What do exhibiting artists receive?

• A six-week-long Welcome Gallery exhibition;

• $1,250 exhibition stipend for a solo exhibition or in total for multiple artists in a group exhibition;

• professional installation assistance;

• exhibition photography for personal use;

• collaborative support from staff;

• communications including press and public outreach;

• an opening reception and support for additional programming during the exhibition period.

Can I sell my work?
Yes, but exhibited work is not required to be for sale. Welcome Gallery is a low-commission gallery and retains a 25% commission of work sold.

What is the space like?
Welcome Gallery is a small, store-front gallery space on Charlottesville’s Downtown Mall. Stop by Welcome Gallery Wednesday - Friday between 10AM and 5PM to see the gallery and to chat with staff. You can also view Welcome Gallery floor plans here.

Who is eligible?

Artists of any discipline and at any level are encouraged to apply for a solo show or on behalf of a group or collective exhibition. Curators (regardless of experience) are also encouraged to apply with proposals. Artist collectives may apply with up to 3 artists and curators may apply with shows including up to 4 artists.

To be eligible, you (and all participating artists) must be…

• a resident in the Charlottesville area (including the city of Charlottesville and the counties of Albemarle, Buckingham, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa, Nelson and Orange).*

• Have not had a month-long exhibit with New City Arts in the past 3 years if applying for a solo exhibition. Those who have had a month-long Welcome Gallery exhibition within this time period may apply with a curatorial or group exhibition proposal.

• Are not hosting a similar exhibit in Charlottesville 3 months prior to an opening at Welcome Gallery.

*Group and curatorial proposals may also include artists who have been former Charlottesville residents within the last 3-5 years (with the ability to attend both the First Friday Opening and host a community event during the exhibiting month). The individual applying acts as the point of contact for the group and must be a current resident in the Charlottesville area.

What is required of exhibiting artists?

Exhibiting artists are responsible for…

• dropping off work and taking down the exhibition. Artists can install their owns shows but do not need to and can opt into installation support.

• attending the exhibition opening reception which takes place on the first Friday of the month between 5 and 7:30PM.

• facilitating at least one community engagement event related to the exhibition (e.g., public reading/screening, workshop, performance, gathering)

• work with New City Arts Staff on promotion and preparation of the exhibition by providing exhibition materials (exhibition statement, bio, artwork details, etc.) in a timely manner.

Additionally, artists exhibiting multimedia installations involving projection and/or sound may be required to provide equipment necessary for installation. Applicants should address any anticipated tech needs in their proposals.

How do I apply?

Applications for the 2026-27 Welcome Gallery Exhibition Season are due August 20, 2025 at 11:59PM.

Applicants must submit an Exhibition Application via Google Forms where they will submit artwork samples according to the guidelines listed in the application.

Is there assistance available?

Yes! New City Arts staff do not make exhibition selections and are available to offer support with your exhibition proposal. Join us on July 30 from 5:30-6:30PM for an Application Assistance Workshop—RSVP here for the event. You are also welcome to reach out to Welcome Gallery Manager, Tori Cherry, with specific questions.

How are exhibitions chosen?

Applications are first evaluated to ensure that:

• Eligibility criteria has been met

• The application has been fully completed

Exhibition proposals are then reviewed by a selection committee. Committee members change with each application period, but include artists who have participated in New City Arts programming, board members, and community members such as artists, curators, and other professionals from community organizations. Check this page and our social media for an announcement of the 2026-2027 Exhibition Selection Committee.

Proposals are selected based on quality of work as well as strength and clarity of concept. Additionally:

• Preference will be given to artists exhibiting new work and to proposals that include thoughtful programming that allows for community engagement.

• Artists are asked to consider whether their proposal aligns with New City Arts’ Mission, Vision, and Values as well as our Content Guidelines. If you are uncertain whether the theme or content of your proposal does this, please reach out. We would be happy to talk with you about you work and to share more about our space.