Calling Fine Artists and Artisans! We invite creators of all media to bring their vision to our beautiful garden space this October with Art in the Arboretum. A premier autumn tradition, this art festival welcomes painters, sculptors, jewelers, ceramicists, woodworkers, photographers, and multi-media artists from across the North Carolina region to display and sell their work in the beautiful landscape of the New Hanover County Arboretum.

Event details
October 10 - 11, 2026 from 10 am to 4 pm
New Hanover County Arboretum
Wilmington, NC

Fees or awards
$35 application fee

The Hillsborough Gallery of Arts is seeking a new artist member who works in a 3D medium (i.e. work that goes on a pedestal, the floor, jewelry, or stained glass). For more information on our artist-run gallery and to apply, visit https://www.hillsboroughgallery.com/how-to-join.

Members must live in the Triangle area, as they are required to work 3-4 gallery shifts per week. Artists keep 88% of their sales!

Location
Hillsborough, NC

Fees or awards
$35 application fee

Grey Cube Gallery proudly presents the sixth Floral online art contest for the month of August 2026. Contest is open to all artists worldwide over 18 years of age. The gallery invites artists and photographers to share their artistic vision using any work with interpretation of botanical and floral art (flowers, herbs, fruit, leaves, plants and related floral subjects). All visual art mediums (except video and sound) are allowed. 

Winning artwork (Best of Show) will be on the poster of the show. All winning artists will receive a digital award certificate.

Fees or awards
Entry fees start at $20 and vary by number of images submitted.

Get ready for an art-filled adventure at this year’s International Folk Festival! If you’re a creator, maker, or artist of any kind, this is your invitation to join the largest celebration of arts and culture in the area. Apply to be a vendor in our Arts Market and share your work with tens of thousands of festival-goers who are ready to discover something new, meaningful, and uniquely yours.

Your approved application secures one (1) 10x10 booth space at our 48th Annual International Folk Festival. As the Arts Vendor, YOU are responsible for tents, tables, chairs, merchandise, Wi-Fi access, and other equipment needed to sell your art/wares during the event.

Arts Market Vendor Load-in:
Friday, September 25th: 2 pm-7 pm

Arts Market Hours:
Saturday, September 26th, 12 pm-7 pm

Location
Fayetteville, NC

Fees or awards
$75 booth fee. Vendors will be charged the full amount of the application if/when the application is approved. The festival is a rain or shine festival and no refunds or exchanges will be allowed after submission. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to admin@theartscouncil.com or 910-323-1776.

ARTnNCevents proudly presents Abstracts in America, a premier National Juried Exhibition celebrating the creativity, innovation, and expressive power of contemporary abstract art. This national exhibition invites artists from across the United States to explore abstraction in all its forms, showcasing work that challenges convention and pushes creative boundaries.

Location
Wilmington, NC

Fees or awards
$45 entry fee

Blue Koi Gallery invites artists worldwide to submit to the Echoes of Abstract Art Competition. Explore the power of abstraction through color, form, texture, and emotion. Whether your work is abstract, semi-abstract, representational, or experimental, we welcome all artistic approaches that challenge perception and express a unique creative vision. All visual art mediums, including photography and digital art, are accepted.

Fees or awards
Entry fee is $20. $150 cash award for first place. Exhibition feature, social media promotion, and certificate offered to finalists.

The Caldwell Arts Council invites you to participate in the 40th Annual Sculpture Celebration on September 12, 2026. Join emerging and established sculptors to compete for a total of $11,000 in cash awards. Sculptors can enter up to three works.

Registration includes free admission to the Friday Night Welcome Dinner and a continental breakfast on Saturday morning. Sales of competition entries and commissions are encouraged, with 100% of proceeds going to the sculptors. All mediums are accepted, including metals, glass, stone, wood, paper, plastic, fiber, found objects, natural and recycled materials, etc.

Event details
September 12, 2026
Broyhill Walking Park
Lenoir, NC 28645

Fees or awards
Registration fees vary. $35 for students and $50 for non-students if registered by June 30, 2026. $11,000 in total cash awards.

Ten Moir Gallery invites artists and photographers worldwide to submit work to our monthly online art challenges. Each theme offers artists a chance to share meaningful work, receive recognition, and be featured in a curated online showcase. The first entry is free during the early entry period.

Fees or awards
First entry is free during the listed early entry/free entry period. Additional entries may be added for a fee within the same application.

Experience the beauty of eastern North Carolina at its most colorful during Fall on the Roanoke, a multi-day plein air event celebrating the rich landscapes, history, and culture of Plymouth and Washington County.

Artists are invited to spend several inspiring days painting along the scenic Roanoke River, exploring centuries-old historic sites, quiet waterfronts, wildlife refuges, and breathtaking natural preserves. Whether your passion is architecture, landscapes, or wildlife, you'll find endless subjects to inspire your work.

Event details
October 21st - 24th, 2026
Plymouth, NC

Fees or awards
Housing will be provided in a historic home in Plymouth. Artists will have the opportunity to sell their artwork at the Oysters & Art Showcase on October 24th.

The Click! Photography Festival Plein Air Exhibition is a public celebration of the universal language of photography now hosted in Dix Park in downtown Raleigh. We invite emerging and established photographers, visual artists, and storytellers to submit their work for consideration.

This is your opportunity to feature your work in front of 100,000+ visitors in one of Raleigh's most iconic public spaces October 1-31, 2026.

Location
Raleigh, NC

Fees or awards
$45 submission fee