Interested in a group exhibition? Please visit our Upcoming Exhibits page for our current call to entry opportunities:
Showcase your work!
CAC welcomes artists, collectives, guilds, and arts groups interested in showcasing their work in our Hal Gomer Gallery, Gallery 194, and/or in our other display spaces in lobbies and hallways throughout the building. Interested candidates must complete the form below. Please email CAC Program and Gallery Coordinator, Gena O’Brien, at gena@chesapeakearts.org, with questions/concerns.
Once you have submitted the form, we will be in contact as soon as possible. There is no charge to apply, and if you are selected and you may sell onsite (artist managed). We book all gallery shows at least 6 months in advance. Please note that both galleries are completely booked until August 2025. Acceptance is at the discretion of the gallery review committee.
Please review our FAQ below before submitting the application
How many galleries are there? What is the size of each gallery?
Chesapeake Arts Center has two professional gallery spaces — the Hal Gomer Gallery and Gallery 194 — as well as display spaces in CAC’s education wing hallways and in the Hammonds Lane Theater lobby. Renovated in 2015, Chesapeake Arts Center renamed its gallery closest to the main entrance after the beloved late artist and former Brooklyn Park High School art teacher, Thomas Hal Gomer. The gallery has two adjoining sections, room 1 is 374 square feet and the 2nd room is 363 square feet.
Located adjacent to the Hal Gomer Gallery is Gallery 194 (working name) which was constructed in Spring 2022 when CAC office space was renovated into a new 800 square foot gallery. Funds to create this gallery were provided by the Maryland Heritage Area Authority.
What are the gallery hours?
Chesapeake Arts Center’s Galleries are open Monday-Thursday from 10 am - 6 pm and Saturday from 10 am - 1 pm.
*The above hours are subject to change based on Holidays and Closings. Updated information in regards to current Holidays and Closings that would affect available gallery hours can be found at the top banner of our website, Instagram, and Facebook prior to said date(s). Please contact us if there are any questions.
Are there restrictions for the application?
We normally require that the Artist(s) must be 18 or older to apply and the artwork must have been created within the last five years, unless otherwise noted. In regards to size of artworks, there are no restrictions as long as the work can fit and be installed properly in the gallery. Nontraditional mediums are welcomed and all mediums will be considered. Please contact Gena O’Brien, Program and Gallery Coordinator, at gena@chesapeakearts.org with questions in regards to medium(s) and artwork size.
Please note that Chesapeake Arts Center galleries have visitors of all ages. If artwork portrays nudity, please be mindful when submitting the artwork. Chesapeake Arts Center’s galleries have visitors of all ages. No violence or profanity is allowed.
Is there a fee to apply?
There is no charge for the general gallery application. Please submit the application with required information in order to be considered. Once the form has been completed, we will be in contact as soon as possible.
What is the commission fee if someone would like to purchase artwork(s)?
At this time, we do not collect a commission fee for general gallery exhibition requests. CAC offers the Artist opportunity to display their artwork, but we are not able to facilitate direct sales of artwork on display. There will be a price list available per request of patron(s) , and CAC will share the Artist’s email and website with anyone who makes purchase inquiries.
How will CAC market the exhibit?
Chesapeake Arts Center will provide marketing support and publicity for exhibitions (and related programming). This can include but is not limited to: press releases, exhibit posters to be displayed in CAC hallway, and calendar notices to local media outlets; postings on social media outlets; inclusion in CAC e-newsletters; inclusion in CAC’s printed publications including education catalogs; postings on CAC website; and other marketing activities determined by the CAC Marketing Department.
To effectively market the artist’s work, the Artist must provide a detailed list of marketing materials (outlined in the gallery contract) to the Program and Gallery Coordinator at least three months prior to the exhibit opening. In addition, CAC will likely feature the Artist in our “In The Studio Blog,” (this is preference of the Artist), which will highlight the Artist on the CAC website through a series of questions. CAC will do our best to market to our own audience, but the most successful and well-attended gallery events have always involved heavy self-promotion from the artist.
What is the insurance requirement? Do we have to provide our own insurance for the artworks?
The Artist may either choose to maintain their own insurance, or select that Chesapeake Arts Center insure the artwork for the duration of the exhibition (details outlined in the gallery contract).
If the Artist chooses for Chesapeake Arts Center to insure the artwork, CAC’s insurance policy will only cover up to $50,000. If the artist's value of artwork is higher than the insurance policy, the artist agrees that CAC will not be liable for amounts above our insurance policy.