Chicago Alliance
of Visual Artists
November 16, 2026–January 1, 2027
2026 End of Year Exhibition
at Bridgeport Art Center's 3rd Floor Gallery
1200 West 35th Street, Chicago, IL
Gallery Hours: Monday - Saturday, 8:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. | Sunday 8:00 a.m.–12:00 noon
Reception & Award Ceremony: Friday, November 20, 6:30–9:00 p.m.
3rd Friday Reception: Friday, December 18, 7:00–9:00 p.m.
The Chicago Alliance of Visual Artists presents its 2026 YEAR-END EXHIBITION, a juried exhibition of artwork created by its artist members. All CAVA artist members are invited to apply via our VibrantCast call for entry.
Awards:
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Best in Show - $500
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3 Awards of Excellence - $250
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6 Honorable Mentions - $50
Jurors:
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Kaitlyn Miller, Gallery Director, Jackson Jung Gallery
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Dr. Yaounde Olu, artist, musician, publisher, founder of the Osun Center for the Arts in Chicago
Concurrent events:
>> Salon Critique Evening: Thursday, December 3, 6:00–8:00 p.m.
Salon Critique night invites CAVA members to join with fellow artists to present work in process for discussion. Email shelvm@aol.com to sign up to present. Salon Critique is FREE for CAVA members; $10 for nonmembers.
>> Artists' Talks: Sunday, December 13, 12:00–4:00 p.m.
Join exhibiting artists in the gallery as they talk about their work in the exhibition and their artistic process.
FREE and open to the public, RSVP to dorothy@dorothymason.com to save your spot!
CAVA volunteers are the key to our successful exhibitions and events!
Volunteering to help with our events and exhibitions is a great way to meet other CAVA artists, and get involved with the essential behind-the-scenes steps that make our exhibits and events successful and fun. We welcome help with artwork check-in at the drop-off day; exhibit installation; reception assistance; and registration at our concurrent events. To see all the ways to contribute, and sign up for a spot, click on the button below to jump to our Volunteer Sign-Up page!
Our artists use many mediums & disciplines to create fine art, including: painting (oil, acrylic, watercolor, pastel), encaustic, drawing, collage, assemblage, photograph, printmaking, sculpture, metalwork, ceramic, jewelry, and fiber. We are proud to collaborate with some of the finest visual arts organizations, galleries, and art centers in Chicago, and its surrounding vicinity, where we are able to host our diverse, eye-popping, color-saturated fine art exhibitions, including: Bridgeport Art Center, ALMA Gallery, Evanston Art Center, MANA Contemporary, Dwell Studio, Elmhurst Artist Guild, Chicago Cultural Center, Leslie Wolfe Gallery, the Mayslake Peabody Mansion, Zhou B Art Center, The Art Center of Highland Park, Epiphany Center for the Arts