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Iowa Exhibited 2026


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Iowa Exhibited 2026


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IOWA EXHIBITED 2026

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW IS BELOW!

Get ready—Iowa Exhibited is back! 🎉

Beginning Friday, February 27, Iowa resident artists are invited to submit up to three original works for our annual exhibition. Submissions will be open for 21 days, closing on Friday, March 20—so start selecting your strongest pieces now!

The exhibition will be on view May 7 through early/mid July (final date coming soon), with an Opening Reception on Thursday, May 7 from 6:30–8:00 PM. Join us for an evening of art, conversation, and celebration of Iowa’s incredible creative community.


AWARDS

The juror will award $950 in cash among seven artists

  • One $350 Best in Show 

  • Three $125 Merit Awards

  • Three $75 Honorable Mention Awards


FEES & RULES

$30 for up to three submissions

  1. Eligibility. Submitting artists must live in the state of Iowa.

  2. Authenticity. All work must be original.

  3. Age. All artists must be 16 years of age or older.

  4. Exhibit-ready. All work must be ready for display and wired for hanging. Artwork cannot weigh more than 75 pounds or measure over 5 feet in any direction. No wet oils will be accepted. Fragile/delicate 3D work, pottery or sculpture that requires more than normal care will be the responsibility of the artist to install and remove.

  5. Drop off. All accepted work must be delivered during the posted delivery time. Late delivery may result in exclusion of the accepted piece from the exhibit.


TIMELINE + IMPORTANT DATES

  • CALL FOR ENTRIES WINDOW - Friday, February 27 to Friday, March 20 (21 days)

  • ANNOUNCEMENT OF SELECTED ARTISTS - Friday, April 10 (subject to change if needed)

  • ARTWORK DROP OFF - Thursday, April 30 to Friday, May 1

  • AWARDS SHOW - Thursday, May 7 at 6:30pm (awards will be mailed within 72 hours of the ceremony)

  • EXHIBIT DURATION - May 7 - Early/Mid July. Exact date TBD.


MEET YOUR JUROR

Jennifer Drinkwater

A Mississippi Delta native, Jennifer Drinkwater is an artist, an associate professor of art & visual culture and the community arts specialist for extension and outreach at Iowa State University.

Jennifer explores how we bring artwork from the studio into the world, and how art-making can both build and shape community. Over the years, she’s created installations in restored prairies in Nebraska; collaborated on public art projects in vacant sites on Iowa main streets; spearheaded a community knit-bombing project; painted murals with middle school children on a blues club in the Mississippi Delta and in Perry, Iowa; and written free toolkits about these projects.

Jennifer’s also the creator of The What’s Good Project, which celebrates the meaningful stories from where we live through community conversations and painting.

Although she’s spent one year of her life living in tents, Jennifer currently lives and works in Ames, Iowa.