USC McMaster Gallery 72nd Student Art Exhibition: Digital & Video Work Due 15 Nov 2026
McMaster Gallery at the University of South Carolina is accepting submissions for its 72nd Annual Juried Student Exhibition, scheduled for early 2027. The invitation explicitly includes experimental and media-based work, making it relevant to students creating digital art, screen-based projects, time-based imagery, animation or other technology-supported visual practice alongside traditional artworks.
Who is eligible?
Only students enrolled in courses within the University of South Carolina Columbia Campus are eligible. Eligible artworks must have been created during the student's UofSC enrollment in the last two years, and each work must be an original design executed by the student. Up to four works per applicant may be entered. This is a campus-specific United States opportunity, not an international exhibition accepting work from unrelated universities.
Entry and exhibition dates
15 November 2026: deadline for online submission of artworks for jurying. 1 December 2026: acceptance decisions emailed to artists. 2–14 December 2026: delivery period for selected work to McMaster Gallery (check the published front-office hours). 19 January–26 February 2027: exhibition dates. 4 February 2027, 5:30–7pm: awards ceremony. 8–12 March 2027: collection period for exhibited work.
Digital media and installation requirements
The organiser welcomes traditional and experimental media. A work involving video, sound, interaction or display hardware must be identified as media-based when entering. The official form requests an image of the piece, or an image/video/audio file representing the work, and provides upload controls; its visible file-upload instructions show a 10MB maximum. Artists should test files and read the form before the deadline.
The gallery states that media-based works will usually be displayed without sound using a short-throw projector or individual screen. If a work needs a specific television, monitor, iPad or sound presentation, the artist must specify that requirement; for selected pieces, the student must supply the equipment and mounting hardware by 4pm on 14 December 2026. Sound, when allowed, must be delivered through headphones. Plan the exhibition version accordingly rather than assuming the gallery will supply specialist hardware.
Physical constraints and original work
No entry requiring ongoing maintenance, involving biodegradable material or loose soil/grit, or exceeding six feet in any direction or 75 pounds is eligible. Works intended to hang must be appropriately prepared and fitted with proper hanging hardware. Applicants should verify installation instructions and ownership or copyright documentation before submitting files.
About McMaster Gallery and the organisers
McMaster Gallery is operated by the University of South Carolina's School of Visual Art and Design. The school describes the Annual Juried Exhibition as an established spring tradition that began in 1955, with student work selected by an external juror and awards for artists. The 72nd edition's online application, gallery manager contact and defined collection and exhibition timetable provide traceable institutional information.
Application process
Use the official university entry form and provide your name, contact information, graduation timeframe and the title, date, medium and dimensions of each artwork. Answer whether the work is for sale and whether it is time- or media-based; upload a clear image or digital documentation and declare any special installation needs. Questions can be directed to the McMaster Gallery manager through the university email svadgallery@mailbox.sc.edu. Submit by 15 November 2026; the invitation does not guarantee acceptance or a prize.
Checked against the university's 2026–27 official pages on 19 October 2026. Verify final conditions and times in the organiser's entry form before preparing the installation. This independent opportunity summary is not a statement of approval by USC.