Details

EXHIBIT: Fine Art Photography Exhibition

Submission Dates: December 4th, 10-3pm & December 5th, 10-2 pm

Exhibit DATES: December 8 – January 21, 2027

LOCATION: CUYAHOGA VALLEY ART CENTER – MAIN GALLERY

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CALL TO ARTISTS:

The Fine Art Photography Exhibition is a juried showcase celebrating the diverse skills of photographers across our region. This exhibit invites community members to submit original photographic works across a range of thoughtfully curated categories that highlight the breadth and richness of fine art photography today. Submissions will be accepted in person at the Cuyahoga Valley Art Center on:

• Friday, December 4, 2026, from 10–3:00 PM

• Saturday, December 5, 2026, from 10–2:00 PM

Submission Fee: $10 per entry, with up to three entries per artist.

This juried exhibition, on view from December 8, 2026 – January 21, 2027, will feature $1,200 in cash prizes, including:

• Best of Category Awards, $125 (one per category, selected by the juror)
• People’s Choice Awards, $75 (one per category, voted on by gallery visitors)
• Best of Show Award, $250 (one selected by the juror)

Categories: Abstract, People, Nature, Urban & Street, and Wildlife/Animal/Pet, ensuring space for a wide range of photographic approaches and styles. Whether capturing the intricacies of the natural world, the energy of urban life, or bold experimental concepts, this exhibition offers a platform for artists to be recognized, celebrated, and supported within our creative community.

Award winners—including People’s Choice—will be announced during the Artist Reception on Friday, January 15, 2027, from 5:30–7:00 PM. Patrons will have the opportunity to mingle with artists, enjoy refreshments and hors d’oeuvres, and purchase artwork during this free and festive evening celebration.

Marketing Image Credit: Sarah Treanor, Hope, People Category

This exhibition is presented in honor of Jonathan Donald Kuhns*, whose passion for photography continues to inspire and uplift others through this meaningful tribute. Made possible by the generous support of his mother, Louise Miller Harvey, this exhibition reflects Jonathan’s creative spirit and love for visual storytelling. By celebrating the work of practicing photographers in our community, we hope to carry forward his legacy—encouraging others to see the world through their own unique lens and to share the beauty, complexity, and emotion that photography can so powerfully capture.

*This exhibition was established in memory of Jonathan Donald Kuhns, through the generous support of the Jonathan Donald Kuhns Memorial Fund, a donor-advised fund at Akron Community Foundation.

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PLEASE REVIEW THE PROSPECTUS: 2026 Fine Art Photography Exhibition Prospectus

This is a juried exhibition. Please review the prospectus guidelines for more details.

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Juror: Michael Barath

Michael Barath is a photographer, educator, and human. For as long as he can remember, he’s wrestled with a question that has shaped much of his life: is it better to be pretty good at many things, or to devote oneself entirely to becoming world-class at just one?
The truth is, he’s never been able to commit to a single pursuit for long enough to find out. Michael’s interests have always shifted every few years—birding, rock climbing, bicycle racing, dog training, and a number of other fascinations that have captured his attention before giving way to the next. Each brought its own learning, its own set of skills and satisfactions. And yet none held him indefinitely—none, that is, except photography.
Photography has endured where other passions faded. It has a unique capacity to absorb and reflect all of his interests. It allows him to explore the things he cares about, to document the natural world, human relationships, and fleeting moments that would otherwise pass unnoticed. The camera becomes a way to stay connected—to people, to places, and to himself.
Michael may never be “world-class,” but photography gives him something more meaningful: a sense of continuity, curiosity, and creative purpose. It brings all the parts of who he is into focus. And maybe that’s a different kind of excellence—one rooted not in perfection, but in presence.

Website:
www.justustwo.com

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CATEGORIES: 

• Abstract: Non-objective, experimental, or conceptual photography that creates a visual image not immediately associated with the physical world. Emphasis is placed on form, color, movement, and composition.
• People: Portraiture and photography in which people are the primary subject. This can include posed or candid imagery, capturing personality, emotion, or human interaction.
• Nature: Photography focused on the natural world, including landscapes, plants, and close-up details of organic textures and environments.
• Urban: Photography that captures the character and energy of urban environments. This includes architecture, street scenes, public spaces, cityscapes, infrastructure, or candid moments of everyday life within a built environment. Works may explore themes of movement, structure, culture, or human presence in urban spaces.
• Wildlife/Animal/Pet: Photography featuring animals as the primary subject—whether in the wild, in human care, or as beloved pets. This category includes wildlife photography, animal portraiture, and images that reflect the personality, behavior, or beauty of animal subjects in both natural and domestic settings.