About This Call
Jury for Gallery Membership, which allows for successful members to exhibit in our regular shows at our permanent gallery.
The Desert Art Center is the longest running art center in the Coachella Valley. We provide art education to adults and children in a range of mediums. Our refurbished gallery, on Palm Canyon Drive, is a historic building and was the city's first school.
In most years we aim for 4 or 5 major shows which are open daily. Gallery members can exhibit and sell their art to the public. We are a non-profit organization and use all our profits for the educational work of our organization.
Gallery membership is both a privilege and a commitment. As a gallery member you are allowed to exhibit in our main gallery shows and to sell your art. We also expect you to become involved in the co-operative nature of our volunteer organization. When the jurors judge your work, they are looking for not just artistic excellence but assessing whether your work will add something new and different to our gallery, and will it sell. They will also discuss your willingness to become involved in our organization and what skills and experience you can bring.
This is a two-stage application process, initially digital and secondly personal presentation of art in our finalists show.
Stage 1 Entry
The initial application process is handled by OnlineJuriedShows. There is a non-refundable $25 jury application fee payable to OnlineJuriedShows. For the first stage, applicants must submit their work digitally. You may submit in only one category. You will be asked to submit between 6-10 digital images of your artwork. The title of each photo should contain the Title of the work, the medium, and height x width (x depth if 3D). Applications are invited in any medium. Images must be jpg, under 4 mb and in sRGB colorspace. For best results, images should be at least 1920 pixels on the longest side @ 72 dpi.
Stage 2 – Finalists Show
From the initial applicants, the jurors will select a shortlist of artists, who will be asked to bring in two representative pieces of work for the finalists show. Your work should be ready for display. It is essential that you live near enough to the Desert Art Center so that you can contribute to its co-operative nature.
Successful New Gallery Members
Successful New Gallery Members will be notified by e-mail with the jury's decisions. If your work is accepted, you will be eligible to become a Gallery Member, after paying the Gallery Members' fee. You will be expected to submit art for at least two shows each year. If you do not, your gallery membership may be invalidated.
Schedule of Dates
- Fall Jury Applications to OnlineJuriedShows: October 5 – November 1, 2026
- Intake of artwork from shortlisted artists at DAC: November 16
- Finalists Show: November 16 – November 21
- Finalists collect artwork: November 23
- First Show intake for new members: November 30, 2026
Commitment
Once you are a Gallery Member and pay your annual Gallery Member's dues you may show your work in our gallery. You are expected to submit work for the regular shows. In turn you are required to host the gallery six hours per month. You will be invited to participate in other volunteer activities.
Liability
By submitting artwork, artists acknowledge insurance is the responsibility of each individual artist. The Desert Art Center will not be held responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged property owned by you.
Gallery Display Categories
There are 3 major categories: 2-Dimensional, 3-Dimensional and Fine Craft, each with subcategories (Paintings and Drawings, Photography, Assemblage, Sculpture, Ceramics/Clay, Glass - Fused or Stained, 3-D Mosaics, Jewelry, Fiber and Textile Arts, Carving). Members must be juried in separately for each sub-category.