Competition to be judged by well-known liturgical expert.The Catholic Art Institute is calling for submissions of fine contemporary sacred art for an online juried exhibition. The CAI said its Sacred Art Prize 2020 offers a worldwide audience and a 1st Prize award of $1,300.
The competition is open to all artists, including members of the CAI and non-members. Accepted artists will have their work published in a gallery on the organization’s website with the opportunity to sell the work. Winning artists will also be invited to appear on CAI’s podcast and discuss their winning submission.
“This is also a wonderful opportunity to get your work seen by our juror, Dr. Denis McNamara, who works as a consultant on many church renovation projects and new church designs,” the organization said in a press release. “We hope to raise the profile of all accepted artists and expose their work to an audience interested in a purchase or commission.”
McNamara is Director of The Center for Beauty & Culture at Benedictine College. Prior to Benedictine, he was Academic Director and Associate Professor at the Liturgical Institute at Mundelein Seminary, near Chicago. His written works include How to Read Churches: A Crash Course in Ecclesiastical Architecture. He is co-host of the Liturgy Guys podcast.
The Catholic Art Institute is an arts organization working to restore a culture of truth, beauty, and goodness. “We empower artists to use their gifts to glorify God and captivate souls through beauty,” its About page says.
“This year’s CAI Sacred Art Prize is a prelude to an in-person Sacred Art Exhibition at our next live CAI Conference,” the group said. “As an organization founded by professional artists, we understand and recognize the challenges faced by sacred artists. Sadly, in today’s culture, there are few opportunities available for sacred artists to show, promote, and sell their work, but the CAI is working to create opportunities to fill that void.”
