61st CAIN National Show 2027: U.S. Artists, Photography and $10,000 Total Purchase Awards
UNITED STATES NATIONAL JURIED CONTEMPORARY ART COMPETITION. Del Mar College in Corpus Christi, Texas, has opened applications for the 61st Annual CAIN National Show in 2027. The gallery welcomes original photography, paintings, drawings, prints and other contemporary media from U.S. artists. A guest art juror selects an exhibition, and the juror and art faculty decide which works should receive a portion of US$10,000 in PURCHASE AWARDS. The $10,000 is a total budget for acquiring selected artworks for the college's collection, not an individual cash prize that every entrant or one guaranteed winner receives.
Eligibility: 'all U.S. artists,' with Del Mar faculty excluded
The official prospectus says the open call is for 'all U.S. artists,' excluding Del Mar College full-time art faculty. It does not explicitly define whether every category of temporary visa holder or U.S. citizen working abroad qualifies. This notice therefore calls it U.S.-artists-only, not a requirement for U.S. passports or a worldwide competition. If your nationality, residence or working base makes your eligibility uncertain, ask the college before paying the entry fee.
Artwork and photography: what is actually eligible
The exhibition includes photography in its two-dimensional category and may include original digital photographic prints presented in suitable physical form. All work must have been created within the last three years and must not have been exhibited in a prior edition of this Annual Show. A photographer can first submit a JPEG file online, but an accepted entry must subsequently be delivered as its original or exhibition-ready physical work, properly matted or framed. A digital image alone is not the final exhibition object.
Two-stage process: JPEG entry, then physical delivery
Upload an image for each work through the CaFÉ platform linked from Del Mar College's official page. Files must be JPG or JPEG, use the sRGB color profile, contain at least 1,200 pixels on the longest side and be smaller than 5 MB. One image per entry is permitted. If a work is accepted, the artist must send the same object represented in that image; substituting or altering an artwork after the jury's decision can result in rejection. Framed photographic works should be shipped with Plexiglas, not glass.
Entry fees, number of entries and deadlines
The official entry fee is US$20 for two artworks. A third artwork may be entered for an additional $5; a maximum of three works is permitted per artist. Fees are non-refundable. The application closes November 30, 2026. The gallery plans to email decisions by January 8, 2027, and accepted physical artworks must ARRIVE by January 30. The exhibition begins February 19, 2027 and runs through April 19.
Purchase Awards: a combined $10,000, not a first-place purse
Del Mar College advertises US$10,000 in aggregate Purchase Awards, with purchases selected by the juror and the college Art Faculty. Work purchased enters the college's permanent collection. The amount paid for any one purchased work is not listed on the announcement, and merely being selected for exhibition does not guarantee a purchase. The college also permits ordinary gallery visitors to inquire about buying non-awarded artwork, but the gallery says it does not directly manage sales transactions. Artwork is NOT required to be listed for sale.
Exhibition risks, return postage and copyright
Artists must pay return-shipping costs, arrange insurance covering travel and the gallery period, and provide appropriate reusable packaging. Uncollected work can be treated as college property after the period described in the terms. Entry also grants Del Mar College permission to photograph and reproduce selected artwork for exhibition catalogues, print and electronic communications, education, publicity and future promotions. Digital photographers who license images commercially should check this nonexclusive promotional use before participating.
Confirmed organizer: Del Mar College Cain Art Gallery
This is an established college art gallery and juried annual exhibition. The official announcement identifies 2027 juror Jamie Bates and details the entry procedure. A historical sentence on the same webpage refers to the '60th show' in 2027, which conflicts with the explicit OPEN CALL heading '61st Annual CAIN National Show'. This notice follows the open-call heading; the prospective entrant should refer to the current CaFÉ entry page for the final edition and submission details.
Official application rules
Official college rules, schedule and CaFÉ entry link: https://www.delmar.edu/offices/art/gallery.html
Verified October 30, 2026. This independent article describes a judged U.S. art competition with possible professional artwork purchases; it is not a salary-paying gallery job. The official college prospectus governs eligibility, fees, delivery, copyright and insurance.