• Entrants must be aged 60 or over and currently residing in Somerset County.
• Entrants must complete and return the physical application form or the online form by July 13, 2026.
• No work previously entered in the Somerset County Senior Art Show will be accepted.
• Entrants may submit one work completed within the past three years (between April 2023 - 2026).
• Entries from artists who have previously broken the rules of the Cultural & Heritage Gallery will be automatically rejected.

• The 2026 Senior Art Show will be displayed at the Somerset County Administration Building at 20 Grove Street, Somerville, NJ. Gallery Hours are 8:30am to 4:30pm, Monday through Friday, excluding holidays.

There are two classifications, Professional and Non-professional. To be listed as a Professional you must meet at least two of the qualifications listed below:

• Sold art through commercial channels (including galleries, online galleries, craft shows, art shows, etc.)
• Exhibited work for two (2) or more years in professional galleries and/or professional art exhibits*
• Had work selected in two (2) or more juried art or craft shows*
• Has received two (2) or more awards for their artwork*
• Holds (or has held) professional membership in an artist or craftsperson’s guild or association

*Exception: Artists who only enter their County Senior Art Show and who NEVER exhibit their artwork in any other show or venue do not have to identify themselves as a Professional Artist, unless they have won First Place in their category three (3) times or more – in that case, they should identify themselves as a Professional.

If you do not meet at least two (2) of the above requirements, please select Non-professional.

• Acrylic Painting
• Craft – one-of-a-kind original creations only; no craft kits or molds
• Digital (Computer) Art – artwork created using computer graphics software (does not include digital photographs)
• Mixed Media – art that combines two or more media, no one of which clearly predominates; includes collage and assemblage
• Oil Painting
• Pastel - includes soft chalk and oil pastel
• Print - all print forms including -but not limited to - etching, linoleum block, lithograph, woodcut, monoprint, silkscreen, collagraph etc.
• Photography - includes color, black & white or tinted photographs taken with a film-based or digital camera
• Sculpture - work designed in 3-dimensions, carved or constructed in any medium, abstract or figurative
• Watercolor - includes gouache (note: traditional watercolor often includes light pencil work and/or ink. They are still considered “Watercolor” – NOT “Mixed Media”)
• Works on Paper – includes hand-drawn work in mediums including charcoal, colored pencil graphite, pen & ink

• Entry forms must be received by July 13, 2026.
• Only one entry per artist is allowed.
• Entry must be the original creation of the artist. No work made using kits or reproductions of paintings, drawings, etc., will be accepted (including glicee or other digital copies). Entries in Photography or Digital Arts categories may be digital prints.
• Every effort should be made to ensure that work is correctly categorized. Any work that is incorrectly categorized will be moved to the correct category (or risks being taken out of competition altogether) at the discretion of the Cultural & Heritage
  Commission.
• All artwork must be labelled. A label will be emailed to you at a later date. Attach the label to the back of your 2-D work or the bottom for a 3-D work.
• Artwork must be on display for the entire length of the show. Artists who request the removal of their work from the gallery prior to the show's end date will be excluded from future Cultural & Heritage Gallery Shows.
• The Cultural & Heritage Gallery is a publicly funded venue, visited by people of all ages (children-seniors). Artwork submitted for public display should be appropriate. The Cultural & Heritage Commission retains the prerogative to refuse to display any artwork deemed inappropriate.
• If it is determined by staff that a work is in violation of any of the rules, that work will be disqualified from advancing to the State Senior Art Show. The work may still exhibit in the Somerset County Senior Art Show at the sole discretion of Cultural & Heritage staff.
• Artwork not complying with state guidelines is not eligible for the statewide exhibition.
  
  2-D Submissions:
• All 2-D artwork (framed art, photos or crafts wired to hang) may be no larger than 30” or smaller than 10” in any direction INCLUDING FRAME.
•  Due to the amount of submission this exhibit receives, artwork may double hang in order for all pieces to be exhibited. The decision to double hang artwork is made at the sole discretion of the Cultural & Heritage Commission.
• All works are to be delivered "show-ready." Any 2-D work must be matted, framed and wired (with screw eyes) ready for hanging. Paintings on canvas must be wired for hanging, and the edges should be painted or finished, but they do not need to be framed. Frames with sawtooth hooks or command strips will NOT be accepted.
• The Somerset County Cultural & Heritage Commission retains the right to eliminate any work from an exhibit if it is deemed unsafe to hang or improperly wired. This determination is made solely at the discretion of Cultural & Heritage staff. Please contact staff at CulturalHeritage@somersetcountynj.gov if you have any questions
  regarding wiring.
• 2-D artworks should be protected where necessary with Plexiglass, Mylar or other clear protective material. Use of Plexiglass, not glass, is strongly recommended for 2-D pieces, especially those over 24" in height or width.
  
  3-D Submissions:
• Sculptures or other 3-D crafts may not exceed 18” in width (measurements must include any base for the sculpture or craft) and may not weight more than 30 pounds.
  
• Please contact staff if your 3-D piece is more than 20” in height.
• Any 3-D piece with a base must be securely fastened to that base in order to be
  entered.

• Submitting a photo of your artwork by June 30 to be considered for use on the promotional postcard!
• If you are using the online application form:
  • You will need to take a photograph of your artwork and save it to the computer or device you'll be using to complete your application. The photo should be either a .JPG (or jpeg) file or a .PNG file.
  • A submission box will be available at the bottom of the digital application page. When you click the box it will ask you to select a file to upload. Find and choose the photo of your artwork. (Please submit ONLY ONE photo of your artwork).
  • After completing the entire digital application page, click the submit button. You should receive an email receipt of your submission. Please check your spam and trash folders before contacting Cultural & Heritage staff to confirm your submission.
  • Make sure all required fields have been completed or your submission will not be accepted. Required fields are marked with the * icon.

• If you plan to submit a paper application form:
  • You can email a photo of your artwork to Cultural & Heritage staff.

If you have trouble submitting a file or are unable to upload or email an image, please contact Commission staff at: CulturalHeritage@somersetcountynj.gov or (908) 203-6145

One "professional" winner and one "non-professional" winner in each category will move on to the State Senior Art Show. There must be AT LEAST three entries per category to guarantee the selection of a first place winner. Artwork not complying with state guidelines is not eligible for the statewide exhibition.

The State Senior Art Show will be held in person at the Meadow Lakes Senior Center. The state show will open on Monday, September 28, 2026, and will remain open to the public through Wednesday, November 4, 2026. An awards ceremony will be held in October, with details being provided at a later date. Artists participating in the State Senior Art Show will receive hard copies of the invitation in the mail. The invitation is for that artist and one (1) guest only.

Please be aware that Cultural & Heritage staff will handle the transportation of artwork to and from the State Senior Art Show. Staff will let participating artists know when their artwork is available for pick up from our office. Artists are not permitted to pick their artwork up directly from the State Senior Art Show.