Crocker-Kingsley 2027: U.S.-Resident Artists Only, $2,000 First Prize, Photography Welcome
JUDGED PROFESSIONAL ART COMPETITION LIMITED TO U.S. RESIDENTS. Blue Line Arts, a nonprofit visual arts gallery in Roseville, California, has opened the Crocker-Kingsley 2027 National Art Competition. The exhibition is judged by contemporary-art curator Naz Cuguoğlu of the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco. Photography, original photographic prints and other media may be considered; the first five awards are cash prizes of US$2,000, $1,500, $1,000, $750 and $250. This is a juried competition with documented professional judging and awards, not an unpaid gallery volunteer recruitment call.
Eligibility: U.S. resident and 18 or older
The official 2027 prospectus requires applicants to reside in the United States and be at least eighteen. U.S. residency is an explicit eligibility condition; the gallery does not advertise unrestricted entry from every country. Artwork must be original, finished within the past two years and not previously exhibited at Blue Line Arts. There is no requirement in the prospectus to be a professional artist rather than a developing one, but the jury and gallery standards make this a substantive competitive exhibition.
Photography and digital visual-art prints: physical exhibition matters
The organizer accepts all visual-art media, including photography and original prints. A photograph or digitally created image must be presented as a legitimate gallery-ready artwork if selected; uploading a JPEG is the FIRST entry step, not a substitute for delivery of the physical work. Wall-hung works must arrive ready to hang with appropriate hardware and wire, rather than prohibited sawtooth hangers. Artworks must be individually available for sale throughout the exhibition, so a digital-only file with no saleable exhibit format is not enough.
Cash award amounts and sales commission
The jury awards first place US$2,000, second $1,500, third $1,000, fourth $750 and fifth $250. Gallery sales are administered by Blue Line Arts, which ordinarily pays nonmember artists 50% of the sale price and gallery members 60%. The contest prize is a separate award and should not be confused with sales income or with any guaranteed payment for participation. Selected artworks may also be considered for display by Sacramento's Crocker Art Museum.
Entry fee: $45; image and file requirements
Entry requires a nonrefundable US$45 fee. The organizer permits up to ten extra images at $5 per additional image, but check the actual number of artworks accepted by the application form; additional images are not automatically additional separate artworks. Submit JPEG files approximately 1–3 MB each, with at least 1,200 pixels on one side, and record each medium, size and selling price accurately. The formal application is hosted on CaFÉ/CallForEntry and linked from the Blue Line Arts official page.
Deadline: November 6, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific
The official deadline is Friday, November 6, 2026, by 11:59 p.m. Pacific time. Artists will receive jury notifications around November 27. Accepted artists must supply a high-resolution catalog image by December 4, and ship accepted work by December 11 or arrange the announced hand-delivery dates December 20–21. The physical exhibition at Blue Line Arts runs January 2 to February 13, 2027, with an additional museum selection later. This timetable is materially different from a digital-only competition.
Copyright, sale exclusivity and return-shipping risks
The gallery's consignment agreement grants Blue Line Arts exclusive authority to offer the consigned art for sale during the exhibition period and includes a contract for any gallery-initiated sale. The organizer's legal agreement also discusses promotional use. Artists must pay shipping, insure works in transport, and include arrangements for prepaid return shipment. These costs can be significant for framed photography, prints or large installations and are not covered by the $45 entry fee.
Organizer and entry
Blue Line Arts official 2027 Crocker-Kingsley prospectus, jury, rules and CaFÉ application link: https://www.bluelinearts.org/ck-2027-call
Checked October 30, 2026. Independent summary of an external exhibition competition. The official application and gallery consignment agreement control all entry, purchase, copyright and shipping conditions.