2025 New River Art Juried Biennial

The New River Art Juried Biennial traditionally rotates every two years between the Floyd Center for the Arts, the Fine Arts Center for the New River Valley in Pulaski, and the Blacksburg Regional Art Association (BRAA). The 2025 exhibition is sponsored by BRAA and hosted by the Moss Arts Center for the second time.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS: Eligible Artwork. All artistic mediums made between the years of 2022-2024 are accepted for review. Art exhibited in previous New River Biennials is not eligible for review. 2-D work must be ready for installation including hanging devices on the artwork. Each work will not exceed 72 inches in any dimension, including frame and must not exceed 50 lbs. in weight. (Please note: Sawtooth hangers are unsafe for installation and cannot be used.) 3-D work will be no larger than 72 inches in any direction, including base and must not exceed 50lbs. These works must be self-standing and stable. Performance and video/sound works are not eligible for this exhibition.

Artists are responsible for delivery and/or shipment to and from the Moss Arts Center. Accepted artworks may be hand-delivered or shipped by the artist on the exact date specified. All artworks must be packed properly for return shipping. Pre-paid return and/or pick-up is the responsibility of the artist. Return prepaid shipping label from UPS or FedEx must be enclosed. Artworks that do not include proper materials for return shipment or shipping label, or artworks that are not picked up in the specified window, will be destroyed. Delivery dates and location will be provided to all accepted artists. All artworks must be submitted with information for artwork labels: artist, location, year, medium, dimensions. The information for artworks included in the exhibition will be printed according to the application.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: All artists currently living within a 170-mile radius of the Moss Arts Center are eligible to submit up to three works.

I affirm that I have read and understood the guidelines for entry into the 2025 New River Art Biennial. By applying to 2025 New River Art Biennial, I agree to the following:

• I am an artist currently living within a 170-mile radius of Blacksburg. 
• A non-refundable fee of $40 is required for this application. The Moss Arts Center will provide insurance for all work while it is on the premises. Artists must provide their own incoming and outgoing shipping insurance.
• The Moss Arts Center is not responsible for damage due to improper packing or creation of work using non-archival or unsafe materials. The Moss Arts Center has a right to refuse to include work in the exhibition if it is determined by the Moss Arts Center staff to be unsafe for installation within our galleries. The Moss Arts Center reserves the right to photograph and reproduce any work in the 2025 New River Art Biennial for publicity and educational purposes.

AWARDS: More than $3,000 will be awarded in various categories.

SALES: Sales will be arranged directly between buyer and artist. The hosting gallery cannot facilitate sales. Sold works must remain in the gallery through the closing of the exhibition.

About the Juror

Michael Rooks, Weiland Family Senior Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, High Museum, Chicago

Known as an art curator dedicated to community building and engaging audiences across generations from every walk of life, Michael Rooks joined the High Museum in January 2010. In addition to his responsibilities at the High, Rooks served as commissioner and cocurator of Workshopping: An American Model of Architectural Practice at the U.S. Pavilion, 12th International Architecture Exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia in 2010 and is an independent writer.

Prior to joining the High, Rooks held curator positions at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (MCA), the Contemporary Museum Honolulu, and the Honolulu Academy of Arts. At MCA Chicago, he curated several group exhibitions and solo projects in addition to major retrospective exhibitions of work by Roy Lichtenstein and H. C. Westermann, for which he co-authored Westermann’s catalogue raisonné. As curator at the Contemporary Museum, Honolulu, he curated more than 15 exhibitions, including projects by Michael Lin, Paul Morrison, and Yoshitomo Nara.

His exhibitions at the High include Monir Farmanfarmaian: A Mirror Garden (2022–2023); What Is Left Unspoken, Love (2022); KAWS PRINTS (2021); Ragnar Kjartansson: The Visitors (2021); With Drawn Arms: Glenn Kaino and Tommie Smith (2018–2019); Al Taylor, What Are You Looking At? (2017–2018); Imagining New Worlds: Wifredo Lam, José Parlá, Fahamu Pecou (2015); Alex Katz: This Is Now (2015); KAWS: DOWN TIME (2012); and two historical survey exhibitions in partnership with MoMA, Fast Forward: Modern Moments 1913-2013 (2012–2013) and Picasso to Warhol: 14 Modern Masters (2012), among others.