Art Gone Wild & Competition

We are seeking representational artworks that highlight Alabamian native species. Artwork should depict at least one of the species listed under “Categories” below in natural landscapes/settings and may incorporate fitting outdoor sporting activities/sporting dog elements when appropriate for the species selected.

All artworks will be juried and judged based on the following criteria:

• Accuracy of the chosen species. We accept a broad range of artistic styles and interpretations; however, artistic liberties must still allow for easy identification of the exact species We also encourage artists to consider their chosen animal’s natural habits and behaviors in their depictions as well, as unnatural depictions may result in entry rejection.
• Composition that highlights the animal. While the animal does not need to be centered or even a large portion of the artwork, the composition of the piece must ultimately focus or bring focus to the chosen Artists depicting their chosen animal with other species (such as dogs, predators, or hunters) should be particularly mindful of this.
• Artistic merit and quality. Artworks will be judged based on design, skill, visual appeal, and quality of artistic

Main Category: Game Species

“Best of Show” Purchase Prize:     $12,000
“Award of Excellence” Purchase Prize:     $7,000

Secondary Category: Song & Shorebirds

“Best of Song & Shore” Purchase Prize:    $5,000

Merit Awards:

Three Overall Merit Awards:     $750

Game species purchase awards become the property of The Alabama Wildlife Federation and LIV Development, including copyright and all that it entails, such as marketing and reproduction rights. Award-winning artwork may be used in future promotional materials or for use in fundraising campaigns by the Alabama Wildlife Federation.  The Song & Shorebird Purchase Award will become the property of The Kelly Fitzpatrick Center for the Arts and will likewise be used in future marketing and promotional materials for the Wetumpka Wildlife Arts Festival and future Kelly wildlife art exhibitions.

Please note that the merit awards are not purchase awards, rather they are purely monetary awards recognizing outstanding artistic achievement.

New this year, we are introducing another category of avian species alongside the main category of native wildlife. Art must represent one or more of the below native species from either category. The Song & Shorebird category has differing awards and size limitations, further explained below.

First Round – Jurying:  Artwork applications will be reviewed by a team of jurors consisting of art professionals in the River Region and a wildlife expert from the Alabama Wildlife Federation. Please understand that the competition is highly competitive, and the jurors will be asked to select no more than fifty (50) artworks from all the entries we will receive, due to space limitations. These jurors will jury all entries based on the above judging criteria. We hope the competition will challenge and inspire artists to push themselves and grow artistically, regardless of whether their entry is ultimately accepted or not.

Second Round – Judging:  Judging will be conducted at The Kelly after the exhibition opens by a panel consisting of a representative from Alabama Wildlife Federation, LIV Development, and the Wetumpka Wildlife Arts Festival.

                                Note:  Artist names will be hidden from the jurors and judges during both judging rounds.

Winners’ Announcement: The winner shall be publicly announced during the Wetumpka Wildlife Arts Festival on October 24, 2026 at 9:00am on the main stage outside of The Kelly.

• Open to all U.S. residents at least 18 years of age.
• Work must be original, signed by the artist, produced within the last two years, and not previously reproduced.
• Artwork cannot be copied from copyrighted materials. Please refer to the “Originality and Copyright Infringement” language below for more information.
• The Kelly reserves the right to disallow the exhibition or sale of any item, which in the opinion of The Kelly is detrimental to the show’s image or does not comply with show rules.

• Mediums: Artworks must be two-dimensional in traditional mediums, such as oil, acrylic, watercolor, pastels, gouache, graphite, ink, etc. No digital media, photography, 3-D mediums, or prints or reproductions.
  
  
• Artwork Size Limitations
  • Main Game Category: Artwork must be at least 16” by 20” and no larger than 60” by 60”.
  • Secondary Song & Shorebird Category: Artwork must be at least 10” x 10” and no larger than 36” x 40”.
    
    
• Entry and Fees: Artists may submit up to a total of two entries, regardless of category. There are no submission or entry fees, thanks to LIV Development and Alabama Wildlife Federation’s sponsorship.
  
  
• Application and Photos: The artist must fill out an application form with their entries’ information and submit a labeled photo of each entry. Please label your entry photos with your name and artwork title via file name (ex. “John Smith – Mallard.jpg”) or on the back of the physical photo. Do not add visible text on your entry photo. Please also ensure that your artwork photos are high quality, well-lit, in focus, not tilted, completely in frame, and with proper white balance set. These images should best represent your entries for the jurors’ review, as bad entry photos may result in entry rejection. You may submit your application package online at https://thekelly.org/exhibitions/application, email to [email protected], or mail your application to PO Box 641, Wetumpka, AL 36092 by August 9^th. Late entries will NOT be accepted.  Please do not drop off or mail your original artwork as part of your application or for the jury process.
  
  
• Notifications: Artists will be notified by email of the jurors’ decisions for this exhibition by August 14^th. Every applicant will be notified of acceptance or rejection, so please contact us if you have not received any response after that date.
  
  
• Wall Ready: Each piece must be gallery-wrapped (at least 1.5 inches thick) or properly framed, if selected. In the case of gallery-wrapped art, all edges must be finished and dry. If the edges of your artwork are blank or raw, we reserve the right to refuse acceptance. Artworks must also have galley/picture wire installed to be accepted. Please ensure your D-rings and gallery wire are properly rated to the weight of your artwork and frame and are properly secured. The Kelly reserves the right to refuse artwork with improper gallery wire installation.
  
  
• Artwork Delivery: Art should be delivered to The Kelly at 301 Hill Street, Wetumpka, AL 36092 on September 11^th & 12^th. If you are unable to deliver your art, please contact us to make alternate arrangements. If you are shipping your artwork, please note that your artwork must also arrive by Sept 12^th, and that you will be responsible for the shipping costs to The Kelly as well as the return shipping costs if not selected as a winner or sold by the exhibition’s end.
  
  
• Commission: Art will be held from sale until after the competition is judged and the winner is announced. A twenty-five percent (25%) donation to The Kelly will be deducted from any sales during this exhibition. Art should be priced accordingly. The 25% commission does not apply to the purchase or merit awards.
  
  
• Artwork Pick Up: Artwork that does not win a purchase prize or has not sold should be picked up on November 14^th & 16^th. If you or an authorized person on your behalf are unable to pick up your art on those dates, please contact us to make alternate arrangements. Any artwork not removed within 90 days from the pickup date (February 16^th) shall be considered an unrestricted donation to The Kelly.

• Originality: Artwork should be exclusively created by the submitting artist(s) from a concept or composition originally conceived by that artist(s) from draft to completion.
• Copyright Infringement: Copyright infringement of any kind is not acceptable. Due to the nature of this competition, artwork produced using imagery or materials from someone else’s creation (drawings, painting, photographs, artwork created with classroom instruction, etc.) are not eligible to enter, even with the original artist’s permission.
• Acceptable Reference Photo Usage: Artists may use their own photos or reference materials without restriction. Artists using other sources of reference materials (such as photos of a specific species) MUST ensure that they are using ethically sourced materials that are free of copyright, royalty, and all other intellectual property rights. No direct copies of reference images are allowed, even with permission or purchased license.
  • The Kelly will consider artwork using stock or reference images as transformative and thus eligible to enter if the artist:

• • • Significantly alters the artwork’s final composition from the original reference photo, to be judged on a case-by-case basis. Generally, artwork should deviate from a single reference photo by at least 75%; OR,
    • Appreciably alter the artwork’s final composition using multiple different reference materials to create an entirely original composition and creation.

• AI Usage: Artwork or reference imagery generated by Artificial Intelligence (AI) are not permitted. Entry/submission photos enhanced by AI are also not permitted.