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2027 United Tribes American Indian Unity Conference
March 3–6, 2027

Hilton Raleigh North Hills,
3415 Wake Forest Road, Raleigh, NC

Amateur Art Competition

 

SUBMISSIONS WINDOW: October 1, 2026 – January 31, 2027

DEADLINE: 11:59 pm, January 31, 2027

ARTIST ELIGIBILITY

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1. To enter, applicant must be an enrolled member of a *federally- or state- recognized American Indian tribe and currently residing in North Carolina, or live in another state but are enrolled in a North Carolina federally- or state-recognized tribe. A copy of tribal enrollment card must be attached with application. Youth under 18 who do not have a tribal enrollment card but participate in an Indian Ed program may submit a letter from the student's Indian education office to verify that the student is enrolled with a complete, active 506 form on file. Entry will be disqualified if no proof of tribal membership in a federally or state-recognized tribe (card or proof of active 506) is provided with application.

*NC federally- and state-recognized tribes: Catawba Nation, Coharie Tribe, Haliwa-Saponi Indian Tribe, Lumbee tribe of North Carolina, Meherrin Indian Tribe, Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation, Sappony, Waccamaw Siouan Tribe. 

2. The competition is open to AMATEURS ONLY. An amateur does not show or sell works in galleries or juried or professional art festivals or shows.

 

AGE DIVISIONS

Entries will be judged in five age divisions: 

  • Youth (5-9 years)

  • Teen (10-14 years)

  • Junior (15-18 years)

  • Adult (19-54 years)

  • Senior Division (55 and over)
     

ART CATEGORIES 

There are six (6) categories in each age division: 

  • Pottery/Basketry

  • Painting/Drawing

  • Textiles/Regalia (beadwork or regalia judged, not both) 

  • Beadwork/Jewelry (submission of any regalia in this area will be judged on its beadwork alone)

  • Sculpture (bone, wood, clay, stone, and gourd)

  • Mixed Media (this category will also include any work that falls in the above categories that fails to get at least 3 entries)

ELIGIBILITY OF ENTRIES:

  • Entries must be the original work of the artist. No copies.

  • Artist is limited to one entry per category.

  • No molds or kits allowed.

  • No copyrighted images can be used in artwork.

  • Artwork must be completed within the last 2 years.

  • Only individual projects will be accepted.

 

ENTRY FORM:

  • Please complete one entry form for each submission. 

Download ENTRY FORM here.

  • Attach one completed entry form to the back of each entry. Make additional copies if needed. 

  • Any entries without/incomplete entry forms will not be accepted. 

  • Please make sure you read over the art competition information carefully before signing the entry form. 

 

DROP OFF

  • Participants are responsible for having artwork delivered to the NC Indian Unity Conference between the hours of 3:00 pm and 9:00 pm on Tuesday, March 2, 2027, or between 9:00 am and 12:00 noon on Wednesday, March 3, 2027. 

  • NO LATE SUBMISSIONS will be accepted. No exceptions.

 

NO ARTWORK IS TO BE LEFT WITHOUT BEING CHECKED IN BY ART ROOM PERSONNEL
Any artwork left unattended and not checked in will not be entered.

 

JUDGING:

Judging will take place between 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm on Thursday, March 4, 2027. Artwork not checked in to the art room by 12:00 noon on Wednesday, March 3, 2027 will not be judged. 


AWARDS: 

Ribbons and certificates will be awarded to 1st, 2nd, 3rd and honorable mention in each category with an additional prize of $25 for 1st place. The 1st place winners will be announced during the morning General Assembly on Saturday, March 6, 2027. Artists can pick up their awards Friday, March 5, 2027 between 5:00 pm-7:00 pm.

 

PICK-UP: 

  • Only the artist will be allowed to pick up their own artwork unless it is specified at time of delivery. 

  • All artwork MUST be picked up between 4pm -5:30pm on Friday, March 5, 2027. 

  • Contact Becky Locklear at beckylocklear75@gmail.com for any unclaimed artwork. 

  • United Tribes of North Carolina is not responsible for unclaimed artwork left after the designated pick-up time.

 

TERMS & CONDITIONS:

  • If it is suspected that any artwork is misrepresented in any way (i.e., age category, artist, etc.), the entry will be removed.

  • No artwork will be accepted if the above criteria is not met and/or entry form is not completely filled out by the deadline. 

  • United Tribes of North Carolina reserves the right to reject any entry for any reason.

  • United Tribes of North Carolina is not responsible for theft, loss or damage of artwork. United Tribes of North Carolina will make reasonable efforts to keep all artwork safe, to have someone in the room at all times when the art room is open and to have art room doors locked at other times.


For questions, please contact Becky Locklear at beckylocklear75@gmail.com

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