See below for details on upcoming exhibits, art fairs, and other opportunities. You can click the banner above to view past opportunities posts. Good luck!

Art in the Courtyard
Deadline: February 28, 2013. The Merchants of Lorton Station are providing a free community event, Art in the Courtyard. The exact date of the event is to be decided by the artists; please let us know which Saturday in May is best for you when filling out your application. The event will feature artists from the Workhouse, Occoquan, and Alexandria displaying their art for sale. There will also be a complimentary wine tasting and a live jazz band. There is no charge and no percentage taken from the artists for this event — it is totally free! For more information and the application, contact Gabriella Nunez at [email protected] or call 703-339-7506.

Maryland Artists
Deadline: March 11, 2013. The Art Outside Free Art Festival at Druid Hill Reservoir will take place on Sunday, May 19, 2013 from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Entries are currently being accepted in these categories: ceramics/clay, drawing, painting, glass, jewelry, leather, metal, mixed media, photography/digital, textile, and wood. There is a non-refundable fee of $50 upon acceptance into the show. There is no entry fee or commission on sales. For more information and to apply, click here.

See below for more announcements!

The following announcements for nationwide exhibits are courtesy of FindArtInfoBank.com:

Call for Artists: Bethesda Painting Award – MD
Deadline: February 22, 2013. The Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District is currently accepting applications for the seventh annual Bethesda Painting Awards. Up to nine finalists will be selected to display their work in an exhibition during the month of June at Gallery B in downtown Bethesda, and the top four winners will receive $14,000 in prize monies. Best in Show will be awarded $10,000; Second Place will be honored with $2,000 and Third Place will receive $1,000. Additionally, a “Young Artist” whose birthday is after February 22, 1983 may be awarded $1,000. Artists must be 18 years of age or older and residents of Maryland, Virginia or Washington, D.C. All original 2-D paintings including oil, acrylic, watercolor, gouache, encaustic and mixed media will be accepted. The maximum dimensions should not exceed 60 inches in width or 84 inches in height. No reproductions. Artwork must have been completed within the last two years and must be available for the duration of the exhibit. Each artist must submit 5 slides, application and a non-refundable fee of $25. Digital entries will be accepted on DC in JPG, GIF or PNG format. For a complete application, please visit http://www.bethesda.org, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to the Bethesda Painting Awards, c/o Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District, 7700 Old Georgetown Road, Bethesda, MD 20814 or call 301-215-6660 x117.

17th Annual Ames Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition – IA
Deadline: February 3, 2013. The Ames Public Art Commission and the Ames Main Street District invite your entries for the 17th Annual Ames Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition. Up to five sculptures will be selected and displayed in the City of Ames, Iowa, from May 2013 to April 2014. Each selection will merit a $1000 honorarium. In addition, a $500 “Best in Show” award will be given in Fall 2013. Many past winners have been purchased by the city for its permanent collection. In the past three years, 6 sculptures have been added to the permanent collection. A panel of individuals from the Iowa art community will jury entries. No entry fee. Go to http://www.cityofames.org/index.aspx?page=1176 for details and entry forms. Questions? Please contact Greg Fuqua at mailto:[email protected] or call 515-239-5101.

Dave Bown Projects – IL
Deadline: May 30, 2013. Jurors: Marisa Pascucci, Boca Raton Museum of Art; Reto Thüring, Cleveland Museum of Art; Adelina Vlas, Philadelphia Museum of Art. Prizes: $10,000 USD (1 artist will receive $5,000 USD and 5 artists will each receive $1,000 USD). Dave Bown Projects will be buying works of art from artists as submissions are received. Eligibility: This competition is open to all visual artists who are 18 years of age or older. All styles and mediums are eligible. Selection Process: Early entries are encouraged. Previewing will occur on a daily and weekly basis by Dave Bown Projects as submissions are received. Prospectus: davebownprojects.com/submissions.html.

2013 Annual Juried Exhibit – MD
Deadline: April 5, 2013. The Delaplaine Visual Arts Education Center located in historic downtown Frederick, Maryland announces the 2013 Annual Juried Exhibit. Dates: May 4 – June 23. Open to any artist living or working in the United States, all media is eligible, no size restrictions. $1150 in prize money awarded, $500 first prize. Juror: Gerald Ross, Director of Exhibitions at the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) in Baltimore, Maryland. For details on how to enter: http://www.delaplaine.org/exhibits/exhibit-opportunities/

Call for Artists: Large Scale Installation or Sculpture – MO
Deadline: March 1, 2013. The Springfield Art Museum is inviting artists to submit artwork for the Museum’s entrance lobby. The Museum is seeking a large scale installation piece or sculpture which will be installed in the Museum’s lobby – vitalizing our entrance space. Eligibility is open to professional, practicing artists who reside in the United States. Artworks must be made of durable materials suitable to a high traffic, indoor zone which receives minor temperature fluctuations and variable lighting. Please visit our website for entry specifications and requirements: http://www.springfieldmo.gov/art or contact Sarah Buhr, curator, at sbuhr at springfieldmo.gov.

Call for Proposals, 2013 I-Park Environmental Art Program – CT
Deadline: April 1, 2013. The I-Park Foundation (East Haddam, CT/USA) is pleased to announce its fourth international, multi-disciplinary Environmental Art Biennale to be held on September 21, 2013. The event will be preceded by an on-site residency. I-Park is seeking original, site-responsive projects from the following fields: visual arts, music/sound sculpture, performance, moving image/photography, architecture, landscape/garden design, language arts and inter-disciplinary practice. Successful applicants will be awarded an artist’s fee of $2,000 as well as limited transportation reimbursement. For full details: www.i-park.org.