Main Gallery: 2026 Bank of the Arts National Juried Exhibition

August & September 2026

Craven Arts Council & Gallery is proud to present their signature biennial exhibition, the 2026 Bank of the Arts National Juried Exhibition. This exhibition features over 100 artworks out of over 400 entries, carefully curated by this year’s juror, Ben Billingsley, from the Cameron Art Museum. The exhibition
highlights work from 22 states and includes paintings, printmaking, ceramics, photography, woodworking and much more. Artwork selected for the exhibition falls into 5 distinct categories, with a variety of individual themes: 2D paintings and mixed media, Photography, Contemporary Crafts, Indoor Sculpture and Outdoor Sculpture. Bank of the Arts will host the opening reception for the exhibition at Artwalk on Friday, August 14th from 5 – 8 pm, with awards announced at 6 pm.

Award-winning artist Benjamin Billingsley holds an MFA from UNC-Greensboro and has exhibited work in the United States, Latvia, Estonia, Russia, and Japan. Billingsley serves as the curator at the Cameron Art Museum, where he has curated several recent exhibitions, including From Mountains to Sea and The Game Changers: Diebenkorn, Frankenthaler, and Rauschenberg. He will be in attendance for the awards ceremony during August Artwalk at Bank of the Arts, and will join Executive Director Jonathan Burger in announcing awarded artworks, including the $1,500 CAC&G Permanent Collection Purchase Award. On Saturday, August 15th at 11am, Craven Arts Council & Gallery will host a Juror’s Talk featuring Ben Billingsley as he discusses his selection process, artist background, and more. This event is free of charge and open to the public.

For more information on 2026 Bank of the Arts National Juried Exhibition, visit cravenarts.org. Visit Bank of the Arts, home of the Craven Arts Council & Gallery, Tuesday – Saturday, 10 am – 5 pm.