Events

We are no longer accepting submissions! Thank you so much to everyone who participated!

Details on the Eighth-Annual SPARK Exhibition will be shared Spring 2027, stay tuned! Read about the 2026 SPARK Exhibition below to know what to expect for 2027:

PLEASE NOTE:

1. Drop-offs for submissions starts August 22, 2026 until September 5, 2026 Tuesday – Saturday from 10 to 5pm. Please note we are closed Monday and Sunday so you won’t be able to drop off work these days. Thanks for understanding!
2. Early and late submissions or artwork drop offs will not be accepted, so please hold onto your artwork until then!

Submission fees are $20 for adults and $5 for youth (under 18), but everyone is welcome to participate. Please don’t let the cost deter you! Email us with the subject line “SPARK Promo Code” to [email protected] for a special promo code.

This year, any artwork label changes requested after you drop off your work will be $5 for per edit, so make sure your label is exactly what you want when you complete the online form. There will be an opportunity to double check your label info at Welcome Desk when you drop off your work. 

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ABOUT SPARK: 

This annual exhibition exists to “ignite the spark” of creativity in participants and viewers, and all are welcome to join in the fun. This year’s theme is “Wonder,” and we are thrilled to see the work that comes from this theme!

SPARK is a themed exhibition comprising three parts:

1. An invitational exhibit in our West Gallery space (the largest one)
2. An open-to-all community portion in the East Gallery
3. A youth section in our South Gallery (the downstairs gallery).

While all invitational artists have been selected, the Community and Youth portions of the show are open to all artists no matter their age or experience level. We love to see work from beginners to professionals in this show! For the Community Exhibits, there is no “judging” or “jurying” in a piece. ALL submissions are accepted (2D and 3D work, one work of art per person, must fit below criteria). You may submit your entry on our website from August 1 until August 31, 2026.

The SPARK Exhibition will be on view from September 12 – November 14. The reception will be September 12 from 10am – 1pm on the day of our annual Block Party. We strongly encourage you to come out, celebrate your work alongside all the other artists, and just enjoy the Block Party (which is free for everyone!)

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HOW TO ENTER: 

STEP 1: Read the criteria below and complete the online entry form from August 1 until August 31, 2026. Submitting this application gives us the information we need to make artwork labels for your piece, and it means you’re committing to dropping off your work within the allotted time frame. Please don’t forget to read ALL of the criteria below before considering submission!

STEP 2: Drop off your art during the drop off window. Work must be dropped off to Public Works Art Center between August 22, 2026 until September 5, 2026 during our regular operating hours (10 am – 5pm, Tuesday – Saturday), ending at 5pm September 5th. Early and late submissions or artwork drop offs will not be accepted. 

When dropping your artwork off:

• Sign in at the Welcome Desk at Public Works Art Center
• Don’t forget to double check that the label information you submitted online is exactly what you want on the wall at the time of drop off—we will have a sheet to double check. This year, any changes made to artwork labels after the show is up will be $5 per edit.
• Please legibly label the back of your artwork with the artist’s name, contact information (working phone number or email), and either a price or “NFS” (Not For Sale). Any packing material left behind will be disposed of or donated, so be sure to take that with you if you want it back. 
• Make sure your artwork is ready to be hanged on a wall or displayed, see below or visit our handy dandy SPARK FAQ to see how to prepare your work.

STEP 3: Let’s party! Join us for the annual Block Party on September 12, 2026 from 10am – 1pm to celebrate your hard work. Bring your friends, family, neighbors, coworkers, acquaintances, people you just met—everyone’s invited! Bring everyone out to see your work in the exhibit while it’s up until November 14, 2026.

STEP 4: When it’s time to wrap things up, we’ll reach out to your email address provided in this form, so make sure it’s one you check often. If your work has sold, we will reach out ASAP via email with the great news and info on what happens next. Work not sold may be picked up November 14th – November 28th. Please note that we are not responsible for any work left after the designated pickup dates. We will only hold payment for work sold for 6 months after the show ends, after that it’s considered a generous donation to Public Works Art Center, so be sure to come get it!

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SUBMISSION CRITERIA:

Submitting this application gives us the information we need to make labels to display with your work, and means you’re committing to dropping off your piece in the allotted time frame. Please read ALL of the criteria below before considering submission!

• Every artist must complete this form online before dropping off any work.
• One submission per artist, additional work for one artist will not be accepted
• Early or late entries or submissions will not be accepted.
• Artists must own all rights to the works they submit, we strongly encourage artistry of authentic human expression and creation.
• All artwork must be clearly labeled on the back with the artist’s name, contact information (a phone number you answer or email you regularly check so we can communicate with you), and either a price ($10 minimum*) or “NFS” (Not For Sale) at time of drop off.
• Any packing material left behind will be disposed of or considered a donation to Public Works Art Center.
• Any artwork label changes after the work has been dropped off are $5 per edit.
• Each artist is allowed to submit one piece of artwork in any medium, 2D or 3D work is accepted. 
  • 2D sizing restrictions: work may be no larger than 18″ x 24″ (or 22″ x 28″ framed)
  • 3D sizing restrictions: 18″ L x 18″ W x 24″ H. Please note: for all 3D work, please contact us at [email protected] to ensure that we have space for your work.
• All artwork must be ready to hang or ready to display. We will be creating some info that will be found here on what we like to see!
  • To prepare 3D Work: Must be ready at time of drop off. Make sure all 3D work can stand confidently on its own or is sent ready to be secured to a wall
    To prepare 2D Work: Must be ready to go on the wall at time of drop off. We recommend using D-rings or eyelet hooks attached to the work itself or a frame about one-third of the way down the sides of the piece with a picture wire. We don’t love sawtooth hangers, but can make an exception for lightweight work not behind glass. We have trust issues! YouTube has a lot of great how-to prep videos if you don’t know how.
  • Please don’t leave us with command strips (they’ll go in the trash, save them for home!), a sawtooth hangers on heavy work or work behind glass, use shoestrings, yarn, thread, in place of a wire, wet or not fully dried work, unlabeled work.
• We reserve the right to refuse: unlabeled artwork; artwork outside of the sizing parameters; artwork unsuitable or not ready to hang or display; artwork unsuitable for an all-ages-friendly space or objectively offensive imagery. Please email [email protected] with any questions or concerns on your work.
• If you’d like to sell your artwork:
  • You are more than welcome to sell your artwork! *Work must be priced $10 or greater for all artists. If work is priced less than $10, we reserve the right to raise the price to meet the minimum sales price.
  • All adult artists are required to fill out an accurate and completed W-9** in order to receive payment from work sold. **Please note, minors under 17 do not need to complete a W-9
  • Public Works Art Center takes a 30% commission on all gallery sales. All sold works will be collected at the end of the show and purchasers will be contacted. Artists whose work sold during the course of the show will be contacted at the end of the exhibition and payment will be issued within a month of the show ending. If an artist does not claim or deposit payment for their gallery sale within six (6) months of the payment issue date, the payment will be considered a charitable donation to Public Works Art Center.
• Artwork pickup is November 14th – November 28th, 2026. Please note: we are not responsible for any work left after the designated pickup dates.
• After December 30, 2026 any artwork not claimed will be considered a charitable donation to Public Works Art Center. Artists must collect their artwork within the designated pickup period. We reserve the right to sell, display, auction or otherwise use the artwork at its discretion to benefit the nonprofit. We are not responsible for unclaimed work or for any damage incurred to the work not claimed within the pickup window. But we really want you to have your art back so please come get it!
• If these steps above not completed, work may not be accepted or displayed at Public Works Art Center.

By submitting artwork to the SPARK Exhibition, the artist acknowledges and agrees to these terms and conditions, and consents to signing up to the Public Works Art Center weekly e-mailing list. You may remove yourself from the list at any time, but we recommend waiting until after the SPARK Exhibit has ended so you don’t miss any important announcements and reminders.

To submit the form, please scroll to the bottom of this page to the Tickets section, select the number of tickets you would like by using the + symbol then select Get Tickets to checkout.

Thank you so much for submitting your work to the Community SPARK Exhibition and please, tell your friends!