Join a thriving community of professional artists in the Montpelier Resident Artist Program. Resident artists work in a diverse variety of media and styles, maintain studio hours for the public to visit, and participate in community events. Resident artists are selected by an annual jury panel and exhibit their work in the Montpelier Arts Center’s Resident Artist Gallery on a revolving basis. Interested artists are encouraged to visit the Arts Center, located on the beautiful grounds of the Montpelier House Museum in Laurel, MD. 

    Individual studio spaces at Montpelier Arts Center are located on the first floor and the second floor. The printmaking studio is a shared workspace on the first floor. Artists are expected to maintain a certain number of studio hours per week. Studios vary in size. Yearly rent is $8 per square foot for Prince George's County residents and $10.40 per square foot for non-residents. Eligible artists must be at least 18 years old and reside in Maryland. Residents of Prince George’s and Montgomery Counties will take precedence over others. Resident artists may share studio space at Montpelier Arts Center. However, each prospective resident artist must submit an individual submission for review by the juror.

    Selected artists can renew their lease for up to three years; if artists would like to stay three additional years, they will need to re-jury in. Artists have the opportunity to hold a studio space for up to a maximum of six years. Leases run July 1 through June 30. Studio access is commensurable to the hours the facility is open. There is no entry fee for this competition.

    All entries must be submitted by 11:59 pm on Sunday, March 23, 2025. Scroll down to the bottom of this page to apply.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:

• Current résumé, artist statement, and biography for each artist looking to rent.
• Letter of intent stating reasons for applying, what you hope to accomplish through/during residency, how studio space will be used, and any special projects you propose with Montpelier Arts Center.
• A minimum of 10 and a maximum of 15 digital images that best exemplify your portfolio/proposal, with the titles, dates, and dimensions of each work. Images must be in JPEG format at a minimum 300 dpi.
• Three professional references, their relation to you, and their contact information. 

    Each selected artist will be granted a lease for rental space at Montpelier Arts Center. Montpelier resident artists may hold solo exhibitions in the Resident Artist Gallery on a revolving basis. 

Submission Deadline: Sunday, March 23, 2025, 11:59 pm 

Notification of Results: week of Monday, April 7, 2025

Confirmation of Acceptance: Monday, April 14, 2025

New Leases Begin at Montpelier Arts Center: Tuesday, July 1, 2025 

    For more information, please call 301-377-7800 or send an email to montpelierarts@pgparks.com. 

Montpelier Arts Center is a facility of The Maryland-National Park and Planning Commission, Department of Parks and Recreation, Prince George’s County, Arts and Cultural Heritage Division. The Maryland-National Park and Planning Commission is supported by a grant from the Maryland State Arts Council, an agency dedicated to cultivating a vibrant cultural community where the arts thrive. The Department of Parks and Recreation encourages and supports the participation of individuals with disabilities. Register a minimum of at least two weeks in advance of the program start date to request and receive a disability accommodation.

        Montpelier Arts Center is holding a competition for exhibitions that will be held in the Library Gallery, September 2025–August 2026. To be eligible, artists must be 18 years and older and reside in Maryland. Previous winners from 2019 to the present are ineligible. The juror may elect to exhibit artists who apply for solo shows or artists who apply as groups.

        An honorarium of $400 will be presented for each exhibition to the artist(s) exhibiting (i.e. groups would share the $400 honorarium.) The Montpelier Arts Center staff will handle all promotion and installation, as well as the reception. Please note, Montpelier Arts Center retains a 25% commission on sales of works sold during the competition.

        There is no entry fee for this competition.

      All entries must be submitted by Sunday, March 2, 2025 at 11:59 pm. Scroll down to the bottom of this page to apply.

      Selected Artists/Artist Groups must confirm exhibition dates by Monday, March 24, 2025.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:

• Artist/artist group statement about the artwork to be exhibited.
• Current résumé of all artists to exhibit.
• A proposal of no more than 500 words (click here to see a floor plan of the Library Gallery).
• Preferred month for your show, plus second and third choices. Exhibitions typically run 6-8 weeks.
• A minimum of 10 and a maximum of 15 digital images that best exemplify your portfolio/proposal. Images must be in JPEG format at a minimum 300 dpi resolution.

Submission Deadline: Sunday, March 2, 2025, 11:59 pm
Notification of selections: week of Monday, March 17, 2025
Deadline for artist confirmation of exhibition dates: Monday, March 24, 2025

       For more information, please call 301-377-7800 or send an email to montpelierarts@pgparks.com.
 

Montpelier Arts Center is a facility of The Maryland-National Park and Planning Commission, Department of Parks and Recreation, Prince George’s County, Arts and Cultural Heritage Division. The Maryland-National Park and Planning Commission is supported by a grant from the Maryland State Arts Council, an agency dedicated to cultivating a vibrant cultural community where the arts thrive. The Department of Parks and Recreation encourages and supports the participation of individuals with disabilities. Register a minimum of at least two weeks in advance of the program start date to request and receive a disability accommodation.

ELIGIBILITY

   Open to artists 13–18 years of age who are residents of Maryland, Virginia, or the District of Columbia. Participants may attend public/private middle and high schools, or home school. Submitted artwork cannot have been previously exhibited at Montpelier Arts Center.

There is no entry fee for this competition.
 

• All submissions must be entered online. Scroll down to the bottom of this page to apply.
• Digital images must be submitted in JPEG format, at a minimum 300 dpi resolution. Video submissions must be 10 minutes or less. Files must be labeled: “LastName-FirstName-Title of Work.”
• Submissions will close on Sunday, January 26, 2025, 11:59 pm.
• Each student may enter one (1) piece of artwork. 
• Students may submit drawing, painting, photography, collage, printmaking, mixed media, ceramics, digital based imagery, installation art, sculpture, and video.
• Work using materials that are hazardous to the health and safety of the public will be disqualified. All artwork must not exceed 36 inches in any direction. Work intended to hang on the wall must weigh less than 30 lbs., including frame.
• Works entered must be an original composition created by the entrant.

         AWARDS

         Awards will be announced at the reception on Saturday, March 22, 2025, 1–3 pm. Awards will be given for First Place ($200), Second Place ($150), Third Place ($100), and Honorable Mentions ($50).

         MEDIA + SIZE

        Installation art, sculpture, and video art are eligible. Work using materials that are hazardous to the health and safety of the public will be disqualified. Video submissions must be 10 minutes or less. All artwork must not exceed 36 inches in any direction. Work intended to hang on the wall must weigh less than 30 lbs., including frame.

         ARTWORK DROP-OFF

        Selected artwork must be delivered to Montpelier Arts Center March 1–9, 2025 (Saturday/Sunday 10 am–5 pm; Monday–Thursday 9 am–8 pm; Friday 9 am–6 pm). The Drop Off/Pick Up Release Form must be completed and signed. Artists are solely responsible for transporting work to and from the Arts Center.

        All artwork must be properly prepared for exhibition in a gallery. Artwork must be appropriately matted, framed, and wired for exhibition. Works on canvas do not need to be framed, but should be properly wired and sides should be clear of staples. Wall-mounted sculpture must be properly prepared to hang. Wall-mounted work must weigh less than 30 lbs., including frame. Any work using materials that are hazardous to the health and safety of the public will not be hung. Unstable frames or clips are not permitted, and work that is not gallery-ready will not be hung. All work must remain in the exhibition at Montpelier Arts Center for the entire duration of the show.

         ARTWORK PICK-UP

        Any artwork not sold must be retrieved from Montpelier Arts Center April 14–27, 2025. Artwork not retrieved by 5 pm on April 27, 2025, is subject to a late fee of $5 per day that it is stored at Montpelier Arts Center, not to exceed $25. Work may be discarded at the discretion of Montpelier staff if not picked up within 30 days of the official pick-up date.

         SALES + INSURANCE

        It is recommended, but not mandatory, that artists price their artwork for sale. The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) will retain 25% commission on all artwork sold during or as a result of the exhibition; if artists wish to receive a specific amount for their work, they must add the 25% on top of that to come up with the sales price (multiply artist’s price by 1.3).

The M-NCPPC will insure all consigned artwork in the custody of Montpelier Arts Center from official delivery dates to pick-up dates only. Insurance coverage is limited to $300 per work. Montpelier will not be responsible for any loss or damage of any artwork outside of official delivery and pick-up dates. Submission of artwork to the Artists on the Rise exhibition indicates agreement with the stated conditions.

         EXHIBITION SCHEDULE

Submission Deadline: Sunday, January 26, 2025, 11:59 pm

Notification of Results: week of February 12, 2025

Drop Off Artwork: March 1–9, 2025 (Saturday/Sunday 10 am–5 pm; Monday–Thursday 9 am–8 pm; Friday 9 am–6 pm)

Exhibition Dates: March 12–April 13, 2025, 10 am–5 pm

Reception + Awards Ceremony: Saturday, March 22, 2025, 1–3 pm

Pick Up Artwork: April 14–27, 2025, 10 am–5 pm

         For questions or more information, please contact the Montpelier Arts Center by phone at 301-377-7800 or by email at montpelierarts@pgparks.com.

Montpelier Arts Center is a facility of The Maryland-National Park and Planning Commission, Department of Parks and Recreation, Prince George’s County, Arts and Cultural Heritage Division. The Maryland-National Park and Planning Commission is supported by a grant from the Maryland State Arts Council, an agency dedicated to cultivating a vibrant cultural community where the arts thrive. The Department of Parks and Recreation encourages and supports the participation of individuals with disabilities. Register a minimum of at least two weeks in advance of the program start date to request and receive a disability accommodation.