Call for Artists: Fountain City Arts Center Regional Juried Exhibition

Located in Knoxville, TN, The Fountain City Art Center is a vibrant creative hub that brings

together visual and musical arts under one roof. It hosts a wide range of art classes and

exhibitions through the Fountain City Art Center, while also offering music lessons and classes

provided by LeGrand Music Studios and FlintMeryl Music. Knoxville Classical Guitar also

operates from this space, supporting classical guitar education, concerts, and community

programs. Together, these organizations foster artistic growth, education, and community

engagement for all ages. The Fountain City Arts Center is free and open to the public Monday –

Thursday 10am-6pm, and Saturday 10am-2pm, and is closed on Sunday and Friday.

The Fountain City Arts Center invites artists within a 100-mile radius of Knoxville to submit work

for consideration for this regional juried exhibition. Approximately 40-50 fine art works will be

selected by the juror in all styles and genres from both emerging and established artists.

Traditional and experimental work made in the following media is accepted: painting, drawing,

printmaking, mixed media, collage, photography, sculpture, and craft. The FCAC cannot

accommodate installation-based work.

Jessie Van der Laan is an artist and educator living in Knoxville, TN. She holds degrees in

Printmaking and Drawing from Washington University in St. Louis (B.F.A., 2002) and Studio Art

from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (M.F.A., 2009). Her interdisciplinary work is

informed by her training as a printmaker and a childhood spent sewing, drawing, and

daydreaming. She has exhibited her work in numerous national and regional exhibitions,

including solo shows at Lindenwood University and Moberly Community College of Missouri, at

Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, TN, and Mighty Mud Gallery in Knoxville, TN. In 2023,

Van der Laan received a Bailey Opportunity Grant to pursue her print works at Relay Ridge of

Knoxville, TN. Van der Laan is an Associate Professor of Art and Interim Dean of Humanities at

Walters State Community College in Morristown, TN. 

Emerging and professional artists 18 and over may apply. Entries must be original and

completed within the last two years in 2-D and 3-D media (such as painting, drawing,

printmaking, mixed media, collage, photography, sculpture, and craft). The maximum allowed

size of a piece is 60” x 60” in any direction, and its weight can not to exceed 50 lbs. FCAC is a

family friendly art center and reserves the right to take down or exclude artwork that is

unsuitable for younger viewers. This is at the sole discretion of the FCAC.

All entries will be accepted via the form below starting December 1, 2025, through January 25,

2026, at midnight. The nonrefundable entry fee is $20 for 3 works and must be paid at the time

of entry. Image files must be in jpeg or jpg format and not exceed 5MB. The artist may submit

up to two images per piece, one being a detail image or from another view, in the case of a

sculpture. Label image files with last name, first name and the number submission. Example:

Smith_John1.jpg or Smith_John1_detail.jpg

Awards will be presented at the exhibition’s closing reception on April 26, 2026 from 2-4pm.

Awards include: $150 Best of Show, $75 Second Place, two $25 Honorable Mentions, and $25

People’s Choice Award. All awards (except for the People’s Choice Award) are designated by

the juror, whose decisions are final.

December 1: Application opens

January 25: Application deadline (at midnight)

February 18: Notifications are sent to artists

March 6: Artwork delivery (between 9-11am)

March 9 - April 29: Exhibition on display

April 26: Closing Reception, 2-4pm

April 26: Artwork pickup at the end of the closing reception

(or the following day April 27, 10am-3pm)

Artwork may be available for purchase while on exhibit. All sales are handled by the FCAC, who

retains a 30% commission on all sales. If artwork is not for sale, please list NFS (Not for Sale).

Artist receives 70% of sales, to be paid by check made out to the artist at the close of the

exhibition. Sold works must remain in the exhibition until its official closing date.

The FCAC does not provide insurance for work on exhibit, and artists are encouraged to secure

insurance for their own work.

2D work must be delivered securely wired and ready to hang on a Walker Hanging System. No

sawtooth hangers allowed. If accepted for an exhibition, shipping or delivery to the FCAC gallery

is the responsibility of the artist.

If selected for exhibition, the artist will be required to deliver work to the Fountain City Arts

Center on March 6 between 9am - 11am. If that’s not possible, it is the responsibility of the

artist to contact the Exhibitions Coordinator at artinfofcac@gmail.com to make alternative

delivery arrangements. Deliver artwork to 213 Hotel Road, Knoxville, TN 37918.

Receipt and submission of this completed entry form constitutes Artist’s agreement with all

conditions stated in this prospectus.

The Fountain City Arts Center will promote the event through email, social media, and local

listings. Reproduction and Copyright: The artist retains copyright, and artwork will be labeled

and credited to the artist. The visiting public may take impromptu photographs, but no other

reproduction is permitted. FCAC may use submitted images in the application for promotion

with credit.

Artwork may be taken at the end of the closing reception, on April 26 th at 4pm. If the artist is

unable to make it to the reception, they may pick up their work the following day, Monday April

27 th between 10am-3pm, or make other arrangements with the exhibition coordinator. No work

is released before the end of the exhibition.

Questions? Please contact the FCAC Exhibition Coordinator at artinfofcac@gmail.com

The application should be filled out online using the form below. Images can be uploaded using

the online form below. The $20 entry fee can be paid using the link below. Application, images,

and entry fee must all be received by midnight on Sunday, January 25, 2026.

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