Calls for Art
Applications Open: February 13
Applications Due: March 8
Vendors Notified: Mid to Late March
Event: April 18, 12-5pm
$25 application fee
Arts on the Block is Artspace’s annual block party event for all ages which celebrates the power of community and visual art. Historic City Market and Davie Street will come alive with local DJs, hands-on artist-led demonstrations, art exhibitions, art activities, food and much more. Attendees will be encouraged to shop and eat local with 30 artisan vendors, City Market retail stores and restaurants, and guest food trucks while exploring what the arts have to offer. Arts on the Block takes place on Saturday, April 18 from 12:00pm-5:00pm.
Arts on the Block Event Details //
- Date: Saturday, April 18, 2026
- Location: City Market and E Davie Street
- Event Time: 12:00pm – 5:00pm
- Audiences: Adults + Families
- Anticipated Attendance: 1,500-2,000 people
- Rain or shine event
Vendor Fees //
- Application Fee: $25
- 10’x10′ Vendor Fee: $50
- 10’x20′ Vendor Fee: $75
- Food Truck or Trailer Fee: $150
Vendors Who Should Apply //
- Based in the Triangle region
- Original artwork including ceramic artists, painters, printmakers, photographers, jewelers, etc.
- Vintage goods including clothing, shoes, houseware, records, collectibles, etc.
- Handmade candles, soaps, and bath + body products
- Designers and graphic artists with original artwork on t-shirts, bags, cards, etc.
- Baked Goods / Savory Food Items
- Prepackaged Items (Honey, Hot Sauce, etc.)
- Food Trucks or Trailers
- No MLM or direct sales vendors
- Please note: due to our partnership with existing City Market restaurants, vendors selling coffee, pizza, tacos, and burgers are not encouraged to apply
Holiday Mini Mall Vendors (closed)
We are not accepting applications at this time.
The Mini Mall at Artspace is a unique, community-centered shopping experience that taps the nostalgic spirit of a 1990’s shopping mall. Designed to celebrate creativity, inclusivity, and accessibility, this flea market event transforms Artspace for five hours into a vibrant public indoor marketplace featuring artists, crafters, makers, and small local businesses.
The event will take place on Sunday, December 14, 2025 from 11am-4pm.
Table Fee: $25 for half a table (36” x 30”) or $50 for a full 72″ x 30″ table. Vendors may apply for a half table or full table depending on their needs and budget.
Due to limited space, vendor submissions will be juried by the Artspace staff. Selections will be made on a rolling basis.
12 x 12 Member Showcase (closed)
We are not accepting applications at this time.
Artspace’s 12×12 Member Showcase is an annual celebration of the creativity of our incredible artist community while providing a unique opportunity for our patrons to add affordable works of original art to their collections during the holiday season.
Exhibition dates: Nov 7, 2025 – Jan 18, 2026
This is a non-juried exhibition open to Artspace Members (must have an active membership), Studio Artists and Staff. (Not a member? Join here)
All works must be 12×12 inches in size, completed within the last three years, and priced at one of the following price points: $100, $250 or $500.
No entry fee.
Carolina Roots (closed)
We are not accepting applications at this time.
Carolina Roots is Artspace’s biennial juried exhibition celebrating artists currently living in or who come from rural North Carolina counties. Submit up to three works for consideration. This exhibition will bring perspectives of artists from across our state into focus and honor the rich creative culture beyond our urban centers. Sponsored by the North Carolina Rural Center. No entry fee.
Artists will be informed of their selection the week of September 9.
Exhibition dates: October 3-November 30, 2025
Juried by Mavis Gragg + Laura Ritchie
Eligibility:
- Artists over 18 years of age.
- Artists creating artworks in 2 and 3-dimensional media.
- Artwork must be original, entirely the work of the submitting artist, created without the supervision of an instructor.
- Artwork must have been completed within the last three years.
- Artist must be from or currently living in one of the following counties: Alexander, Alleghany, Anson, Ashe, Avery, Beaufort, Bertie, Bladen, Brunswick, Buncombe**, Burke, Caldwell, Camden, Carteret, Caswell, Catawba**, Chatham, Cherokee, Chowan, Clay, Cleveland, Columbus, Craven, Currituck, Dare, Davie, Duplin, Edgecombe, Franklin, Gaston**, Gates, Graham, Granville, Greene, Halifax, Harnett, Haywood, Henderson**, Hertford, Hoke, Hyde, Jackson, Jones, Lee, Lenoir, Macon, Madison, Martin, McDowell, Mitchell, Montgomery, Moore, Nash, Northampton, Pamlico, Pasquotank, Pender, Perquimans, Person, Polk, Randolph, Richmond, Robeson, Rockingham, Rutherford, Sampson, Scotland, Stanly, Stokes, Surry, Swain, Transylvania, Tyrrell, Vance, Warren, Washington, Watauga, Wayne, Wilkes, Wilson, Yadkin, Yancey
Qualifying counties are designated as rural by the North Carolina Rural Center. Click here for an interactive map.
**In an effort to extend opportunities to those most affected by Hurricane Helene, artists from these non-rural counties are also eligible to apply.
For artworks that sell during the exhibition, non-member artists receive 60% of the sale, and member artists receive 70% of the sale.
Gallery 1 // detail of exhibition The Time Becoming featuring work by artist Alicia Eggert
Exhibition Proposals (closed)
We are not currently accepting applications at this time.
Selected exhibitions for Galleries 1 + 2 will:
- be professionally installed at Artspace
- have a professionally written essay and full color brochure
- include a competitive stipend
Artspace’s gallery spaces are fully accessible and we strive to make the submission process accessible for artists as well. We encourage anyone to submit for our open calls for art. If you need any additional information or accommodations in order to enter a call for art please contact us at 919.821.2787 or info@artspacenc.org.
Gallery 2 // detail of exhibition Dark Days featuring work by artist Andrew Kozlowski
FRESH (closed)
We are not currently accepting applications at this time.
FRESH is Artspace’s biennial group show that demystifies the process of a juried art exhibition. Unlike a traditional juried exhibition, all submitted works will be displayed in Artspace’s main gallery spaces for the month of October before our juror makes her selections. The final juried exhibition debuts on First Friday, November 1st.
Artists may submit one work of art.
FRESH will be juried this year by Jessica Orzulak, Associate Curator and Curatorial Affairs Manager of the Asheville Art Museum.
Cash awards:
- First Place $1000
- Second Place $500
- Third Place $250
- People’s Choice $250