Call for Artists – The Show Place Arena Public Art Project
Overview / Introduction
The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, Department of Parks and Recreation, Prince George’s County invites Artists (both individual artists and artist teams) with interest and professional experience in creating public art and site-specific commissions to submit qualifications for an original interior public art feature at The Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro, MD.
Project Goals
- Enhance the aesthetic of the interior Winners Circle Lounge Bar of The Show Place Arena.
- Reflect on the history, culture, or community of The Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro, MD.
- Create an engaging and meaningful experience for visitors.
Eligibility
Open to professional artists or artist teams aged 18 and over. Artists living or working in Prince George’s County and the surrounding region are strongly encouraged to apply.
Site Description
The Show Place Arena is looking for art to be installed in their Winners Circle Lounge Bar. Artwork is to be installed above their bar.
Wall Dimensions: 21 feet wide by 6 feet 6” tall
Artwork Specifications
- Durable and suitable for interior public space
- Artwork must fit thematically with the history and culture of the Show Place Arena
- Must meet ADA and safety requirements
- No offensive or overtly political content
Submission Requirements
- Artist Statement (PDF, 300 words max)
- Resume/CV
- Up to 10 images of past work
- Image List (include title, date, medium, dimensions, and brief description)
Selection Criteria
- Artistic excellence and innovation
- Relevance to site and community
- Feasibility and durability of proposal
- Demonstrated experience with similar projects
Application Process
The application process will consist of three phases:
1. Open Call for Artists - Artists submit their qualifications and materials by the deadline.
2. Finalist Selection - Finalists will be invited to participate in an interview and be asked to expand upon their initial proposal to include: Project proposal, timeline and itemized budget
3. Final Commission Award - One artist or team will be selected to move forward with the project
Timeline
- Application Deadline: August 31, 2025
- Finalist Selection: September 19, 2025
- Project Completion: December 8, 2025
Budget
- $20,000 - $25,000
Contact
For questions or technical assistance, please contact:
Renz Balagtas
Arts Consultant – PG Parks and Recreation
Nature Quest Arts Contest
Calling all youth ARTIST!
Prince George's County residents 18 years old and under. You are cordially invited to enter this year’s Nature Quest Art Contest. Explore your backyard, a local park, or other outdoor environments. Tell your nature story by drawing, painting, photography, mixed media, or poetry.
DEADLINE for Submission: Sunday, November 2, 2025 at 11:59 pm.
Finalists must bring their art to 7833 Walker Drive #200 Greenbelt, MD any day/time between December 8 - 15, 2025 between 9am - 4pm and also pick up their artwork from Harmony Hall on Saturday, January 24 between 9am-4pm.
Eligibility Requirements:
- This contest is open to Prince George's County residents that are 18 years old and under. No purchase is necessary.
· Entries must be inspired by nature.
- Content of the work must be original. Use of another artist’s work is not eligible.
- You may enter as many categories as you want!
Awards
For the drawing/painting, photography, and poetry categories 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place prizes will be chosen from each age group. 1st place is awarded $300, 2nd place is awarded $200, and 3rd place is awarded $100
*Drawings & Paintings are all in the same category.
Elementary School: K - Grade 5
Middle School: Grades 6 – 8
High School: Grades 9 - 12
Important Dates & Deadlines:
Submissions Open: Tuesday, July 1, 2025
Submission Deadline: Sunday, November 2, 2025 (received by 11:59 pm EST)
Judging Panel Adjudications: November 3 - 30, 2025
Finalist & Winners Notified By: December 1 – 5, 2025
Opening Reception: Friday, January 9, 2026 from 6:30-8:30pm at Harmony Hall Regional Center
Exhibition Dates: January 9 – 21, 2025
Questions?
If you have any questions or would like additional information, please contact Shaiday Dancy (Shaiday.dancy@pgparks.com)
The 2026 Nature Quest Art Contest is a program of The Maryland-National Capital Park & Planning Commission, Department of Parks & Recreation, Prince George’s County, Arts and Cultural Heritage Division.
We’re looking for Teen Arts Council Members to be the leaders and voice of the teen arts community!
Tell us what you wish to see, create, and be a part of in our Department’s art programming.
Teen Arts Council members can expect to receive community service opportunities, be involved in curating art projects, attend bi-weekly council meetings, and may receive a stipend upon the completion of the 8-month term (June 2026). Those interested must be residents of Prince George's County and 14-18 years old. Apply today to be a Teen Arts Council ambassador for the arts!
Benefits of being on the Teen Arts Council:
· Honorarium/Stipend upon completion of term
· Build leadership skills
· Earn community service-learning hours
· Enjoy traveling and attending youth conferences
· Attend performances presented by Arts PGParks
· Organize exhibitions and events
· Build policy knowledge for leadership
· Engage with artists and arts professionals
· Expand knowledge of careers within art administration, visual arts, and performing arts
Eligibility Requirements:
- Teen Arts Council is open to Prince George's County residents that are 14 - 18 years old
- For the duration of their term members must attending high school, grades 9 - 12
- Must attend bi-monthly meetings for the duration of the 8-month school year term
Application Process:
- Must complete online application
- Essay response, 500 word minimum, to the prompts " What makes you an artistic leader in your community? What is one art program you envision for your peers and community to enjoy? In what ways do you see yourself making an impact by being apart of the Teen Arts Council? What do you wish to receive by being apart of the Teen Arts Council?"
- Resumes and recommendation letters are accepted but not required
- All applications/essays are due on Monday, September 29 by midnight
- Selections are made at the discretion of the interview panelist. New appointed members will be notified between October 6 - 10, 2025 to accept their position as a TAC member. Meetings will commence at the end of October.
Selections are made at the discretion of the interview panelist. New appointed members will be notified between October 6 - 10, 2025 to accept their position as a TAC member. Meetings will commence at the end of October. Council member roles/titles will be set by council vote during the first two months of the term.
Interested but have questions? Come out to our Interest Meeting!
Date: Monday, September 22, 2025
Time: 6:30 - 8pm
Location: Prince George’s Ballroom
2411 Pinebrook Avenue
Landover, MD 20785
Have Questions? Email shaiday.dancy@pgparks.com
The Prince George’s County Juried exhibition is sponsored by The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), Department of Parks and Recreation, Prince George’s County, Arts and Cultural Heritage Division. The exhibition will be on display at Montpelier Arts Center, from Saturday, November 8, 2025, through Saturday, January 3, 2026.
Illusion and Transformation
The 37th Annual Prince George’s County Juried Exhibition
Illusion and Transformation invites artists to explore the shifting boundaries between truth and perception, identity and hybridity, memory and erasure, progress and stagnancy. Through any medium, we welcome works that question, reveal, and reimagine reality in all its evolving forms.
JUROR – Wilfredo Valadares
Wilfredo Valladares is an award winning artist that was born in Trujillo Colon, Honduras (Central America), where he began his career as an artist and educator. It was as a teacher, that he challenged perceptions during a time of conflict in his country, which made it necessary for him to seek political asylum in the United States. He arrived in the early 90's and continued his journey as an artist by attending Montgomery College, then Maryland Institute College of Art, where he graduated with a BFA in sculpture. He later pursued and received a Masters of Fine Arts in sculpture from the University of Maryland.
Wilfredo’s work crosses boundaries and moves beyond traditional paradigms as he explores the interconnectedness of cultures. His public art pieces can be found in Silver Spring, MD and in Washington, DC. He has curated many projects and has had numerous exhibitions. He has also led many workshops, created environmental installations and art collaborations in the DMV and internationally, including a sculpture exhibition project in Milan, Italy.
ABOUT MONTPELIER ARTS CENTER
Visitors can explore the three galleries with rotating exhibitions by local and national visual artists. Located on the grounds of the historic Montpelier Mansion, the center also houses artist studios, a bronze casting foundry, gas and electric-fired kilns, a digital lab, printmaking presses, and classrooms. Montpelier Arts Center offers visual, literary, and performing arts experiences for children to adults; beginners to advanced. These creative spaces are designed to inspire artists to work in a variety of mediums including printmaking, sculpture, painting, ceramics, and more.Gallery Hours:Sunday–Saturday, 10 am–5 pm (closed major holidays).
ELIGIBILITY
This call is open to all artists who are 18 years of age or older who live, work, study, or have a studio in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Artists may submit a maximum of 3 artworks for consideration.
EXHIBITION TIMELINE
Deadline to apply online:
Sunday, October 5, 11:59 pm, 2025
Selected artists notified by:
Week of October 13-17, 2025
Artists drop off work at Montpelier Arts Center:
Tuesday, November 4, 2025, 10am-4:30pm
Exhibition start date:
Saturday, November 8, 2025
Reception date and curator talk:
Saturday, December 6, 2025, 3-5pm
Last day of exhibit:
Saturday, January 3, 2026
Artists pick up work from Montpelier Arts Center:
Sunday, January 4, 2026, 10am-4:30pm
SUBMISSION CRITERIA
Only Artists that have completed the one-time, online vendor registration for M-NCPPC, will be eligible to participate. If you have previously registered and received payment for an exhibition, you are already a vendor and eligible to participate. Please register at this link, https://www.mncppc.org/register.html as part of this submission process.
Artists may submit a maximum of 3 artworks for consideration, including 3-Dimensional, installations or video work. All works must be original (no reproductions). Images of works should be high quality and with enough resolution to see significant details. There are no restrictions on artwork size.
All works submitted must not have been displayed in a county Juried exhibit previously.
A bio, artist statement with current contact info and a list of the works submitted with titles, media, date, dimensions, and price listed are also required with submission.
Applications must be submitted online at: m-ncppc.submittable.com
GALLERY LOCATION & HOURS
Montpelier Arts Center
PURCHASE AWARDS & ARTIST COMPENSATION
On the recommendation of the Juror, the Arts and Cultural Heritage Division may purchase select works of art for inclusion in its collection. Furthermore, each artist selected to participate in the exhibition will receive a $100 compensation in appreciation of his/her participation. Payments are typically paid near the end of the exhibition.
DELIVERY & INSTALLATION
Artists are responsible for transporting work to and from the gallery. Artwork must be delivered ready to hang and appropriately presented. Art works that differ significantly from the images submitted for judging or are not ready for gallery installation may be rejected. If you need to ship the work, please call to let us know what arrangements you have made. The exhibition will be installed and de-installed by Arts and Cultural Heritage Division staff. All work accepted for exhibition must remain on display for the duration of the exhibition.
INSURANCE & SALES
The M-NCPPC insures all consigned artworks under The M-NCPPC self-insurance fund as specified on the loan agreement. The M-NCPPC will insure all consigned artwork in the custody of Montpelier Arts Center for 75% of its sale value, from the time they are received by delivery, until the pickup date only. The M-NCPPC will retain a 25% commission on all art works sold during the exhibition.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
If you have any questions or would like additional information, please contact:
Sandra Perez-Ramos, Visual Arts Assistant, sandra.perezramos@pgparks.com
Participation implies agreement with all aforementioned conditions.
Illusion and Transformation is presented by The Maryland-National Capital Parks and Planning Commission, Department of Parks and Recreation, Prince George’s County, Arts and Cultural Heritage Division.
42nd Annual Choreographer's Showcase
The Choreographer's Showcase is one of the longest-running showcases of new and established choreographers in the country. The showcase highlights new and seasoned choreographers who present their work in concert selected by a panel of adjudicators. The performance will be held on Saturday, November 15, 2025, 7 pm. Visit pgparks.com for ticket info.
DEADLINE for Submission: Friday, September 19, 2025, at 11:59 pm.
In-Person auditions will be held on Saturday, September 20, 2025, 10 am - 6 pm at the Publick Playhouse (5445 Landover Road, Cheverly, MD 20784). Note: Choreographers with scheduling conflicts may opt to submit a video submission for consideration.
Eligibility Requirements:
- This Call is open for all Choreographers over 18 years old, residing in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC.
- Each Choreographer can only submit ONE original work.
- Performance time: min. 3 minutes, max. 8 minutes
- Content of the work must be original. Use of another artist’s choreography is not eligible.
- Any music track must be credited in the application
- Nudity and/or violence may not be depicted. Such content will disqualify the submission.
For Video Auditions:
- Videos can be recorded in any location, indoors or outdoors, provided local requirements of safety are maintained.
- Video MUST BE GOOD QUALITY with the camera positioned to see movement clearly. Video can be filmed by another person.
- Each video should contain only one dance performance and the file should be named with the name of the choreographer and the performance
- The following video file formats are acceptable: MP4, MOV + download on Vimeo video platform
Awards
Each selected choreographer will receive an award of $1000. If two choreographers team up to create work, they will share the award.
Questions?
If you have any questions or would like additional information, please contact Megan Merchant at megan.merchant@pgparks.com or 301-446-3238.
The 2025 Choreographer's Showcase is a program of The Maryland-National Capital Park & Planning Commission, Department of Parks & Recreation, Prince George’s County, Arts and Cultural Heritage Division.