Sitar Arts Center invites artists to submit original artwork for the 17th Annual Patricia Sitar Juried Exhibition: "Tomorrow, Imagined."
For 25 years, Sitar Arts Center has been a cornerstone of Washington, DC's arts community, providing high-quality, affordable arts education for children, teens, and young adults from every Ward. By removing financial and cultural barriers, Sitar ensures that everyone—regardless of background—can access transformative arts experiences.
Established in 2010, this annual juried exhibition honors Sitar's namesake and strengthens the Center's commitment to building a creative community of learning and belonging. Open to artists at every stage of their careers, it especially offers a meaningful platform for those in the early phases of their artistic journey to share their work and connect with an audience that values the power of the arts to inspire and connect.
THEME: TOMORROW, IMAGINED
The future isn't something we just wait for—it's something we imagine, shape, and build every day. "Tomorrow, Imagined" invites artists to explore what's ahead: the hopes, questions, and possibilities that shape where we're headed as a community and a world.
There's no single way to approach this theme. Artists might draw on personal dreams, the past, community life and relationships, technology and innovation, the environment, or the impact they want to make. Some pieces might celebrate progress and optimism. Others might sit with uncertainty, loss, or the unknown. Still others might imagine entirely new ways of living, connecting, or seeing the world.
This isn't about predicting what will happen. It's about asking: What future are we imagining—and what future are we helping to create?
Artists are encouraged to interpret the theme broadly. All mediums and perspectives are welcome.
ELIGIBILITY
Artists ages 16 and up residing in the United States. Artists must be at least 16 by the date of their submission.
ACCEPTED MEDIA
- Two-dimensional (2D)
- Three-dimensional (3D)
- Film/Video/New Media
PRIZES
- Young Adult (Age 16-21): 1st Place – $250, 2nd Place – $150
- Adult (Age 22 and over): 1st Place – $450, 2nd Place – $250
- People's Choice Award: $100 (Chosen by community vote.)
SUBMISSION FEE
YOUNG ADULT ARTISTS: Ages 16 – 21
- Sitar Students and Non-Sitar Students
- Free up to five (5) pieces
ADULT ARTISTS: Ages 22 and older
- Sitar Community Members (parents, faculty, volunteers, or staff):
- Free up to three (3) pieces
- $5 per additional piece, up to two (2) additional pieces
- Non-Sitar Community Members
- $15 up to three (3) pieces
- $5 per additional piece, up to two (2) additional pieces
TIMELINE
- Submission Deadline: Sunday, November 15, 2026
- Acceptance Notification: Friday, December 4, 2026
- Artwork Drop-Off: Monday, January 18 – Saturday, January 23, 2027
- Exhibition Dates: Monday, February 8 – Saturday, March 13, 2027
- Opening Reception: Thursday, February 11, 2027, at 7:00 p.m.
- Artwork Pickup: Wednesday, March 17 – Saturday, March 27, 2027