The DownEast National Juried Sculpture Exhibition is located in Pitt County, North Carolina. The exhibition has two components: a month-long indoor exhibition at Emerge Gallery & Art Center and a year-long outdoor exhibition throughout Pitt County.
Outdoor
This exhibition is open to all artists ages 18 and up. All entries must be submitted digitally. Work should be large scale to fit one of the sculpture pads in various locations throughout Pitt County, NC. Sculpture pads range from 4’x5’ to 10’ round in diameter. Artists must be available to install and remove their own work. They may have some help from the entity where the sculpture is placed, but this is not guaranteed. All work must remain on exhibit from the end of February 2026 through the end of February 2027. Work must be able to be exhibited outdoors for the length of the exhibition and utilize materials that are exterior grade.
Entries and Fees
All entries are to be submitted digitally through www.callforentry.org (CaFÉ). If you have not registered previously with CaFÉ, setting up your portfolio is free.
Each artist may submit up to 6 entries. Artists are required to submit 1 entry for a fee of $15, with the option to submit 5 additional entries at $5 each. There is a limit of 6 entries per artist. Entries may be submitted on the CaFÉ website beginning October 1, 2025, and must be completed by 11:59PM MST on November 15, 2025.
Prizes
For those sculptures chosen, there will be honorariums awarded of $1,200 each.
Additional award prizes include:
1st Place: $1,500
2nd Place: $750
3rd Place: $500
Application Submission and Deadline
Deadline: November 15, 2025
Indoor
This exhibition is open to all artists ages 18 and up. Sculpture is the three-dimensional artwork which is physically presented in the dimensions of height, width and depth. Any three-dimensional media or material is eligible to participate. Indoor submissions must fit through a standard sized door (36”x80”). Work must be ready for display. All entries must be submitted digitally. Work submitted that is above our insurance value may not be accepted into the exhibition. All work must be able to be exhibited for the length of the exhibition, March 6-28, 2026.
Entries and Fees
All entries are to be submitted digitally through www.callforentry.org (CaFÉ). If you have not registered previously with CaFÉ, setting up your portfolio is free.
Each artist may submit up to 6 entries. Artists are required to submit 3 entries for a fee of $20, with the option to submit 3 additional entries at $5 each. There is a limit of 6 entries per artist. Entries may be submitted on the CaFÉ website beginning November 20, 2025, and must be completed by 11:59PM MST on January 15, 2026.
Prizes
1st Place: $500
2nd Place: $250
3rd Place: $100
Application Submission and Deadline
Open: November 20, 2025
Deadline: January 15, 2026
Meet the Juror
Sculptor Jordan Parah has been a visual artist her whole life, drawing on a childlike imagination to inspire her metal sculptures today. Her work challenges the intrinsic properties of metal and is formed into harmonious compositions that exemplify coexistence, creating balance and harmony out of diversity. She received a BFA in Sculpture and minor in Art History from East Carolina University in 2014. Today, Parah runs her business, Parahdise Sculpture, creating contemporary aluminum and steel sculptures in Greenville, NC. She also works at City Art Gallery and has worked in museums and galleries for 15 years. With over a decade of experience in public art exhibitions, her focus is large-scale outdoor commission work, which can be found throughout the southeast including the Greenville Museum of Art, UNC Rex Hospital Cancer Center, Wake Forest Renaissance Arts Center, The Pointe at Barclay in Wilmington, and Novant Health. Her sculptures are in private collections across the United States. Parah also actively serves on the ACE Committee at the Greenville Museum of Art and the Civic Arts Committee in Greenville.
