Umpqua Valley Arts Association (UVA) is proud to present an open Call for Artists to submit their work to our 2023 Artworks Northwest Biennial exhibit. The Artworks Northwest Biennial is a curated invitational for artists who reside in the Pacific Northwest and a critical show of the discourse, dialogue, and practices happening with contemporary artists in the region. It is open to all media except video, and creative approaches are welcome. 

Artworks for this exhibition are chosen by a curator who resides/works in the Pacific Northwest whom UVA invites to lend their eye and their voice in the broader Pacific Northwest art scene to the exhibition.

Our long list of esteemed curators include: Grace Kook-Anderson, Steven Hayes, Marie Watt, Andries Fourie and Scott Malbaurn. 

UVA is proud and honored to have Portland based artist Arvie Smith as our guest curator for the 2023 Artworks Northwest Biennial.

Curator Arvie Smith
Arvie Smith is a painter, educator, and visual storyteller with a long history of exhibiting in the Pacific Northwest. Awards for his paintings include the 2017 Oregon Governor's Award for the Arts, the 2018 Joan Mitchell Award, and the 2022 Hallie Ford Fellowship in the Visual Arts. He has exhibited his work nationally and internationally and his work can be found in public collections across the country.

Arvie Smith earned his BFA from the Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA) in 1986 and in 1992 he earned his MFA from The Hoffberger School of Painting, Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA). Smith then returned to Portland in 1994 to teach at PNCA, where he retired as Professor Emeritus and received an honorary doctorate in fine art. 

Cash Awards:

1st Place: $500
2nd Place: $250
3rd Place: $150
J. Lynn Peterson Award: $100
Exhibition Calendar:

Submission Deadline: April 14th
IMPORTANT NOTE: Entries close at 11:59PM Mountain Time, or 10:59PM Pacific Time.
Artist Notified: May 5th
Art Delivery to UVA:  June 5th, 9am-5pm
Opening Reception: Friday, June 9th, 4pm-7pm
Exhibit Ends: August 18th
Artwork Pick Up: August 21st, 9am-5pm
Artwork Shipped: No later than September 1st

Learn more HERE