The Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art is pleased to announce we are now accepting applications for the Biennial 2026 juried art exhibition sponsored by Benzel’s Bretzel Bakery.

Biennial 2026 promises to be one of the most exciting and rewarding exhibitions in the region. Next year, the exhibition will take place from July 24, 2026, through October 18, 2026. The exhibition offers an opportunity for artists in our region to be recognized for their work. Every two years, SAMA hosts a unique opportunity for new and emerging artists to exhibit alongside some of the most talented and experienced artists in the area.

Cash awards will include a top prize of $1,000 for Best in Show, together with a $500 First Place Award, a $250 Second Place Award, and a $100 Third Place Award. In addition, there will be a $300 People’s Choice Award, to be chosen by visitors to the exhibition.

To apply and see more details about the requirements for exhibition, please visit sama-art.org/biennial or call (814) 515-1370 or email [email protected] for more information.

Artworks included in the exhibition will be selected by juror, Fred Danziger. Fred Danziger is a graduate of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (1970). He has had over 30 solo shows in Philadelphia (Rodger LaPelle, Gallery222, and FAN Galleries) and Pittsburgh (James Gallery), as well as numerous group shows in New York City at Sherry French and K.R. Perlow Galleries. Fred received a major grant from the Tiffany Foundation, and 14 American museums, include his work in their permanent collections, including PAFA and the PMA. In 2016, The Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art mounted a major exhibit of over 60 of his paintings and in 2018, SAMA conferred on him their “Distinguished Artist Award” Fred also won a Mid-Atlantic Emmy® in 2018 for his illustration work done for History Making Productions, a producer of historical documentary films, located in Philadelphia. As an educator, Fred Danziger was on the faculty of The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts from 1997 – 2002 teaching portrait and still life painting classes, and from 2020- 2023 teaching online. He also taught for 40 years at The Art Institute of Philadelphia. For a list of publications and collections, see www.FredDanziger.com.

Top prizes will be awarded by juror, Nicole Maye Luga. Nicole Maye Luga is an American landscape painter working primarily in oils in a contemporary traditionalist style. She studied painting at The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, earning a four-year diploma in painting and completing the Master’s Program. A prolific, award-winning artist, she exhibits in national juried shows, museums, and universities, including the National Midyear Exhibition at the Butler Institute of American Art for five consecutive years and The Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts Fellowship Annual Juried Show since 2019. She exhibited in the Ohio Arts Council Biennial at the Riffe Gallery and the Medici Museum of Art. She was awarded The Individual Artist Excellence Grant FY2025 from The Ohio Arts Council. In addition to exhibiting, she teaches workshops. Nicole will present three solo exhibitions in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Cleveland in 2026. Please visit https://nmlstudio.org/ for more details.
Registration deadline is March 7, 2026. Notification of acceptance will be received by artists by Friday, May 8, 2026, via mailed and emailed letters of acceptance. Award winners to be announced at the Awards Reception on Saturday, August 8, 2026, from 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Reception and awards are sponsored by Barry H Newborn, Chantel Ventura, Jana Sidler, Scott Riner, Barbara O’Brien. Advertising was financed [in part] by a grant from the Department of Community and Economic Development.