17th Annual Fran Achen Juried Photography Exhibition - Traditional Salon (Prints)

Description

17th Annual Fran Achen Juried Photography Exhibition
Thursday, June 4, 2026 – Sunday, June 28, 2026

Whitewater Arts Alliance Cultural Arts Center Gallery,

Downtown Whitewater, WI

Traditional Salon (Prints)
P R O S P E C T U S

Exhibition: Thursday, June 4, 2026 – Sunday, June 28, 2026Submissions Open: January 17, 2026Submissions Close/Entry Deadline: Sunday, April 19, 2026Notification of Acceptance: Monday, May 4, 2026Drop-Off: Tuesday, June 2, 2026, 4pm–6pm; Wednesday, June 3, 2026, 12pm–2pmPick-Up: Sunday, June 28, 2026, 4pm-6pm; Monday, June 29, 2026, 4pm–6pm

NOTE: This call is for the TRADITIONAL SALON (Prints) - the Digital Salon's call is at https://waa-2026-achen-digital...
Event17th Annual Fran Achen Juried Photography ExhibitionEvent OrganizerWhitewater Arts Alliance (WAA), PO Box 311, 402 W. Main Street, Whitewater, WI 53190, whitewaterarts.org/fran-achen-2026-callKey DatesExhibition: Thursday, June 4, 2026 – Sunday, June 28, 2026Submissions Open: January 17, 2026Submissions Close/Entry Deadline: Sunday, April 19, 2026Notification of Acceptance: Monday, May 4, 2026Drop-Off: Tuesday, June 2, 2026, 4pm–6pm; Wednesday, June 3, 2026, 12pm–2pmPick-Up: Sunday, June 28, 2026, 4pm-6pm; Monday, June 29, 2026, 4pm–6pmOverviewA juried exhibition of original photography, showcasing photographic prints and projected photographs in a traditional yet innovative in-gallery experience, together with online display of all accepted work. The exhibition commemorates Fran Achen and his positive impact on the Whitewater community as both photographer and high school teacher.The exhibition has two divisions, the Traditional Salon and the Digital Salon. I. The Traditional SalonThe Traditional Salon is dedicated to the enduring impact of the physical photographic print.
Experience: Accepted works will be displayed in a traditional gallery exhibit and a concurrent online exhibit.
Media: We welcome images rendered on paper, canvas, metal, or other permanent media.
Requirement: Open to artists in the contiguous United States. Artists are responsible for delivery/shipping of wire-hung, framed work.
Philosophy: This salon celebrates the artist’s ability to guide an image from initial visualization to a final, authored object. Success in this division is measured by how effectively the choice of scale, substrate, and presentation aligns with the artist’s original creative intent.
II. The Digital SalonThe Digital Salon is an electronic showcase of screen-based fine art.
Experience: Accepted work will be exhibited electronically in-gallery via high-definition display and featured in a global online exhibit.
Requirement: Open to artists worldwide. This is a digital-only submission process; no physical delivery of work is required.
Philosophy: This salon welcomes works that evoke awe, mystery, or resonance beyond a literal record of the subject. Through a dual-merit lens, the Digital Salon recognizes both photographic language and artistic message.
Other than to fit a particular salon and theme, the only limitations on subject matter or techniques used for image capture or post processing pertain to originality of authorship, appropriateness for public display, and use of artificial intelligence. These are fully defined in the Terms & Conditions listed below.A free, downloadable, commemorative PDF catalog of the entire exhibit will be produced. If a printed version is also produced, all entrants are entitled to a free copy which they may pick one at the gallery or have mailed to them for the cost of postage. JurorsAshley M. Dimmig, PhD, is the Crossman Gallery Director at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. In addition to overseeing all operations of the Crossman Gallery and its permanent art collection, she also teaches art history in the Department of Art and Design. After completing her PhD in the History of Art at the University of Michigan (2019), she worked as the interim curator of Islamic Art at the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore. Additionally, Dimmig has served on a number of professional boards, she has published in various scholarly journals and edited volumes, and she has been the recipient of many awards and fellowships, including residencies at the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC, and the Research Center for Anatolian Civilizations in Istanbul. Dimmig also holds two Master of Art degrees (Indiana University Bloomington and Koç University in Istanbul), as well as a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Kansas City Art Institute.Gerald H. Emmerich, Jr., HonPSA, GMPSA-P, has served as a judge for well over 150 international photo exhibitions and for many local camera clubs, county fairs, and non-profit groups. He joined the Photographic Society of America (PSA) in 1979 where he has received many awards, including the Peabody Award for photographic proficiency in 2003, the Erik Kissa Award for Teaching in 2016, and the Sophia Cheung Volunteer of the Year Award in 2020. He received the prestigious PSA President’s Award in 2012, the PSA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017, and Honorary Fellow (HonFPSA) honors in 2018. Gerry is also well-known for his achievements in international photography exhibitions, with over 15,400 acceptances in PSA-recognized exhibitions, including 70 gold medal or best of show awards. He was awarded the PSA Grand Master-Platinum distinction in 2023.Michael J. Havice, PhD, retired as a tenured faculty member in the Department of Broadcast and Electronic Communication at Marquette University, Michael has a BS degree in Secondary Education, a BA in Radio/Television, an MA in Telecommunication, and a Doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction. Since retiring, he has cultivated his artistic photographic approach to the image, served on Art Boards, the Coalition of Photographic Arts (CoPA), Milwaukee Artists Resource Network (MARN) and Edessa School of Fashion (ESF). His work is exhibited at juried photography/art exhibitions across the United States.ContactsJeff McDonald, Exhibit Chair - waa.franachen@gmail.comKim Adams, WAA Gallery Director - wwartsalliance@gmail.comTerms & ConditionsEligibilityThis is a juried acceptance exhibition. The salons have similar but separate submissions. Artists are encouraged to enter work in both salons. WAA will make all curatorial decisions and reserves the right to refrain from displaying, or to display separately, images it deems inappropriate for its websites or public gallery spaces. WAA reserves the right to remove any work of art from public exhibition at any time for any reason.There are no restrictions, other than those listed below, on camera, physical darkroom, or computer/digital darkroom techniques.Photographs which have received awards in this exhibition are not eligible. Best of show, place winners, or honorable mentions from previous Fran Achen Photography Exhibitions are not eligible for entry in either salon.Individual photographs may not be entered in both salons the same year.Photographs must be appropriate for viewers of all ages. Artwork that is overtly sexual, racist, violent, libelous, slanderous, demoralizing, or discriminatory in nature will not be accepted. The image must originate as a photograph, that is, an image created by light falling on a photosensitive surface (photographic film or an electronic image sensor). An artificial intelligence (AI) generated image is not deemed to be a photographic image because it was created from scratch by the AI system and contains no image captured by the photographer.The work must be entirely the original work of the entrant. Images may not incorporate elements produced by anyone but the entrant. For example, stock agency images, artwork created by others, replacement skies included with image editing software, and computer-generated AI images are not allowed as the image itself or as any part of the final image or composited image. Note: sky replacements are permitted if the replacement sky is the work of the entrant, as described elsewhere in this document. Artificial Intelligence (AI) PolicyGenerative AI is Prohibited Images created entirely or substantially through "text-to-image" generative AI prompts (e.g., Midjourney, DALL-E, Nano Banana) are not permitted. The core of our mission is to showcase the original creative vision and authorship of human photographic artists.The "Original Content" Rule All pixels within a submission must originate from the artist's own photographs. Using AI to "generate" elements that were not present in the original scene (e.g., "Generative Fill" to add a mountain or a person that wasn't there) is prohibited.AI-Powered Tools: Permitted vs. Prohibited We recognize that modern fine-art workflows involve sophisticated software. Use of AI features is governed by the source of the data:Permitted (Non-Generative): Technical corrections including noise reduction (e.g., Topaz/Denoise), sharpening, lens corrections, and upscaling/enlarging of your own original files.Permitted (Internal Source): Masking, selections, and the use of AI removal, patching, healing, or cloning tools (e.g., Adobe "Content-Aware Fill") are permitted ONLY
if the tool uses the entrant’s original work as its sole source.Prohibited (External Source): Any tool that replaces or adds content based on an external generative dataset (e.g., Adobe "Generative Fill") is not allowed.Transparency & Enforcement WAA is committed to the integrity of the photographic medium. To ensure a fair exhibition:Software tools designed to detect AI-generated content may be used to help enforce these restrictions.The Show Chair reserves the right to request and examine original out-of-camera (RAW) files or unedited metadata prior to naming award winners.Failure to provide proof of photographic origin when requested will result in disqualification.AwardsThe total monetary award pool for the overall exhibition is $1,300.The awards for each salon are listed in the respective section below.An overall award will be presented which considers all accepted entries in both Salons. The Best of Show award will be determined by the jury panel after evaluating the top-tier work from both the physical gallery and the digital showcase.Best of Show Certificate (includes $250 Cash Award)The Best of Show award is the highest honor of the exhibition and is selected from the top-tier work of both Salons. To ensure the broadest recognition of our artist community, the recipient of the Best of Show award will not also hold a placement in their respective Salon. Should a Salon's first-place candidate be elevated to Best of Show, the subsequent rankings for that Salon will "cascade" upward (e.g., the second-place image becomes first-place, third-place becomes second, etc.), and a new third-place image will be designated by the jury.The number of honorable mention awards presented will be decided by the jury panel based on merit and the number of entries submitted. Some awards may not be presented if there are too few entrants in a Salon/Theme area or if the jury panel chooses to not award them based on merit. Decisions of the jury panel are final.Traditional SalonPhotographic prints of all accepted work will be displayed in a traditional gallery exhibit, as well as online. Accepted work in this salon must be physically delivered to the gallery to be exhibited.Traditional Salon ThemesOpen/General Subject.Traditional Salon AwardsPhotographic Merit Awards1st, 2nd, and 3rd
Place Salon Awards ($150, $125, $100) + CertificatesHonorable Mentions: Non-cash certificates for technical mastery.Artistic Merit Awards The Fran Achen Distinction for Expressive Mastery: $75 + Certificate. The Sublime Perspective Distinction for Enduring Vision: $75 + Certificate.Special Recognitions for Artistic Merit:
Non-cash certificates for visionary work.General Public VotingPublic’s Choice: Non-cash certificate awarded to the top vote-getting image from public voting.Note: Entrants are eligible for only one monetary award per salon. If an artist has multiple images qualifying for cash prizes, the highest-value award will be granted, and other qualifying images will receive non-monetary recognition (Honorable Mention or Special Recognition). The non-monetary Public’s Choice award is excluded from this restriction and may be awarded to any artist regardless of other placements.Digital SalonAll accepted work will be exhibited electronically in-gallery as well as online. Accepted work in this salon does not need to be physically delivered to the gallery. Digital Salon Themes
The Built Environment: This category explores the aesthetic and narrative qualities of man-made structures. From the soaring lines of modern architecture and the geometry of cityscapes to the weathered textures of historic ruins, these works examine the relationship between human design and our surroundings.
The Natural World: This category focuses on the unbuilt environment, celebrating landscapes, flora, and fauna. We seek renderings that go beyond the calendar snapshot to explore the rhythm, light, and organic complexity of the wild or cultivated world.
Human Interest: In this category, the focus is on the human condition. These images may capture a candid moment of connection, a formal portrait, or a social narrative. The emphasis here is on the resonance of the human presence and the story told through gesture, expression, or environment.
Creative / Abstract: This category is reserved for works where the artist’s vision departs from literal representation. It celebrates experimental techniques, conceptual manipulation, and the use of form, color, and texture as the primary subject. This is the home for work where the artist has intentionally transformed reality into a unique aesthetic statement.
Open/General Subject: This category recognizes images of exceptional merit that do not fit the specific constraints of the other classifications. Eclectic subjects, macro-photography, still life, multi-faceted narratives, and many others are welcome here.A Note on Category Selection: If you feel your work could fit into multiple categories, choose the one that represents the primary intent
you wish the juror to evaluate. For example, a person sitting in a modern building could be "The Built Environment" if the architecture is the focus, or "Human Interest" if the person's story is the priority.Digital Salon Awards: Photographic Merit Awards1st, 2nd, and 3rd
Place Salon Awards ($150, $125, $100) + CertificatesHonorable Mentions: Non-cash certificates for technical mastery.Artistic Merit Awards The Fran Achen Distinction for Evocative Imagery: $75 + Certificate. The Sublime Perspective Distinction for Resonance: $75 + Certificate.Special Recognitions for Artistic Merit:
Non-cash certificates for visionary work.General Public VotingPublic’s Choice: Non-cash certificate awarded to the top vote-getting image from public voting.Category Excellence Awards (Subject Matter)Best in Category (One per Theme): Non-cash certificate for the top image in each of the five categories.Note: Entrants are eligible for only one monetary award per salon. If an artist has multiple images qualifying for cash prizes, the highest-value award will be granted, and other qualifying images will receive non-monetary recognition (Honorable Mention or Special Recognition). The non-monetary Public’s Choice award is excluded from this restriction and may be awarded to any artist regardless of other placements.Images in themes receiving fewer than 10 accepted images will be re-themed by the jury panel to the nearest theme or to the Open/General Subject theme. The jury panel may change the designated theme of any image if they feel the image to be better suited to a different theme.Entry FeesThe two salons are separate, have separate entry fees, and separate calls in the ArtCall system.Entry Fees: Traditional SalonThe entry fee in the Traditional Salon is $48 ($44 for current WAA Members), which includes up to 4 photographs. An entrant may optionally enter 2 additional photographs (up to a total of 6) for an additional fee of $12/each ($11/each for WAA Members). Students up to 25 years of age are eligible for discounted fees. Photographs must receive an acceptance to be included in the exhibit. The member and student rates are offered in ArtCall when submission credits are purchased. Entries submitted at the Member or Student rate are subject to verification; work may be disqualified from the jurying process if eligibility cannot be confirmed prior to the submission deadline. No refunds will be given for missed discounts. Students should email a photo of their current student ID to waa.franachen@gmail.com immediately after submission.Entry fees are non-refundable, regardless of whether work is accepted. WAA Member discount will be applied through a coupon code on the submission site and no adjustments will be made for missed discounts. If for any reason the exhibition cannot take place, all entry fees will be refunded. If one of the salons cannot take place, the entry fees in that salon only will be refunded.Entry Fees: Digital SalonThe entry fee in the Digital Salon is $30 ($27 for WAA Members), which includes up to 6 photographs. An entrant may optionally enter up to 10 additional photographs (up to a total of 16) for an additional fee of $5/each ($4.50/each for WAA members). Students up to 25 years of age are eligible for discounted fees. The member and student rates are offered in ArtCall when submission credits are purchased. Entries submitted at the Member or Student rate are subject to verification; work may be disqualified from the jurying process if eligibility cannot be confirmed prior to the submission deadline. No refunds will be given for missed discounts. Students should email a photo of their current student ID to waa.franachen@gmail.com immediately after submission.The entered photographs may be divided between the available themes in whatever way the entrant wishes. Photographs must receive an acceptance to be included in the exhibit. The base entry fee covers up to 8 images total, which may be distributed across any combination of the five themes (e.g., all 8 in one theme, or spread across several).Entry fees are non-refundable, regardless of whether work is accepted. WAA Member discount will be applied through a coupon code on the submission site and no adjustments will be made for missed discounts. If for any reason the exhibition cannot take place, all entry fees will be refunded. If one of the salons cannot take place, the entry fees in that salon only will be refunded.Entry InformationEntry Information (Traditional Salon)The minimum image size is 8” x 10” (80 square inches), not including mat and frame. The maximum overall size of work: 36” in either direction (width or height), including frame (this is due to the size of the display panels used in the gallery).Photos may be printed on paper and framed under glass or acrylic. Metal prints and gallery-wrapped canvas prints are also acceptable. Other methods of display are also permitted, and we highly encourage creativity. However, the presentation must have a finished appearance worthy of gallery display. Wire hangers are required. Saw-tooth hangers, clip frames, or "command strip" style attachments are strictly prohibited as they are incompatible with the gallery’s hanging system. Exceptions to this policy must be approved in advance by the Exhibition Chair.Prints for the gallery display may be signed, or not, as the artist sees fit. However, the digital files uploaded to ArtCall for the jurying process must be free of signatures or watermarks to ensure an anonymous and unbiased evaluation.Entries submitted without wire hangers, or which are otherwise unsuitable for hanging, will not be displayed.Artwork physically displayed in the gallery space must remain there for the duration of the show. No replacements or substitutions will be permitted. Artwork may not be picked up prior to the closing of the exhibition.Artwork must be labeled with the artist’s name, the artwork title, the year created, whether the artwork is for sale, and the selling price. Refer to Delivery of Artwork and Pick-Up of Artwork (below) for further information.Commission on Sales (Traditional Salon)Work may or may not be for sale to be eligible for the gallery exhibition. WAA will make every effort to encourage the sale of work available for purchase. In the event of a sale, the WAA Commission Policy for sales applies for work displayed in its gallery. The WAA retains 30% of sale from WAA members and 40% of sale from non-members. WAA collects and submits sales taxes. Payments to artists are made within 30 days following the close of the exhibit.Delivery of Artwork (Traditional Salon)Detailed delivery instructions will be provided to artists with accepted work. The work is to be delivered to the gallery during the dates/times listed above or by arrangement. The work will be displayed in WAA’s Cultural Arts Center (CAC) Gallery in downtown Whitewater.Accepted artists are welcome to ship work via UPS, FedEx, SpeeDee, or USPS, provided that prior arrangements have been made with the Exhibit Chair and that the work arrives prior to the artwork drop off dates/times listed above. DO NOT ship artwork to the gallery address because staff will not be on-site to receive it – shipping address and instructions will be provided by the Exhibit Chair. Shipments should be labeled “Attn: WAA Photography Exhibition” and shipped to the address that will be provided by the Exhibit Chair. Shipments of artwork are at the artist’s expense and must include a prepaid return shipping label. WAA is not responsible for generating or paying for return shipping. If a valid, prepaid return label is not included in the original shipment, the artist must make alternative arrangements for physical pick-up by the dates listed in the prospectus. WAA will not be held responsible for shipping-related damage or loss. A Gallery Agreement may need to be signed upon delivery of artwork or mailed with artwork if being shipped.Pick-Up of Artwork (Traditional Salon)Unsold works in the gallery exhibit are to be picked up at the same location to which they were delivered during the dates/times listed above or by arrangement.Artists unable to pick up their own work should provide written permission for the person picking up the work on their behalf. Artwork will not be released without a copy of the delivery receipt with the artist’s signature, or a note of authorization signed by the artist. Email correspondence from the artist to Exhibit Chair may serve as notification.Artwork not picked up on the specified dates or at a pre-arranged alternate date will be considered abandoned and will become the property of WAA after 30 days. Entry Process (All Salons)Digital photographs must be uploaded to complete a submission. These digital photographs will be used by the jurors to make their decisions. For the Traditional Salon, final award decisions will only be made once the prints have been delivered to the gallery. For the Digital Salon, all decisions will be made based on the submitted images.Uploaded image files must be in JPEG format, with at least 1920 pixels on the longer side and a maximum file size of 5 MB. Uploaded images may not include signatures or watermarks. Files should be saved in the sRGB color space to ensure the most accurate color representation on jurors' monitors. Submissions with incorrectly formatted images may be rejected. Submissions will be made through ArtCall. Follow the link from the WAA website to ArtCall to begin the submission process. New users will be required to create an ArtCall profile with user login and password. Existing ArtCall users need only login and follow the process for a new submission.The preferred method of payment is through a credit card on the ArtCall site (using Stripe). Checks will be accepted if you enter the Coupon/Promo Code "PayOffline" which will allow you to make your entry without entering payment. After you make the submission, mail your check to: Whitewater Arts Alliance, 402 W. Main Street, Whitewater, WI 53190. You may also make payment in-person at the WAA Cultural Arts Center Gallery at 402 W. Main Street, Whitewater, WI during gallery open hours. If payment is not received within 7 days of entry, the submissions will not be included in the jurying process. Submissions using the "PayOffline" code will remain in "Pending" status and will not be released to the jurors until the check has been received and cleared by the WAA Treasurer.Acceptances will be issued by email by the date listed above. All official correspondence for the exhibition will be conducted via email.Staff will do its best to notify those with incorrectly submitted entries, but it is the responsibility of the artist to submit correctly and on time. ArtCall allows entrants to make changes to their submissions, but no changes may be made after the submission deadline.Consent & Release (All Salons)Artist maintains full copyright to their work. Artist grants the Whitewater Arts Alliance (WAA) permission to use the submitted photographs for WAA documentary, promotional, and educational purposes, to display the photographs on a WAA website, to include them in a permanent, downloadable PDF exhibition catalog, and to include them in a printed exhibition catalog (if produced). WAA reserves the right to photograph and create videos of artwork in the exhibition and utilize it for documentary, marketing, and educational purposes.I understand that entry fees are non-refundable (except in the case of salon or exhibition cancellation), regardless of whether my work is accepted.I understand that, while all reasonable and possible care will be taken, Whitewater Arts Alliance does not assume responsibility for physical damage to or loss of my work. I understand that artwork displayed in WAA's Cultural Art Center is exhibited at my own risk. I further understand that the WAA recommends that each artist arrange for insurance coverage on artist’s own work at artist’s own expense. I understand that work left 30 days past the pickup deadline becomes property of WAA.By submitting an entry to the Whitewater Arts Alliance (WAA), I certify that the completed work is entirely my own and that no part of my entry infringes on the copyright of another person, and that I have obtained all necessary model releases for any recognizable persons depicted in my work. Further, I have read and agree to all the terms, conditions, and rules of the exhibition, which are listed above.
Whitewater Arts Alliance, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, charitable organization based in Whitewater, Wisconsin. For more information, please visit whitewaterarts.org

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