Visual Arts

2025 PROSPECTUS MISSION STATEMENT: Arts Alive in Agriculture Juried Exhibition
 
The Arts Alive in Agriculture Juried Art Show is an annual juried art show that honors the agricultural roots, resources, and traditions of the ethnically-diverse communities in the Central Valley, a large expanse of rich farm land throughout California’s San Joaquin Valley that produces the fruits and crops needed to feed the world. The Fresno Arts Council seeks to highlight the Central Valley’s agricultural industry by showing original works of art created by Central Valley-based artists. Categories include:
Agricultural Landscapes
People & Agriculture
Machines & Technology in Agriculture
Documentary Photography
Manipulated Photography
Sculpture, Assemblage & Found Objects

**Note: Documentary and Manipulated Photography may only be entered into those categories; Sculpture, Assemblage, and Found Objects may only be entered into that category. DO NOT enter photos or sculptures into Agricultural Landscapes, People and Agriculture, or Machines and Technology Categories.

2025 PROGRAM SCHEDULE
November 7 – Call for Entries opens
February 3 – Call for Entries closes
March 7 – Sponsorships Due
April 17 – Public Reception & Awards
 
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES: fresnoartscouncil.submittable.com 

DISCIPLINES: At this time, we are seeking only original artworks within the visual artsdisciplines (painting, illustration, drawing, documentary photography, manipulated photography) and three-dimensional visual arts disciplines (sculpture, pottery, assemblage, found objects, metalwork) only. Original artworks from other disciplines such as literature and performances such as music and drama will not be considered.
 
RULES OF ENTRY:
Applicant must be the sole creator of the original artwork(s) submitted. Artist collaborations are ineligible.
Applicant must be at least 18 years of age on or before December 1, 2024.
Applicant must reside within any of the 19 counties, a.k.a. the Central Valley region, in California.
Submit a brief and concise narrative for each entry (Artist Narrative in Submittable), detailing up to three (3) works of art submitted for the 2024 Arts Alive in Agriculture Juried Art Show. Include the following information via Submittable Application: daytime contact (full name, mailing address, telephone numbers, e-mail), artist or personal website URL (if available), and full description of each artwork (media, style, dimensions, weight, purchase price, and general subject matter).

Artworks submitted for the 2025 Arts Alive in Agriculture Juried Art Show must have been completed between the 2024-2025 calendar years, and must be original works of art. Copies and/or replications of original artworks will not be accepted. No in-progress works will be accepted. No in-progress works will be accepted; pieces must be complete upon submission.
Applicant is responsible for transporting all original artworks to the Barn at the San Joaquin River Parkway and Conservation Trust located at 11605 Old Friant Rd, Fresno, CA 93730. All original artworks must be received by the Fresno Arts Council at the Barn on Wednesday, April 16th between 8am and 12:00pm (noon) for cataloguing and installation. Should events occur where a physical installation is not possible and a virtual gallery must be instead created, details will be discussed with artist at least 14 days prior to event start date. If the applicant is unable to deliver the art to the Barn on April 16th, they must make prior arrangements with The Fresno Arts Council.  Artists are responsible for removing their art from The Barn either Thursday, April 17th following the exhibition or Friday, April 19th between 8:00am and 10:00am. The Fresno Arts Council is not responsible for storing sculptures, assemblage & found object installations after the closing date and time of the 2025 Arts Alive in Agriculture Juried Art Show.

Applicants may submit up to the three (3) original artworks per submitted entry form through Submittable.
The entry fees are due at the time of submitted application and are as follows: One artwork submitted: $30.00; Two artworks submitted: $40.00; Three artworks submitted: $50.00

Applicants may submit as many individual applications as desired; all fees apply.
Applicants must upload digital images of each original artwork submitted in each application: Images must capture the entire original artwork. No cropped images accepted. Images must be in PNG or .jpg format, and no wider than 1280 pixels. Images must be reasonably crisp, or at least 72 dpi resolution. Images must not be larger than 2MB each. If image files must be compressed, please select medium compression quality. EACH IMAGE FILE must be labeled using this format: last name_first name_title of artwork submitted, e.g. Smith_Rachel_Tractors After The Rain
Regarding Framed Artwork: each original artwork must be fully-dried, framed, securely-wired, and ready-to-hang. Acrylic is preferred over glass, for safety purposes. Canvases and cradled panels will be accepted as long as they are appropriately prepared for hanging.
MAXIMUM weight limit for each original artwork is fifty (50) pounds.
MAXIMUM dimensions for each original artwork are forty-eight (48) inches tall, and no wider than thirty-six (36) inches across. **NO EXCEPTIONS**
Regarding Three-Dimensional Works of Art: The Fresno Arts Council is not responsible for the storage, transport, and/or shipping and handling of three-dimensional artworks to the applicant following the close of the event, i.e. 2025 Arts Alive in Agriculture.
All submitted original artworks must be available for purchase. Please indicate purchase price in your submission.
Entrants selected for the 2025 Arts Alive in Agriculture Juried Art Show will be notified by submittable, e-mail and/or phone from a representative from the Fresno Arts Council by the end of the first week in March 2025. Please do not call or e-mail the Fresno Arts Council regarding the status of your entry prior to this time window.
A PANEL OF JURORS WILL BE ANNOUNCED FEBRUARY 2025: The 2025 Arts Alive in Agriculture Juried Art Show panel of judges will be composed of qualified artists and arts patrons from the agriculture & arts communities. Winning entries selected by the judges are final. **No entry fees will be refunded.**