In the last two years, the western Greater Toronto Area (GTA) artist community has lost two annual juried art shows to show their paintings, photography & sculpture. No longer are the Peel Heritage Centre's prestigious annual show (Brampton) and Halton Hills Cultural Centre’s community “The John Sommer Annual Juried Art Show” (Georgetown).  Both venues have undergone remarkable renovations in the past two years. The Peel Heritage Centre is now reborn as PAMA. An unexpected donation of an art collection altered the Halton Hills Cultural Centre's gallery’s focus from community-centric exhibition to a more staid model. But take heed; there are still  juried art shows to enter in 2013.  For some of the shows,  it is too early in the season for the posting of exact deadline dates. Thus I have included a "heads up" date based on when the show deadline was the previous year.

By the way, there is a lot of discussion out there that juried shows are a "money grab" and other negative thoughts.

But juried shows are a very useful tool in your art career strategy. They are one way to build your c.v. when starting out, get a new work or style out before the public, get your work before juror you admire, support your local art community, (club, gallery, or council) and do that all important networking at that opening party, that is, oh, so important (as well as so painful to many of us).

And sure, the judging has a subjective element; after all, it’s art! Judges react, just as you would, with their hearts and personal preference, but they also judge with the years of ability for which they have been hired. Most shows hire more than one adjudicator, and I have witnessed first hand, the very careful thought behind the choices.

Happy planning & best of luck, everyone!

2013 CALLS TO ENTRY Please remember to check requirements & eligibility.

• Deadline Feb. 22^nd  Ontario Society of Artists Open Juried Show “Echo” http://ontariosocietyofartists.org/files/1970/OSA-Call_for_Entry-_OJE_Echo-_2013_v4.pdf
• Early March. “Through the Eyes of the Artist” Lakeshore Arts Annual Juried Exhibition. http://www.lakeshorearts.ca/
• Deadline March 8^th  Artcetera 2013. Elora Centre for the Arts. http://www.eloracentreforthearts.ca/index.cfm?page=2013artceteraAPPLICA
• Deadline March 8^th.  6^th Beaux-Arts Brampton Annual Open Juried Show 2013 www.Beaux-ArtsBrampton.com
• Deadline April 5^th 4^th Annual Open Juried Photography Show 2013 Beaux Arts Brampton Gallery www.Beaux-ArtsBrampton.com
• Deadline April 26^th The Kingston Prize. Nationwide Juried Portraiture painting show.  http://www.kingstonprize.ca/rules
• Early May deadline. 17^th Annual Juried HAFestival Art Show & Sale (Headwaters Arts Festival). Show is in September during Headwaters Arts Festival. http://headwatersartsfestival.com
• Early June. “Insights” Wellington County Museum and Archives. (between Elora & Fergus) www.artscouncil.elora.on.ca
• Deadline June 21. Painting on the Edge. Canadian Federation of Artists Open Juried Show. https://artists.ca/submissions/index
• Deadline Aug 2^nd 5^th Annual Open Juried Wildlife, Nature, & Native Juried Show 2013 Beaux Arts Brampton www.Beaux-ArtsBrampton.com
• Start checking in the summer for the October. Canadian Society of Painters In Watercolour www.cspwc.org
• Deadline end of September. Colour and Form Society Annual Open Juried Art Show. www.colourandformsociety.org
• Early December. The annual Visual Arts Mississauga (VAM) Juried Show at the AGM (Art Gallery of Mississauga. Entry is through VAM. https://www.visualartsmississauga.com 
• December. Call for entry for Burlington Arts Centre Auction www.thebac.ca/

Some Other Calls for Entries of Interest

• Feb. 28^th British International Photography Show http://www.discoverwildlife.com/wildlife-nature-photography/bbc-wildlife-artist-year-2013-rules-0
• March 8^th Toronto Outdoor Art Show. Nathan Philips Square.  Deadline www.Torontooutdoorart.org
• Sign up early October – November to receive sketchbook. Due early January 2014. The Sketchbook Project. www.sketchbookproject.org