Deadline for entry: December 10, 2026
Exhibition Detail
American Women Artists is pleased to announce its twelfth museum exhibition Anna’s Garden: A New Generation of Women Artists as part of the 25 in 25 campaign, an initiative to have 25 museum shows for its members over 25 years, thereby better recognizing the work of women artists and increasing the historically low representation of women artists in museums and permanent collections. This exhibition at Brookgreen Gardens, May 8 – July 25, 2027, in Murrells Inlet, SC, is open to all American Women Artists members. Call for Entries: October 10, 2026, through December 10, 2026. Selected artists will be notified on December 17, 2026.
Founded in 1931 by Archer Huntington and noted sculptor Anna Hyatt Huntington, Brookgreen Gardens is the first public sculpture garden in the United States. Brookgreen Gardens features multiple indoor gallery spaces in addition to world-renowned outdoor exhibitions and botanical gardens. It is a National Historic Landmark and is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, demonstrating its commitment to its historic legacy as well as its continuing importance as a cultural destination.
Anna’s Garden: A New Generation of Women Artists will include approximately 50 - 65 2-D and 3-D works by members of American Women Artists, representing the top women artists in the field throughout the United States and Canada. The exhibition title and logo honor the legacy of Brookgreen Gardens founder Anna Hyatt Huntington, a noted sculptor.
Anna broke proverbial glass ceilings with her work as so many AWA artists do today. AWA works diligently every day with its members, donors, and partners such as Brookgreen Gardens to eliminate the glass ceilings for future generations.
American Women Artists and Brookgreen Gardens will host an opening reception and awards ceremony on May 7, 2027. The Annual Symposium of Women in the Arts will be held on May 6, 2027. The AWA annual retreat, entitled In the Company of Women, will take place from May 5 through May 8, 2027, and will include a reception, symposium, tours, paint out, artist talk, demo, and a members' breakfast featuring the annual Master Signature Member induction.
American Women Artists is dedicated to the inspiration, celebration, and encouragement of women in the visual fine arts. As part of our mission, AWA not only increases the visibility of women’s art in museums across the U.S., but also offers financial support, recognizing mastery in the field. AWA will award a $10,000 Grand Prize Cash Award in addition to approximately $20,000 in other cash and merchandise awards. Final works selected will appear in the 3-month museum exhibition, on AWA’s website, be featured in AWA’s monthly e-newsletters, and promoted through AWA’s advertising and social media channels.
The Jurors
American Women Artists jurors and judges are highly qualified curators, directors, artists, and arts writers with years of education and experience recognizing artistic excellence, supporting the creative process, and researching art and art history. The selection jurors for the 2027 AWA National Juried Museum Exhibition are:
Rebecca Martin Nagy
Rebecca Nagy directed the University of Florida’s Harn Museum of Art from 2002 – 2018, and was an affiliate faculty member in the College of the Arts. Before her work at the Harn, Nagy spent 17 years at the North Carolina Museum of Art, where she served as curator and associate director of education. She also served as an adjunct faculty member at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
Nagy received her doctorate in art history from UNC, Chapel Hill. After retiring as director of the Harn, Nagy served as interim director of the Lightner Museum in St. Augustine, Florida. She currently serves nationally as an accreditation reviewer for the American Alliance of Museums.
Robin R. Salmon
Brookgreen Gardens Vice President of Art and Historical Collections and Curator of Sculpture – Robin Salmon graduated from the University of South Carolina with degrees in history and art history. In 1975, she began work at Brookgreen Gardens, and today she is a nationally known curator, writer, lecturer, and art historian. Robin directs the acquisition, exhibition, interpretation, and conservation of Brookgreen’s art, history, library, and archives collections. She also oversees the work of the Simpson Art Center, which houses the Wallace Master Sculptor Program, and has written or co-authored several books.
Andrea Zieher
Co-Founder and Co-Director of ZIEHER SMITH – Andrea Zieher is a contemporary art dealer with more than two decades of experience supporting and shaping the evolving contemporary art landscapes in New York and Nashville. She is Co-Founder and Co Director of ZIEHER SMITH, a contemporary art gallery. In 2014, Zieher co-founded Primer Archives, a leading software platform and CRM designed specifically for galleries and artists. Zieher served as President of the Board of Directors of the New Art Dealers Alliance (NADA) from 2006 to 2010. Earlier in her career, Zieher was Director of Research and Exhibitions at Vance Jordan Fine Art in New York.
About the 25 in 25 Initiative
In 2017, AWA launched 25 in 25, a bold initiative to secure 25 museum exhibitions for our women artist members over the next 25 years. We did this because work by women artists made up only 4% of the permanent holdings of art museums in America in 2017, —a stark reminder of the long history of limited access to training, exhibition space, and institutional support for women in the arts. American Women Artists set out to change that. Today, thanks to the efforts of artists, advocates, and institutions like this one, that number has begun to rise. By 2025, 13% of works in U.S. art museums are by women, a sign of real progress—though much work remains. Please join us in our mission to celebrate, unite, and promote women in the visual fine arts.
Rebecca Martin Nagy
Rebecca Nagy directed the University of Florida’s Harn Museum of Art from 2002 – 2018, and was an affiliate faculty member in the College of the Arts. Before her work at the Harn, Nagy spent 17 years at the North Carolina Museum of Art, where she served as curator and associate director of education. She also served as an adjunct faculty member at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
Nagy received her doctorate in art history from UNC, Chapel Hill. After retiring as director of the Harn, Nagy served as interim director of the Lightner Museum in St. Augustine, Florida. She currently serves nationally as an accreditation reviewer for the American Alliance of Museums.
Robin R. Salmon
Brookgreen Gardens Vice President of Art and Historical Collections and Curator of Sculpture – Robin Salmon graduated from the University of South Carolina with degrees in history and art history. In 1975, she began work at Brookgreen Gardens, and today she is a nationally known curator, writer, lecturer, and art historian. Robin directs the acquisition, exhibition, interpretation, and conservation of Brookgreen’s art, history, library, and archives collections. She also oversees the work of the Simpson Art Center, which houses the Wallace Master Sculptor Program, and has written or co-authored several books.
Andrea Zieher
Co-Founder and Co-Director of ZIEHER SMITH – Andrea Zieher is a contemporary art dealer with more than two decades of experience supporting and shaping the evolving contemporary art landscapes in New York and Nashville. She is Co-Founder and Co Director of ZIEHER SMITH, a contemporary art gallery. In 2014, Zieher co-founded Primer Archives, a leading software platform and CRM designed specifically for galleries and artists. Zieher served as President of the Board of Directors of the New Art Dealers Alliance (NADA) from 2006 to 2010. Earlier in her career, Zieher was Director of Research and Exhibitions at Vance Jordan Fine Art in New York.
About the 25 in 25 Initiative
In 2017, AWA launched 25 in 25, a bold initiative to secure 25 museum exhibitions for our women artist members over the next 25 years. We did this because work by women artists made up only 4% of the permanent holdings of art museums in America in 2017, —a stark reminder of the long history of limited access to training, exhibition space, and institutional support for women in the arts. American Women Artists set out to change that. Today, thanks to the efforts of artists, advocates, and institutions like this one, that number has begun to rise. By 2025, 13% of works in U.S. art museums are by women, a sign of real progress—though much work remains. Please join us in our mission to celebrate, unite, and promote women in the visual fine arts.
Eligibility
Open to women at least 18 years of age, who are working in the fine arts and residents of either the United States or Canada. To submit and show works, applicants and finalists must be a current member of American Women Artists.
If you would like to join as a new member please visit our website. Please remember that if you are joining as a new member on our website, you also need to apply separately via the ShowSubmit Call for Entries link and pay the entry fee. Your new membership is valid for a year full of benefits!
If you would like to join as a new member please visit our website. Please remember that if you are joining as a new member on our website, you also need to apply separately via the ShowSubmit Call for Entries link and pay the entry fee. Your new membership is valid for a year full of benefits!
To check the status of your membership, please login to your portal or email [email protected]. If you do not have a current membership by the submission deadline your entry will be disqualified. Your membership must be valid throughout the exhibition period.
American Women Artists seeks to present an exhibition of fine art demonstrating excellence in terms of composition, technique, mastery of medium and quality of design. The final selection will be an exemplary showcase of artworks in a variety of styles by artists who draw, paint, and sculpt using traditional materials. The intent of the following rules is to celebrate the historic tradition of fine arts in America through the creation of original works using traditional materials. Artwork of any style is encouraged, but material choice and originality of every aspect of the work is required.
Entry Rules
- The 2027 AWA Annual Juried Museum Exhibition is open to all AWA Members in good standing.
- Applications may be submitted from October 10, 2026 – December 10, 2026 EST, and finalists will be announced on December 17, 2026.
- All subjects and styles are eligible, from traditional to contemporary, in drawing, painting, printmaking, mixed media, and sculpture.
- Works must be original. 2D works must have been completed within the last two years and 3D works must have been completed in the last five years.
- Works do not have to be for sale. Sold works may be submitted. Enter NFS in the entry form. Please note any prices listed cannot be changed after entry, and shipping fees are the responsibility of the artist. Artists will receive 55% of the sales price for 2D works and 60% for 3D works. The Museum will receive 35% for 2D and 35% for 3D to support its mission. AWA will receive 10% for 2D and 5% for 3D to support its mission and to fund future artist awards. The Museum will process sales. Artwork must be priced in accordance with the artist’s current pricing structure and must account for shipping to the buyer. Buyers will not be billed for shipping within the continental U.S. Pricing will be available in the exhibition and will appear on the AWA website. The Museum agrees to pay the artists by the 10th of the month following the sale. The Museum will add applicable sales tax to the purchase price of any piece sold and remit it to the State of South Carolina. AWA and the artists will have no obligation with regard to state sales tax. When a sale occurs, artists must provide an IRS form W- 9 to the Museum prior to funds being released.
- Maximum size for 2D works: Up to 30” on the longest side unframed. Maximum size for sculpture: Height 6 ft including base or pedestal and weight 200 lbs.
- All works entered must not have been accepted for a previous AWA national juried museum competition or online juried show.
- Acceptable Materials: The intent of restricting materials used for artwork in this exhibition is threefold. Firstly, using traditional fine art materials celebrates the history of the fine arts while allowing AWA to draw on the depth of expertise in our jurors’ experience by limiting the scope of materials used. Secondly, AWA focuses on partnering with museums and transporting work across the country. These traditional materials provide the most stable art forms for transportation and long term collection care. Lastly, AWA seeks to give professional women artists opportunities to succeed artistically and financially, and part of that mission is to honor the unique creation of an artist’s mind and hands by respecting original creations made by artists rather than machines. AWA respects the use of alternative materials such as fiber, glass, etc., and the innovative possibilities of collage, assemblage, etc., in the fine arts, but is currently focused on work composed using these traditional materials.
a. Acceptable materials for sculpture include cast metal, fabricated metal, stone, glass, wood, and any fired permanent medium such as terra cotta, stoneware, porcelain, and earthenware.
b. Acceptable materials for painting include oil, acrylic, water media, pastel, egg tempera, encaustic, and mixed media.
c. Acceptable materials for drawing include conte crayon, colored pencil, graphite, pen & ink, scratchboard, and charcoal.
d. Acceptable materials and methods for printmaking include any original, hand-drawn or painted matrix resulting in a hand-pulled print in a limited, signed edition on a paper, board, wood, or canvas substrate.
e. Mixed Media is acceptable only if created using acceptable materials as listed above. Mixed Media cannot include any materials deemed not acceptable, as listed below. - Nonacceptable materials include jewelry, fiber, fabric, photography, video, or any work containing digital, AI, or machine-generated elements, even if a machine-printed element such as a photograph, giclee, newspaper, etc., is used as a layer or substrate. Digital resizing of a sculpture is acceptable as long as every aspect of the work is the artist's original creation.
- Originality in art is the quality that makes a work distinctive, authentic, and personally expressive. It is not just about being new or different; it is about infusing existing forms with a unique vision that reflects the artist’s individuality and cultural context. It is also important to the financial sustainability of professional artists' careers. This focus on originality does not negate the importance of other tools for artistic growth, but it does lay out the following rules for AWA exhibitions.
a. Works must have been created by the artist without supervision, not as a part of a class or workshop, and not using AI to assist. In addition, the artist must have developed or selected reference material herself and may not have based the work on reference material provided by AI or an instructor, such as an instructor-provided photo, still-life setup, or model setup.
b. Works must be original, not copied from other artists, AI, or published materials. Please note that even if you have the legal right to use a photograph or other reference, all artistic choices such as composition, lighting, color, and materials must be your own.
c. All artwork must be originally drawn and not applied on top of any printed image. - Maximum entries: six (6). Maximum of one (1) entry per accepted artist will be juried into the exhibition.
- A maximum of one (1) piece of artwork per accepted artist will be juried into the exhibition.
- By submitting images to this juried opportunity, you give American Women Artists and the Museum permission to use the image of the work in advertising and non commercial promotion for the exhibition and American Women Artists.
- By entering this exhibition, artists acknowledge they own full copyright to the submitted work. If you are unsure about copyright and copyright infringement, learn more at Copyright.gov - What Visual and Graphic Artists Should Know about Copyright | U.S. Copyright Office. AWA is not liable for any copyright claim made against an entered work. Artists retain copyright to their images.
- By entering this exhibition, you agree that you have read and will abide by all rules outlined in this prospectus. AWA and the Museum reserve the right to reject any work either deems to not comply with these rules, is damaged, or any work that AWA deems offensive, including accepted pieces.
- Failure to meet any eligibility requirements will result in the submitted artwork being disqualified. It may result in the artist's disqualification from participation in AWA's future exhibitions at AWA's sole discretion.
- All membership and entry fees are non-refundable.
- All artists accepted into the exhibition must contribute $100 towards production of the exhibition catalogue and will receive 3 print copies. Artwork must be exhibited for the duration of the exhibition May 8 – July 25, 2027, in order to be included in the catalogue.
Application
The entry form must be filled out in its entirety. List sizes up to the nearest inch. Submitted images must not include matting or frame. Crop the photos to include only the artwork. Be sure your images are right-side-up. Artists are encouraged to submit multiple images of 3-D works to show different views of artwork.
Before uploading your images, make sure they are 1920 pixels or larger on the longest side. Images should be in JPEG format, with RGB color space. ShowSubmit will handle renaming and resizing the images for you.
Help in photographing your work and properly sizing your images can be found at showsubmit.com/photoprep. Please do not wait until the last day to ask for help!
Before uploading your images, make sure they are 1920 pixels or larger on the longest side. Images should be in JPEG format, with RGB color space. ShowSubmit will handle renaming and resizing the images for you.
Help in photographing your work and properly sizing your images can be found at showsubmit.com/photoprep. Please do not wait until the last day to ask for help!
Entry Fees
All AWA Member Levels: $60.00 for up to TWO (2) ENTRIES. Each additional entry $10.00 up to maximum of six (6) entries. Payment for jury fees must be made through ShowSubmit via credit card at time of application. Entry fees are non-refundable.
You must be a current Member of AWA to enter and show in the Juried Exhibition. Dues must be current by close of entry period December 10, 2026, or submission is disqualified.
New Member dues can be paid by new members on the AWA Join page.
Existing or overdue members can check status or renew by logging into your member portal.
No changes
Please note that no changes can be made to your application after submission. Please double check your price, title, image, etc. because these details will be used in the exhibition catalogue and labels should your work be selected by the jurors.
Awards
There will be cash and merchandise awards totaling at least $30,000. Award packages are designed to support, encourage, and inspire women in the visual fine arts.
Jurors
Selection Jurors and Awards Judges for AWA’s National Juried Competition assess the entries.
Jurying Notification
All jury status notifications will be sent by and posted on ShowSubmit and accepted works will be posted at americanwomenartists.org on December 17, 2026.
Accepted Works
The decision of the accepted works is final. Once accepted, works may be pre-sold but must be exhibited for the duration of exhibition and proceeds must be shared with the Museum and AWA, under Commission terms outlined.
Accepted works cannot be in an online exhibition concurrently with this exhibition from May 8, 2027, through July 25, 2027.
Accepted artists will be offered Advertising Opportunities at AWA negotiated rates in two to three different national publications.
Shipping
All accepted paintings and drawings must be framed and wired for hanging. Accepted sculpture must be ready to place with any stands and title plates securely fastened. Stone sculpture may be shipped without a base attached only if clear, simple, well-labeled assembly instructions are included and any required installation materials are included with the sculpture.
Each accepted Artist is responsible for the delivery of their shipped or hand-delivered artwork to Coastal Transfer and Storage (CTS) at 3295 South Frazier St. Georgetown, SC 29440 for arrival between April 16 – 23, 2027. The artist’s name should be listed as the receiver at Coastal Transfer and Storage, and the receiver email and phone number should be listed as: [email protected], 843-240-1466. AWA recommends artwork be shipped in Airfloat / “strong” boxes or in wooden crates. It is recommended to ship artwork with proper materials to prevent internal movement and to use labels and no tip/drop stickers when needed to ensure the package is handled and opened appropriately. Artwork picked up in person must be picked up between August 3 - 6, 2027 at Coastal Transfer and Storage (CTS). Shipping expenses are the responsibility of AWA members. Each artist will provide a return pre-paid Fed Ex or UPS label for shipped artwork. The museum will affix the label, and artists are responsible for arranging pick up at Coastal Transfer and Storage (CTS) between August 3 – 13, 2027. The museum requires no shipping/handling fee from the artists. The exhibit pieces will be condition reported and installed by Museum personnel. It will be responsibility of the artist to supply the museum with an updated shipping label, if the work has sold and needs to be shipped to the buyer. AWA members have free membership with ShipandInsure.com for reduced shipping and additional insurance. AWA members also receive 20% off at Airfloat.
Each accepted Artist is responsible for the delivery of their shipped or hand-delivered artwork to Coastal Transfer and Storage (CTS) at 3295 South Frazier St. Georgetown, SC 29440 for arrival between April 16 – 23, 2027. The artist’s name should be listed as the receiver at Coastal Transfer and Storage, and the receiver email and phone number should be listed as: [email protected], 843-240-1466. AWA recommends artwork be shipped in Airfloat / “strong” boxes or in wooden crates. It is recommended to ship artwork with proper materials to prevent internal movement and to use labels and no tip/drop stickers when needed to ensure the package is handled and opened appropriately. Artwork picked up in person must be picked up between August 3 - 6, 2027 at Coastal Transfer and Storage (CTS). Shipping expenses are the responsibility of AWA members. Each artist will provide a return pre-paid Fed Ex or UPS label for shipped artwork. The museum will affix the label, and artists are responsible for arranging pick up at Coastal Transfer and Storage (CTS) between August 3 – 13, 2027. The museum requires no shipping/handling fee from the artists. The exhibit pieces will be condition reported and installed by Museum personnel. It will be responsibility of the artist to supply the museum with an updated shipping label, if the work has sold and needs to be shipped to the buyer. AWA members have free membership with ShipandInsure.com for reduced shipping and additional insurance. AWA members also receive 20% off at Airfloat.
Liabilities, Responsibilities, Sales
By entering this exhibition, the artist agrees that they have read and will abide by all rules outlined in this prospectus. All membership and jury fees are non-refundable. Submission of work for this exhibit will be construed as acceptance of all conditions set forth in prospectus. AWA and the Museum reserve the right to return work that does not meet exhibition standards at the artist’s expense. Every reasonable care will be taken with original artwork. The Museum will be responsible for insurance of artwork while on exhibit for the amount specified on the artist’s application. In the event of loss or damage to the Artwork, the amount paid by Museum’s insurance shall be the sole recovery available to the Artist from the Museum or AWA. The Artist is responsible for insurance of artwork to cover the full value of the artwork while in transit.
Submission Policies
Original Work Requirements
Work(s) must be original. Work(s) may not be a copy or imitation of another work. Any reference provided by an instructor is not eligible, including an instructor provided photo, still-life setup, or model setup. Work(s) must be original and from your own reference, not copied from other artists or published materials. All artwork must be originally drawn and not created on top of any photographic image.
No Past Accepted Work
All works entered must not have been accepted for a previous AWA national juried museum competition or online juried show.
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 (December 10, 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.
Notifications Are Posted in Your Account
Results will be posted in your ShowSubmit account by the end of the day on December 17, 2026. You will also receive an email.
Log in and check your account. We are unable to answer individual inquiries about results.
Support
Questions about this exhibition?
Contact AWA ([email protected]) for questions about the prospectus, AWA, 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.