explores Scriptural themes through abstract, typographic, and mixed-media expression. Her practice lives at the intersection of visual art, graphic design, and Christian imagination, with a particular interest in how beauty can deepen spiritual attention and invite renewed engagement with the Christian story.
Katie holds a Master of Arts in Christian Practice from Duke Divinity School, with a certificate in Theology and the Arts, and studied graphic design at Portfolio Center in Atlanta. She is an active member of Trinity Anglican Church in Atlanta, where she has helped cultivate artist community and creativity as spiritual practice through workshops, creative gatherings, children’s and adult classes, and seasonal exhibitions, including Stations of the Cross.
Katie also serves as a creative partner for Creo Arts, a national nonprofit inspiring, connecting, and equipping communities where art and faith flourish. Through this work, she helps develop visual identity, storytelling, and strategic communications that support artists, churches, and patrons in recovering beauty, imagination, and faithful creative practice.
Her work has received awards and honors and has been exhibited at Duke Divinity School, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Birmingham, Trinity School Spotlight on Art in Atlanta, and The Breath and The Clay Conference in Charlotte. Through her newest venture, Bridge Studio, Katie continues to bridge art, design, and the Church — helping organizations and communities recover wonder, imagination, and beauty as essential parts of faithful life.
Katie holds a Master of Arts in Christian Practice from Duke Divinity School, with a certificate in Theology and the Arts, and studied graphic design at Portfolio Center in Atlanta. She is an active member of Trinity Anglican Church in Atlanta, where she has helped cultivate artist community and creativity as spiritual practice through workshops, creative gatherings, children’s and adult classes, and seasonal exhibitions, including Stations of the Cross.
Katie also serves as a creative partner for Creo Arts, a national nonprofit inspiring, connecting, and equipping communities where art and faith flourish. Through this work, she helps develop visual identity, storytelling, and strategic communications that support artists, churches, and patrons in recovering beauty, imagination, and faithful creative practice.
Her work has received awards and honors and has been exhibited at Duke Divinity School, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Birmingham, Trinity School Spotlight on Art in Atlanta, and The Breath and The Clay Conference in Charlotte. Through her newest venture, Bridge Studio, Katie continues to bridge art, design, and the Church — helping organizations and communities recover wonder, imagination, and beauty as essential parts of faithful life.
Artwork Requirements / Eligibility
- Artists must reside within the states of Georgia, South Carolina or North Caroline and be 18 years old at the time of submission.
- Artists may submit up to 2 works for consideration.
- Work must be the sole work of a living artist, created within the past 3 years.
- All submitted works must be original creations conceived and executed by the artist. Works that are wholly or partially generated using artificial intelligence (AI) tools are not permissible and will not be considered. By submitting, artists affirm that their work does not rely on AI-generated imagery, composition, or content.
- Work must be 2- dimensional due to spatial constraints.
- Framing Requirements and 2-D Size restrictions: Artwork shall be no larger than 36” x 72”.
- Two dimensional works should be framed with horizontal wiring or D-rings. St. John’s reserves the right to disqualify improperly framed materials.
- St. John’s Church and the Juror retain sole discretion to decide whether artworks meet the requirements of the show standards.
Entry Fees
Submission fee $20 for first entry and $10 for an additional submission with a maximum of 2 submissions.
Sales
Artwork is not required to be for sale.
A 30% commission fee will be collected from any artwork sold during the Advent Artist program. Commission fees will go to support Tenacious Grace which includes the operation of a two-year residential recovery program, Five Sparrows, for women who are survivors of abuse, addiction, poverty, and prostitution. (tenaciousgrace.cc)
A 30% commission fee will be collected from any artwork sold during the Advent Artist program. Commission fees will go to support Tenacious Grace which includes the operation of a two-year residential recovery program, Five Sparrows, for women who are survivors of abuse, addiction, poverty, and prostitution. (tenaciousgrace.cc)
Liability
While every care will be taken for the artwork, St. John’s assumes no responsibility for damage or loss. Insurance of artwork is solely the responsibility of the artist.
By submitting their artwork for the competition, artists grant St. John’s non-exclusive rights to use their submissions (and images of those submissions) in St. John’s related events and communications, including but not limited to services, events, public displays, publications, sites, and programs, without further permission or payment involved, indefinitely, always with appropriate credit to the artist(s). Artists likewise grant St. John’s the non-exclusive right to allow images of their artwork to be used by its not-for-profit ministry "partners" such as the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina.
By submitting their artwork for the competition, artists grant St. John’s non-exclusive rights to use their submissions (and images of those submissions) in St. John’s related events and communications, including but not limited to services, events, public displays, publications, sites, and programs, without further permission or payment involved, indefinitely, always with appropriate credit to the artist(s). Artists likewise grant St. John’s the non-exclusive right to allow images of their artwork to be used by its not-for-profit ministry "partners" such as the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina.
Additional Notification Information
Notifications will be emailed and posted in your ShowSubmit account by the end of the day on October 19, 2026.
If you do not receive your email, login and view the notification in your account. We cannot respond to inquiries regarding the status of notifications.
Image and Filename Specifications
- File Format: Submit original, high-quality JPEG image files. Other formats (e.g., PNG, TIFF) are not accepted.
- Crop Your Image: Ensure only the artwork itself is visible in the image. Do not show any visible matting, frames, or background distractions.
- Orientation: Make sure your image is oriented correctly (right side up) so that the artwork appears in its intended viewing direction.
- Image Size: You do not need to resize your image files before uploading. The system will automatically resize them. Smaller images cannot be enlarged to meet the requirements, so ensure your images are high resolution before uploading.
- File Names: You do not need to rename your files before uploading them. The system will handle any file naming requirements.
- File Size: There is a 30mb maximum file size limit. Larger image files will take longer to upload and process.
Additional Entry Information
- You will pay for your entry by credit or debit card using our secure checkout system.
- After your entry is submitted and paid for, you may log back in to review your entry, edit artist and image information, and add or substitute images up until the entry deadline (October 5, 2026.)
- Entry fees are not refundable and must be submitted and paid by the entry deadline.
- Entries cannot be accepted or changed after the deadline. Incomplete entries will be disqualified.
Support
Questions about this exhibition?
Contact Beth ([email protected]) for questions about the Prospectus, SJCF, eligibility, artwork requirements, drop-off, pick-up, sales, etc.
Need help with ShowSubmit?
Visit our Help Center or Entry Guide for guidance on image uploads, payments, and managing your entry. If you still need help, email ShowSubmit Support ([email protected]). We respond Monday–Friday, 9am–6pm Eastern.