Entries Sought for 2017 North Charleston Arts Fest Judged Fine Art and Photography Competitions & Exhibitions

The 2017 North Charleston Arts Fest is just three weeks away, taking place May 3-7. The event offers some excellent exhibition opportunities for fine artists and photographers ages 18 and up, including the annual Judged Fine Art and Judged Photography Competitions & Exhibitions. Entries for these judged competitions may compete for ribbons and cash prizes and will be on display throughout the festival at the Charleston Area Convention Center Complex, located at 5001 Coliseum Drive in North Charleston. Complete details and entry instructions for all exhibition opportunities are available for download at NorthCharlestonArtsFest.com/apply.

Judged Fine Art Competition & Exhibition
Fine artists are invited to enter original work into the annual North Charleston Arts Fest Judged Fine Art Competition & Exhibition and compete for cash prizes totaling up to $6,000, an increase from previous years. Submissions are accepted in five media categories: acrylic, oil, drawing/pastel, watercolor, and 2-D mixed media. This year, awards will be at the sole discretion of the judge, Veronica Kessenich. Veronica, an Atlanta native, has been working in the arts for more than 15 years, and was hired as Executive Director of Atlanta Contemporary in July 2015 after serving for two years as the organization’s Development Director. She is a graduate of the University of St. Andrews (Scotland) where she earned a Masters of Philosophy in Art History and received her undergraduate degree from Saint Mary’s College in Indiana. In recognition of her valuable contributions to the arts, Kessenich was named one of Atlanta’s Women of Power in the fall issue of The Atlantan (2015) and received the CCA Community Impact Award from Emory University in 2016. Kessenich currently resides in Sandy Springs, GA, and serves as an adjunct instructor at Agnes Scott College, as well as on the boards of the Atlanta Printmakers Studio and MINT. Aside from winners in each media category, new awards for this year include best portrait/figure, best landscape, best still-life/interior, best animal/wildlife, and best abstract/experimental.

Fine art entries will be accepted at the Charleston Area Convention Center on Monday and Tuesday, May 1 & 2, from noon to 7:00pm. Artists may enter any combination of categories with a maximum of four entries total. A non-refundable fee of $10 per entry is due at drop-off.

Judged Photography Competition and Exhibition
Professional and amateur photographers are invited to enter original prints into the annual North Charleston Arts Fest Judged Photography Competition & Exhibition and compete for cash prizes totaling up to $1,450. Submissions will be accepted in the Professional/Advanced division or Amateur division under the categories of Color and Monochrome. This year, awards will be at the sole discretion of the judge, Rick Rhodes. Rick earned degrees in Commercial Photography and Color Technology at Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara, CA, and Southeast Center for Photographic Studies in Daytona Beach, FL. He has owned and operated Rick Rhodes Photography & Imaging, LLC, in West Ashley for more than 18 years and is well versed in aerial, architecture, landscape, portrait, and product photography.

Photography entries will be accepted at the Charleston Area Convention Center on Monday and Tuesday, May 1 & 2, from noon to 7:00pm. Photographers may enter any combination of categories with a maximum of four entries total. A non-refundable fee of $5 per entry is due at drop-off.

The Judged Fine Art and Photography Exhibitions are free and open to the public throughout the North Charleston Arts Fest. Viewing times are Wednesday, May 3, 6:00-8:00pm, and Thursday through Sunday, May 4-7, 10:00am–5:00pm. Awards will be announced at a free public reception on Wednesday, May 3, 6:00-8:00pm, at the Charleston Area Convention Center. Musical entertainment will be provided by The Wing Walker Trio and refreshments will be served. The public is welcome to attend.

The North Charleston Arts Fest, set for May 3-7, has matured into one of the most comprehensive arts festivals in the state of South Carolina with a schedule that offers something for everyone, including concerts, theatre presentations, children’s programs, workshops and demonstrations, exhibitions, public art installations, and much more. The Arts Fest Expo, considered the festival’s flagship event, takes place May 6 & 7 at the Charleston Area Convention Center and offers free admission and parking to more than 40 performances on four stages.  Other Expo activities include judged art and photography shows, the SC Palmetto Hands Juried Fine Craft Exhibit, a gem & mineral show, children’s activities, art/craft/antique vendors, and a food courtyard.

For more information about the North Charleston Arts Fest, or to download entry instructions for the Judged Fine Art and Judged Photography Competitions & Exhibitions, visit NorthCharlestonArtsFest.com. For more information about other exhibition opportunities offered by the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department, visit the Arts & Culture section of the City’s website, northcharleston.org, or call 843-740-5854.