OUR ANNUAL MEMBERS-ONLY, THEMED IN-GALLERY & ONLINE EXHIBIT
Exhibit Dates: June 25 – August 1, 2026
Online Entry Deadline: Thursday, June 18 | noon
Deliver Artwork: Sunday, June 21 I 12 – 2 pm
Opening Reception*: First Friday, July 3 I 3 – 5 pm
Pick Up Artwork: Sunday, August 2 I 12 – 2 pm (Or by appointment)
Regular Gallery Hours: Thursday – Sunday I 12 – 5 pm
Related Events for this exhibit:
Connections: How Living Things Relate
In this exhibit we would like artists to explore the many aspects of connections among living things. It can be with humans, animals, plants or even microorganisms! Whether they’re emotional, physical, spiritual, intellectual, bond forming or habit forming – the good, the bad, the beautiful, or the ugly – anything goes when showing us your ideas about Connections!
ENTRY FEE: $45 members only
Entry fee covers both IN-GALLERY and ONLINE participation.
Entry to the exhibit requires a 3-step process: PLEASE READ CAREFULLY!
1. Pay Entry Fee (Sign in first)
All entrants, both those entering the ONLINE exhibit and the IN-GALLERY exhibit, and those only entering work in the IN-GALLERY exhibit, must pay the entry fee. If you are already a member, sign in first to activate your member price. Alternatively, become a member and pay your membership fee first by clicking here. We ask that participants register and pay the entry fee online in advance, which helps to streamline the take-in process. However, if you prefer to pay in cash, or are unable to pay online, you may pay and register in person on the take-in day.
2. Complete ONLINE Exhibit Entry Form
This entry form is intended for those entering digital images of their work for the ONLINE exhibit. You may submit up to 3 images for the ONLINE exhibit. You may bring in more work than that for the IN-GALLERY exhibit on the take-in day.
If you plan to only enter work in the IN-GALLERY exhibit, you may choose to skip the ONLINE entry form. However, if you would like your website linked to your name on the participants list on the exhibit page, then please use this form to enter that data.
We HIGHLY recommend that you submit your entry form before the day of the deadline so that if you encounter any problems with the entry process there is time for us to help you troubleshoot before the deadline passes. There will be no late entries accepted for the ONLINE exhibit.
OPTIONAL—Register early for your artwork to be featured in First Friday: Your artwork has a chance of being included in SCMAC’s First Friday Art Tour listing. First Friday encourage venues to submit up to 7 additional images to use in their marketing efforts. Your images must be under their size limit of 2MB each for this use.
3. Bring work to the gallery
On Sunday, June 21 you will bring in your work between 12 – 2 pm.
You will need to inventory all the work you bring in. Please download and fill out the inventory sheet in advance (see below) and bring this with you to save time on the take-in day. We will also have paper copies on hand for you to fill out during take-in.
Rules of Entry
GENERAL RULES OF ENTRY:
• Open to all artists 18 years and older.
• Submitted art must adhere to the theme. Acceptance of work is at the curators’ discretion, and subject to space available.
• We continue to present our exhibits online, and strongly encourage participants to submit work to the ONLINE exhibit in addition to the IN-GALLERY exhibit. We hope that artists will see this as a way to increase their visibility and reach more viewers.
• Please register and pay via our website. Those who lack access or ability to register online may fill out paperwork by hand in person on the take-in day. Paper entry forms will be available to pick up in the gallery by appointment with Johanna McCormick at mccdesign@gmail.com
ADDITIONAL RULES OF ENTRY FOR IN-GALLERY PRESENTATION:
• Entry fee for 2-D and 3-D themed work includes up to five pieces only. Does not apply to functional ceramics, jewelry or small crafts.
• All 2-D wall art must be framed and ready to hang with a secure wire on back.
• Unframed 3-D work to be hung on wall must include secure means of hanging and any special materials required.
• Functional pottery: please include tag to explain if food, microwave, and dishwasher safe.
• As your work sells, you may replenish your stock at no cost on Thursdays from 3 – 5 pm, or by arrangement.
• During the exhibit, each participating artist is required to volunteer for up to 3 shifts of docent time during our regular gallery hours.
Sign up when you deliver your artwork. Gallery hours are Thursday – Sundays, 12 – 5 pm.
• Please bring an 8.5″ x 11″ sheet with your artist’s statement and/or bio to be included in the Participating Artists binder. You may also bring up to 10 business cards or postcards to leave in the gallery office.
ADDITIONAL RULES OF ENTRY FOR ONLINE PRESENTATION:
• Up to 3 images may be submitted per entry.
• For jewelry, cards and other small artwork, you may submit one image with multiple pieces represented.
• Acceptable upload-ready file formats:
File Type: JPG only.
File Dimensions: 1,200 pixels or greater on the longest side.
File Size: No larger than 5 MB. We suggest that you limit your file size to 2 MB, as that is the max allowed to share images on First Friday’s website. We choose a few images from the online exhibit each month to promote our First Friday listing – it could be yours if the size is right!
Color Profile: RGB
Image files must be of high quality, in sharp focus and a true representation of the original art. Image of 2D art should include only the artwork, no frame. If your image file does not meet this criteria, you may be asked to remake the file. There are many online resources to help you take a high quality photograph of your artwork. HINT: Remove artwork from under any reflective surface (like glass) before photographing it.
SALES & PUBLICITY:
• Commission retention is 25% for members, 40% for non-members.
• Artwork purchased in gallery will be taken by purchaser at time of sale.
• Submission of your entry grants Santa Cruz Mountains Art Center permission to use your artwork or a reproduction of its likeness in promotional materials for this exhibition and future SCMAC promotions.
• The artist shall retain all copyrights of any image submitted to the Santa Cruz Mountains Art Center. All images on the site may not be reproduced or used in any manner without the permission of the Santa Cruz Mountains Art Center and the relevant artist.
Direct questions to Johanna McCormick, mccdesign@gmail.com