CALLING ALL ARTISTS IN BURKE COUNTY!

The Burke Arts Council Open Art Show 2026
Celebrating Creativity in Every Form - All mediums, All styles, All perspectives.

The Burke Arts Council invites artists living or working in Burke County to submit their
artwork for our 2026 summer exhibition, Summer in Burke County.  

Our First Open Art Show in our new home welcomes a wide range of artistic expression — including painting, drawing, sculpture, ceramics, glass, photography, printmaking, jewelry, fiber, basketry, mixed media, and digital work. Artists are encouraged to submit pieces that best represent their current creative practice.  Show us your boldest, brightest, most imaginative work!

Awards:  A total of $2,000 in prizes will be awarded - First, Second, and Third Place, Honorable Mentions, and People’s Choice Award. Our Juror of Awards is Courtney Long, MFA, NBCT, Instructor of Fine Arts, North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics.  

Guidelines:

  • Open to artists 18 and older living or working in Burke County.

  • Up to two (2) entries per artist. 

  • Entry Fee:  A non-refundable fee of $20 fee for BAC member artists; $30 fee for non-members for two (2) entries.  

  • For information on how to become a member, click here.  Artist membership is just $25 annually

  • All original media accepted including painting, drawing, sculpture, ceramics, glass, photography, printmaking, jewelry, fiber, basketry, mixed media, and digital work.

  • Work must be original, created within the past two years, and not previously exhibited at the Burke Arts Council.

  • Artwork must be for sale.

  • Sales will be split 70/30 – with artists getting 70% of the gross sale.  Payments for sold artwork will be made at the close of the exhibition.

  • Two-dimensional work must be exhibition‑ready with wire for hanging (no sawtooth hangers or clips will be accepted) 

  • Please include a simple artist statement specifically about the work you are submitting. This can be 1-3 sentences or a short paragraph (max of 50 words).

  • Submitted work may be used by BAC for marketing purposes.

  • Liability:  Burke Arts Council does not assume responsibility for insuring the works of art.
    All artwork will be handled with care while in our possession.

Important Deadlines, Dates, and Times:

  • Exhibition Dates — July 23 through September 6, 2026

    • Burke Arts Council, 506 S. Sterling Street, Morganton

  • Entry Submission Window — June 5– July 3, 2026

  • Artwork Delivery — July 11, 14, 15, and 16

    • Drop‑off hours: 11 AM–3 PM

  • Opening Reception — Thursday, July 23 at 5:30 PM

  • Awards Ceremony — Thursday, July 23 at 6:30 PM

  • People’s Choice Voting Deadline — August 29.

  • Pickup of Unsold Artwork — September 8 - 10.

How to Enter and Contact Information:

  • Submit this Google Form stating your intention to participate.

  • Once you submit this form indicating your intention to participate, you’ll receive (1) a confirmation, (2) a pdf entry form w/ instructions, (3) and a link for your payment.

  • Deliver your artwork during art delivery dates listed above. 

  • For membership information, entry forms, and questions, contact the Burke Arts Council or visit our website.

We look forward to seeing your work and celebrating the creativity of the many artists in Burke County!


Juror of Awards:  Courtney Long received her BFA from West Virginia University in 1999. On two separate study abroad trips in 1998 and 2000; she studied traditional stoneware and porcelain techniques across China. She received a MFA from Syracuse University in 2004 and interned at the Everson Museum of Art, co-coordinating “100 years of American Ceramics”, exhibited at the Paine Webber Gallery, New York, NY. She has continued educational experiences from Penland School of Crafts, Penland, North Carolina, Santa Fe Clay, Santa Fe, New Mexico, Anderson Ranch in Trelawney, Jamaica, and Art School of the Aegean, Samos, Greece, and Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Courtney is a founding faculty member of the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics- Morganton and a National Board Certified Teacher. She teaches drawing, painting, ceramics, sculpture, and special topics such as jewelry. Courtney is the recipient of several grants and awards including a North Carolina Blue Ridge Heritage Grant, NC State University’s Institute GlaxoSmithKline Faculty Fellowship and North Carolina Classroom Innovation Award. Courtney lives and pots in the Burke County countryside. She enjoys watching her pets and wildlife on the farm turning them into personal icons symbolizing moments or moods in her life.  

The mission of the Burke Arts Council is to enrich the quality of life in Burke County through cultural and artistic activities.  We seek to coordinate arts activities in the community, serve as an informational and resource center for the arts and to promote local artists and arts organizations.