call for art, 22nd annual cathedral arts festival

“Something New for Something Old”

The Cathedral Arts Festival, the largest and longest-running celebration of artists and the arts in Hudson County, proudly embraces tradition in 2011. For over twenty years, the loyalty and creative gifts of our ever-growing pool of submitting artists, and the dedication and hard work of tireless and passionate art supporters, both behind the scenes and in the crowds, have helped to make Cathedral Arts Festival a treasured cultural institution in the county, and a crown jewel in the cultural fabric that is historic, downtown Jersey City. It all sounds so familiar, doesn’t it? But read on ...

Our gallery venue is, itself, a work of art. The beautiful, 158-year-old sanctuary of Jersey City’s beloved Grace Church Van Vorst is the permanent home for this annual exhibition and festival. Our traditional champagne gala will officially open the visual art gallery on Saturday, November 12th and the exhibition will remain open throughout the fall holiday season. The festival will end with the closing of the gallery on Friday, December 2nd. Tradition and celebration define community life at Grace Church; it reveals our spirit and informs our identity. That’s not going to change!

We now reach out to our local art community and beyond to find the artists and work that will be CAF 22, but this year we are looking for the unexpected! As always, artwork in all media and encompassing all subject matter will be considered, but in 2011 we are seeking surprise; something new from the familiar. As you consider your body of work, and what you’d like to contribute to the show, challenge your creative palette; excite and inspire us! The curatorial team asks that all submissions be new to CAF and our gallery space, not recently exhibited locally, physically available to CAF from drop-off weekend through the close of the festival, and reasonably priced so that visitors to the gallery might be encouraged and able to purchase original art of exceptional quality. All work is for sale with 60% of the sale going to the exhibiting artist and 40% to Grace Church.

Please submit up to six JPEGS (preferred) or prints of your work. JPEGs/prints should be of good quality, true to color, and named so as to be easily identifiable to the artist and for content. Please submit JPEGs that are 72 dpi.

For each submission please clearly note/provide the following:

• Artist name and contact information (address, phone(s) and email)
• Title of Work
• Medium of Artwork
• Dimensions (height x width x length)
• Price
• One-Page resume

We encourage all artists who can to submit work via email by forwarding all materials and info to: caf-art@gracevanvorst.org.​ You may, however, mail your submission or drop it off at the church. All submissions, however, must be received on or before September 17th to be considered. If you choose to submit by mail, send all information to Grace Church Van Vorst, Attention: CAF 22 Artwork Submissions. Decisions regarding accepted work are expected in mid October.

Accepted artwork must be delivered (ready to install; hardware included) to Grace Church Van Vorst on Friday, October 28th from 6pm-9pm or on Saturday, October 29th from 9am to 11am.


GRACE CHURCH VAN VORST – 39 Erie Street, Jersey City, NJ 07302
Phone: (201) 659-2211 / www.gracevanvorst.org