2026 Aspiring Artist Show
Important Dates
- ONE DAY ONLY in-person drop off of ready-to-hang artwork: Sacramento Fine Arts Center, 5330 Gibbons Dr, Carmichael, CA 95608 on Saturday, May 23rd, 2026 12 – 4 pm or until forty artworks have been received
- Showrun: June 2nd, 2026 – June 27th, 2026
- Reception/Award Ceremony: June 13th, 2026 5 – 7 pm
- Pick up artwork: June 27th, 2026
The Aspiring Artist Show is dedicated to artists whose work has never been shown in a professional gallery’s juried exhibition. This year, the show will be juried by one of NCA’s Master Artists, Skip Lee. This is a great opportunity to participate for first time artists looking to show in gallery spaces at no cost! Participating artists will experience the process of submitting artworks, preparing artworks for hanging, and getting to celebrate their work during the closing reception and award ceremony!
Guidelines of submitting work
Open to high school students and adults. First forty artworks accepted. All 2D artwork must be ready to hang with a wire backing. Artworks must not exceed 35lbs. The max longest sized for artworks is 45 inches for framed work. Artwork must be made within the last three years.
Artwork being submitted to this show must be original work, it may not be a copy of published work, class or workshop work, work produced by commerical printing process, or created with Artifical Intelligence at any extent.
Show Chair Bio
The Aspiring Artist show has been revived by newly joined NCA Board Member (2025), Vianne De Santiago as Aspiring Artist Debut Chair. Vianne originally joined NCA as an Art Historian Intern during her undergrad at California State University, Sacramento. After completeing her initial project in documenting interviews of their members, she wanted to continue partnering with them as she loved the spirit of NCA and the people who make the organization.