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Event History
Leading the revival of realism in the visual arts, the Art Renewal Center (ARC), founded in 1999, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational foundation. Among other programs, the ARC hosts the ARC Salon Competition, the largest competition in the world for realist artists, painting, drawing and sculpting today. The first ARC Salon Competition was introduced in 2004 as an online event with 3 categories and four jurors. In 2012 ARC started working with magazines, galleries and museums to offer partnering awards and in 2014, the live exhibition was introduced. Last cycle, the ARC received over 5,000 entries from 87 countries. The 18th competition has over 50 prestigious jurors participating and 11 categories. The ARC works with other artist groups, museums, and publications to become a central news hub for the 21st Century Representational Art Movement.
What Makes this event different?
The International ARC Salon stands apart as one of the only competitions exclusively dedicated to representational art. Open to a range of styles—from highly realistic to impressionistic and imaginative—the competition features diverse categories, including Figurative, Portraiture, Imaginative Realism, Landscape, Still Life, Drawing, Sculpture, Fully From Life, Plein Air Painting, Animals, and a special teen category. With more categories and award opportunities than any other visual art competition, the ARC Salon attracts global participation, providing artists with career-launching prizes, international recognition, and exhibition opportunities. Unlike many competitions, artwork does not need to be available for sale or travel to qualify for top awards, though sales opportunities are available for those interested.
Copyright Policy
By submitting your entry, you grant irrevocable permission (limited-copyrights) to the Art Renewal Center™ to reproduce your artwork entered into the ARC Salon on the ARC website and in promotional materials, including but not limited to the ARC Salon Book, DVDs, articles and advertisements promoting ARC and/or the ARC Salon. This is necessary for us to be able to include your work on our website, in our 18th ARC Salon Book and for the general promotion of your work through your participation in the competition. Images will not be used for other commercial purposes and artists retain general copyrights for all other purposes.
Image Usage Rights
By submitting your entry, you grant irrevocable permission (limited-copyrights) to the Art Renewal Center™ to reproduce your artwork entered into the ARC Salon on the ARC website and in promotional materials, including but not limited to the ARC Salon Book, DVDs, articles and advertisements promoting ARC and/or the ARC Salon. This is necessary for us to be able to include your work on our website, in our 18th ARC Salon Book and for the general promotion of your work through your participation in the competition. Images will not be used for other commercial purposes and artists retain general copyrights for all other purposes.
Art Call: 18th International ARC Salon Art Competition
The Art Renewal Center’s International ARC Salon® is the world’s largest competition dedicated to 21st Century Realism, attracting over 5,000 entries from 87 countries in its last cycle. With over $130,000 in cash awards and international exposure on the ARC website—visited by over 2 million people annually—the competition provides career-changing opportunities through partnerships with top magazines, museums, and galleries. Don’t miss your chance to compete! Categories include Figurative, Portraiture, Imaginative Realism, Drawing, Landscape, Still Life, Plein Air Painting, Fully From Life, Sculpture, Animals, and a special teen category.
Entries to the 18th International ARC Salon® will be accepted from March 1 – June 12, 2025.
Reward Highlights:
- Over $130,000 in cash awards total
- Best in Show: $25,000 cash
- Over 180 awards and honorable mentions.
- 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place plus 8 honorable mentions in each of 11 categories
- Over $60,000 in purchase awards
- 14 publication awards provided by leading publications in the field including: Fine Art Connoisseur, Artists & Illustrators Magazine, American Art Collector, Southwest Art Magazine, American Fine Art Magazine, Western Art Collector, International Artist, PleinAir Magazine, Sheng Xinyu Art, The Artist Magazine, 33PA, Enchanted Living, INSIDEART, and American Essence Magazine
- Opportunity to be chosen to create new works for a special group exhibition and sale at Rehs Contemporary Galleries, inc. New York City
- Chance to have your work exhibited in the live exhibition, planned for Sotheby’s NY in July, 2026.
- Chance to have your work exhibited at the European Museum of Modern Art (MEAM) Barcelona, Spain
- Chance to have your work exhibited at the Springville Museum of Art, Utah
- Opportunity to be chosen by Fashion Week San Diego (FWSD) to participate in an exclusive opportunity with FWSD designers.
- Additional special awards include Best Marine themed Work and 2 honorable mentions provided by the American Society of Marine Artists (ASMA), Best Nude, Best Trompe L’oeil, Best Watercolor, Best Pastel, Best Social Commentary, Most Ambitious Work, the William Bouguereau Award, People’s Choice Award, Chairman ‘s Choice Awards, ARC Staff Awards and more.
- Possibility of being selected for inclusion in the 17th /18th ARC Salon Book, International Realism, published by ACC Art Books.
- All semi-finalists, finalists and winners will be published on the Art Renewal Center website which receives over 2,000,000 visitors annually.
For more information about this art competition please visit the Event Website.
