Wild & Scenic Art Exhibition Seeks Artists for 2027

NEVADA CITY — Nevada County Arts & Culture and the Wild & Scenic Film Festival have opened the call for art for the 2027 Wild & Scenic Film Festival Art Exhibition, a juried show that will hang in Grass Valley and Nevada City while the festival marks its 25th anniversary. Artists may enter through November 30, with lower fees for earlier submissions. The two organizations are producing the exhibition with the County of Nevada under its Art in Public Spaces program.

The 25th annual festival runs February 18 through 22, 2027, in Nevada City and Grass Valley, with a virtual program February 19 through 28. Selected artwork will be displayed at two venues in the Grass Valley-Nevada City Cultural District: the Granucci Gallery at The Center for the Arts, 314 West Main Street in Grass Valley, and the lower lobby of the Nevada County Government Center, 950 Maidu Avenue in Nevada City.

Both the film program and the art exhibition are built around the anniversary theme of “Momentum.” Festival organizers describe the word as capturing the spirit of the environmental movements the festival has championed for a quarter century as well as the forward force of the festival itself, and as a recognition that meaningful change is cumulative. All artwork will be considered, but artists are encouraged to submit pieces that speak to a broad interpretation of the environment and to that theme.

“The Wild & Scenic Film Festival Art Exhibition is a much-loved tradition showcasing the incredible talent of local and regional artists,” said Hannah Mosby, Art in Public Spaces Program Manager at Nevada County Arts & Culture. “We are thrilled to present artworks that center care and appreciation of our natural world at two venues in the Grass Valley-Nevada City Cultural District. Our partnership with the festival is a powerful example of how art can bring attention to environmental issues and inspire change.”

Michael Huth, the festival’s director, said the partnership brings artists into an event otherwise organized around film. “The opportunity to partner with Nevada County Arts & Culture again is a chance to incorporate art and artists beyond film within our festival,” Huth said. “We love to support the community of artists and give the festival goers another element of enjoyment when here with us in person.”

Artists may submit up to three pieces in three categories: two-dimensional work, three-dimensional work, and photography. All artwork must be for sale. The festival’s Artwork Selection Committee scores entries on relevance to the theme, originality, and skill. Artists will be notified in mid-December.

The Early Bird deadline is September 30 at $25, the regular deadline is October 28 at $35, and the final deadline is November 30 at $45. Artists enter by reviewing the artwork submission guidelines and completing the digital form at nevadacountyarts.org/wsff-art-exhibition, and questions may be directed to art@wildandscenicfilmfestival.org or 530-264-7031.

The Granucci Gallery show runs February 18 through March 14, 2027, opening with a reception and awards ceremony on Thursday, February 18, from 5 to 7 PM. Winners will receive certificates at that ceremony in six categories: Best of 2-Dimensional, Best of 3-Dimensional, Best of Photography, Best of Theme: Momentum, Emerging Artist, and Judges’ Awards. Visiting judges have not been announced. The Government Center display opens a month earlier, running January 18 through April 30, 2027, with a reception in February on a date to be announced.

The festival is produced by the South Yuba River Citizens League, the Nevada City river group founded in 1983 that now counts more than 3,500 members and volunteers. The organization describes the festival as one of the nation’s largest environmental and adventure film festivals and says it launches a national tour that reaches more than 40,000 people a year.