E Pluribus Unum Entry

E Pluribus Unum Juried Exhibition
Entries must be received by midnight on Sunday, January 25, 2026
On display March 6-29, 2026 at the Emporium Center, Knoxville, TN
Please find the entry form at the bottom of the page.

Statement of Purpose
The Arts & Culture Alliance announces a new juried exhibition entitled E Pluribus Unum (“Out of many, one”) which invites artists to reflect on American life and our shared history through contemporary art. By inviting interpretations of E Pluribus Unum through visual art, the project encourages creative reflection on American ideals and our national narrative; by bringing local artists and audiences together around shared creative expression, the project highlights Knoxville’s role as a vibrant contributor to the national conversation on the country’s past, present, and future.

Approximately 40-50 fine art works encompassing all styles and genres from both emerging and established artists will be selected by the juror for exhibition in the main lower gallery of the beautifully renovated Emporium Center at 100 S. Gay Street, Knoxville’s downtown arts anchor location. The Emporium is free and open to the public Monday-Friday 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM, Saturday 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM, and additional hours for special events.

Juror
Josiah Golson is an artist, the creator of 800 Collective, and the Restorative Arts Manager with Metro Arts Nashville in Nashville, Tennessee. Golson received his B.A. in Communication from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and his law degree from the University of Texas School of Law in Austin. Through multiple mediums including collage, poetry, and video, Golson creates personally-driven narratives as invitations for collective storytelling. Developing his artistic practice while studying law, Golson expanded his projects from individual works to collaborative workshops and projects inspired by civic themes. While practicing law, he founded the 800 Collective to creatively inspire and organize civic discourse and engagement. Golson has taught and facilitated workshops at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, the Curb Center at Vanderbilt University, and Project Row Houses in the Third Ward of Houston, Texas. Golson has also curated exhibits at Stove Works in Chattanooga, TN and the Atlanta Contemporary in Atlanta, GA.

Awards
$500 in cash awards will be presented at the exhibition’s Opening Reception on March 6, 2026 at the Emporium at 5:30 PM (opening lasts from 5:00-9:00 PM). Awards are as designated by the juror, whose decision is final.

Shipment and Delivery
Shipping stipends are available for accepted entries; please contact the Arts & Culture Alliance for additional information. Works must be shipped in very sturdy cardboard boxes or crates. Up to $50 will be charged for replacement crates and boxes not safe enough to return works. Please be sure to include detailed packing instructions along with shipped pieces. Works must be labeled with title and artist’s name. Late or damaged work is not accepted.

Ship/deliver artwork to:
Arts & Culture Alliance, 100 S Gay Street, Suite 201, Knoxville, TN 37902
Attn: E PLURIBUS UNUM
(865) 523-7543

Eligibility and Size Requirements

I. Artwork may not have previously exhibited in any exhibition at the Emporium Center.

II. Entries must be original and completed within the last two years (2024-2025) in 2-D and 3-D (such as painting, watercolor, pastel, drawing, sculpture in any medium, jewelry, collage, printmaking, photography and digital media). Artwork created in whole or in part using any artificial intelligence system is not eligible.

III. The maximum allowed size is 60″x60″ in any direction including frame or stand (must fit through a 60” x 120” doorway). Weight is not to exceed 50 lbs. unless special arrangements are made.

IV. Artwork must be suitably framed/mounted and wired for installation.

The juror reserves the right to disqualify any work not suitably presented or that varies from the submitted image.

Entry Procedure
The nonrefundable entry fee is $20 for up to three works ($12 for Arts & Culture Alliance members and students). Up to three additional entries may be submitted for $5/each. Diptychs and triptychs are considered one work. Works are juried by digital image only. A “pay what you can afford” fee structure also exists and allows for three entries only.

Each 2-D work should be represented by one digital image with an additional detail image if appropriate (texture, surface embellishment, mixed media, etc.); each 3-D work may be represented by up to three separate digital images. Send digital images as JPG files, identifying image with entry form number (A-F) and title of work (example: A.Title.jpg). Image size is ideally 1600 pixels on the longest side. For video works, please upload a still image in the application and email the Alliance with a link to the video on YouTube or Vimeo to view the entry.

Uploaded images must be JPEG, JPG, or PNG files and may not exceed 5 MB in size per image.

Application may be filled out online using the form below.
Images may be uploaded with online application.
Entry fee may be paid by check or credit card.
Application, images and entry fee must be received by midnight on Sunday, January 25, 2026.
All artists will receive a confirmation of their received entry when it has been processed.

Sales & Commission
Work must be for sale. Every effort is made to promote sales. All sales are handled by the Arts & Culture Alliance, who retains a 25% commission (20% for cash and check sales). To operate in accordance with the Tennessee Department of Revenue guidelines, the Alliance will add sales tax to the price of each work that sells from the Emporium and for which it collects payment. Sold works are to remain in the exhibition until its official closing date and time, unless an alternate arrangement can be reached that is mutually agreeable to the Alliance, the Artist, and the purchaser of the artwork.

Schedule
Entry forms, images, and fees received in Arts & Culture Alliance office by: midnight on Sunday, January 25, 2026
Artwork notifications e-mailed: Wednesday, February 4, 2026
Hand delivery dates to Emporium Center: Monday, March 2, 2026, between 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM (EST)
**Shipped works must arrive by 5:00 PM on Monday, March 2.
Exhibit opens to the public: Friday, March 6, 5:00-9:00 PM
Last public day of exhibition: Sunday, March 29, 2026
Pick-up work (no work is released before end of show): Monday, March 30, between 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Shipped works will be crated and ready for pick up by April 17 2026.

No work is released before the end of the exhibition. Any artwork left beyond 45 days after the last day of the exhibition may become property of the Alliance.

Handling, Theft, Damage or Loss
The Alliance agrees to handle all artwork with proper care so that artwork will not be damaged, excepting ordinary wear and tear. The Alliance shall not be liable for damage or loss caused by war, confiscation, order of any government or public authority, or by any and all causes beyond the control of the Alliance. The Alliance agrees to notify an artist within 36 hours by telephone, e-mail, and/or by written notification upon the event of any theft, damage or loss that occurs while artwork is in the possession of the Alliance. In the event of loss or damage to artwork at fault of the Alliance, the Alliance agrees to compensate up to reasonable market value on each artwork as agreed upon by Artist and the Alliance’s Executive Director.

Insurance/Artwork Inventory
Unless otherwise specified, ACA will insure up to $25,000 on all artwork in the Emporium throughout the exhibition. If necessary, Artist will insure work above that amount. Unclaimed hand-delivered work is not insured after the posted pick-up date. It is the artist’s responsibility to provide all insurance and shipping costs on works during shipment.

Liability
Receipt of the completed form constitutes Artist’s agreement with all conditions established in the prospectus. The Alliance reserves the right to use artist information and images for publicizing the event and/or on the website at www.knoxalliance.com. Consent to reproduce works photographically is assumed to be granted unless stated otherwise.

About the Arts & Culture Alliance
The Arts & Culture Alliance serves and supports a diverse community of artists, arts organizations, and cultural institutions.

This project commemorates the 250th anniversary of the founding of the nation and is supported by the Tennessee Arts Commission. http://tnartscommission.org

HOW TO ENTER – 2 EASY STEPS

These two steps must be done separately – please make the payment, THEN fill out the form, OR VICE VERSA. Thank you!

1) Please make a secure card payment via Stripe at https://buy.stripe.com, or scan the QR code below. If you prefer to pay by check, please mail payment to: Arts & Culture Alliance, PO Box 2506, Knoxville, TN 37901.

The entry fees are:

$12 for members of the Arts & Culture Alliance (or students) – 3 entries
$17 for members/students – 4 entries
$22 for members/students – 5 entries
$27 for members/students – 6 entries
$20 for non-members – 3 entries
$25 for non-members – 4 entries
$30 for non-members – 5 entries
$35 for non-members – 6 entries
Pay-what-you-can – 3 entries only

Accepted payment types include debit and credit cards.

2) Return to this page to complete the entry form below and upload your images. Be sure to click the submit button at the end of the form.

Uploaded images must be JPEG, JPG, or PNG files and may not exceed 5 MB in size per image. After you successfully upload an image, the file name will appear on the form. If you need to replace the image, click on the “Delete” link next to the file name.

Upon successful submission of the form, you will receive a copy to the e-mail address you provided (and this page will refresh).