3rd Annual Artrageous Birds Juried Exhibition - Traditional Salon

Description

3rd Annual Artrageous Birds Juried Exhibition - Traditional Salon
An annual juried exhibition of original artwork, showcasing traditional, physical media alongside digital artwork in a traditional yet innovative in-gallery experience, together with online display. The Traditional Salon welcomes 2D and 3D visual art mediums such as painting, drawing, illustration, mixed media, sculpture, and photography which will be displayed in both a traditional, physical gallery exhibit, and in an online web exhibit. Accepted pieces must be physically delivered to the gallery and be ready to hang with wire hangers (2D), or fully assembled and ready for display (3D).

Thursday, March 5, 2026 – Sunday, March 29, 2026

Whitewater Arts Alliance
Cultural Arts Center Gallery
402 W. Main Street
Whitewater, WI53190

P R O S P E C T U S
Submissions Open: November 22, 2025Submissions Close: January 18, 2026, 11:59pmNotification to Artists: February 9, 2026Drop-Off Dates: Tuesday, March 3, 2026, 4pm to 6pm; Wednesday, March 4, 2026, 12pm - 2pmPick-Up Date: Monday, March 30, 2026 - 4pm - 6pmExhibition: March 5, 2026 - March 29, 2026.Reception and Awards: Saturday, March 7, 2026, 1pm - 4pm.Gallery Location:Cultural Arts Center Gallery: 402 West Main Street, Whitewater, WI
Event
3rd Annual Artrageous Birds Juried Exhibition
Theme
Birds! Original artwork depicting or inspired by birds.
Event Organizer
Whitewater Arts Alliance (WAA), PO Box 311, 402 W. Main Street, Whitewater, WI 53190, whitewaterarts.org/artrageous-birds-2026-call
Overview
An annual, themed, juried exhibition of original artwork, showcasing traditional, physical media alongside digital artwork in a traditional yet innovative in-gallery experience, together with online display of all accepted work.
Other than to fit the theme of the exhibition, the limitations on subject matter or technique pertain to originality of authorship, appropriateness for public display, and use of artificial intelligence. These are fully defined in the Terms & Conditions listed below.
The exhibition has two divisions, the Traditional Salon and the Digital Salon.
The Traditional Salon (Theme: Open) welcomes 2D and 3D visual art mediums such as painting, drawing, illustration, mixed media, sculpture, and photography which will be displayed in both a traditional, physical gallery exhibit, and in an online web exhibit. Accepted pieces must be physically delivered to the gallery and be ready to hang with wire hangers (2D), or fully assembled and ready for display (3D).
The Digital Salon (Themes: Open) welcomes 2D visual art mediums such as digital painting, digital drawing, digital illustration, digital mixed media, and photography which will be displayed electronically in-gallery and in an online web exhibit. Entries are submitted as digital files only and no physical delivery is required.
Contacts
Jeff McDonald, Exhibit Co-Chair - waa.franachen@gmail.comEmily Painter, Exhibit Co-Chair - wwartsalliance@gmail.comKim Adams, WAA Gallery Director - wwartsalliance@gmail.com

Key Dates
Exhibition: Thursday, March 5, 2026 – Sunday, March 29, 2026Submissions Open: November 15, 2025Submissions Close/Entry Deadline: Sunday, January 18, 2026Notification of Acceptance: Monday, February 9, 2026Drop-Off: Tuesday, March 3, 2026, 4pm–6pm; Wednesday, March 4, 2026, 12pm–2pmPick-Up: Monday, March 30, 2026, 4pm–6pm
Terms & Conditions
Eligibility
This is a juried acceptance exhibition.
The salons have similar but separate submissions. Artists are encouraged to enter work in both salons.
Artwork which has received awards (best of show, place winners, or honorable mentions) in previous Artrageous Birds Exhibitions are not eligible for re-entry in either salon.
Artwork may not be entered in both salons in the same year.
Artworks must be entirely the original work of the entrant. No copies or likenesses of another artist’s work including published source or reference work not attributable to the artist will be accepted. No kits, molds, or pre-stamped patterns will be accepted.
Artwork 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.
WAA will make all curatorial decisions and reserves the right to refrain from displaying, or to display separately, artwork 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.
Traditional Mediums
Traditional mediums are not generally affected by the following sections that pertain specifically to photography and digital artwork.
Photography and Digital Artwork
AI-generated artwork is not permitted. Artificial Intelligence (AI)-Generated artwork—artwork where the primary human input was a text prompt into an AI generation tool is not permitted.
AI-assisted artwork is not permitted. AI-Assisted artwork—artwork where a human artist uses AI tools to enhance, refine, or accelerate their creative process, but the core creative vision, substantial human input, and final artistic choices remain with the human. While we may consider creating a category for this type of artwork in the future, at this time, until concerns about originality, intellectual property, and copyright status are more clearly defined, AI-assisted artwork is not permitted.
Non-generative AI editing tools ARE permitted with limited scope: Use of non-generative AI features contained within a software application (e.g. masking, sharpening, de-noise, enlarging, etc.) are permitted. Also, use of AI removal. patching, healing, and cloning tools are permitted IF the tool uses ONLY the entrant’s original work as its only source. These tools are NOT permitted if they use the AI tool's external generative dataset. For example: in Adobe Photoshop, removing, replacing, or cloning an object with “Content-Aware Fill” IS permitted (because the software bases the replacement content on the photograph being edited) while removing, replacing, or cloning the same object with “Generative Fill” IS NOT permitted (because the software bases the replacement content on the work of other artists in an external dataset).
AI content produced in whole or part from a text prompt is not permitted. Software tools designed to detect AI-generated images may be used to help enforce these restrictions.
Entry Fees (Both Salons)
The two salons are separate, have separate entry fees, and separate calls in the ArtCall system.
In each salon, the entry fee is $50 ($46 for WAA Members), which includes up to 2 artworks. An entrant may optionally enter 1 additional artwork (up to a total of 3) for an additional fee of $25 ($23 for WAA Members). Students up to 25 years of age may qualify for discounted fees. Artwork must receive an acceptance to be included in the exhibit.
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.
Awards
The total monetary award pool for the overall exhibition is $1,000.
Awards for each Salon are listed in their respective sections. An entrant may not receive more than one cash award. An overall award will be presented which considers all accepted entries in both Salons.
Best of Show Certificate (includes $250 Cash Award)
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 area or if the jury panel chooses to not award them based on merit.
Decisions of the jury panel are final.
Digital Salon
All 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.
Theme: Birds! Original artwork depicting or inspired by birds.Mediums: Digital painting, digital drawing, digital illustration, digital mixed media, photography.Digital Salon Awards: 1st Place Certificate (includes $150 Cash Award), 2nd Place Certificate (includes $125 Cash Award), 3rd Place Certificate (includes $100 Cash Award), Public’s Choice Certificate, Honorable Mention Certificates
Traditional Salon
All accepted artwork 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.
Theme: Birds! Original artwork depicting or inspired by birds.Mediums: 2D/3D mediums of painting, drawing, illustration, mixed media, sculpture, and photography.Traditional Salon Awards: 1st Place Certificate (includes $150 Cash Award), 2nd Place Certificate (includes $125 Cash Award), 3rd Place Certificate (includes $100 Cash Award), Viewer’s Choice Certificate, Honorable Mention Certificates
Entry Information (Traditional Salon)
The minimum image size is 8” x 10” (80 square inches).
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).
The presentation must have a finished appearance worthy of gallery display. Wire hangers are required.
Entries submitted without wire hangers, or which are otherwise unsuitable for hanging, will not be displayed. Exceptions to this policy must be approved in advance by the Exhibition Chair.
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 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 be disposed of at WAA’s discretion.
Entry Process (All Salons)
Digital images must be uploaded to complete a submission. These digital images will be used by the jurors to make their decisions. For the Traditional Salon, final award decisions will only be made once the physical artwork has 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. 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.
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 images for WAA documentary, promotional, and educational purposes, to display the images on a WAA website, to include them in a free, downloadable PDF exhibition catalog (if produced), 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. 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.
“Celebrating the Arts and Creating Community!”

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