About The Exhibit

This exhibition brings together the visionary voices of Ella Fitzgerald and bell hooks, two cultural icons who reshaped how we understand art and love. In honor of Ella’s legacy, we invite artists to create works inspired by the intertwined perspectives in Speak Love and All About Love. Consider love as Ella performs it and as hooks defines it: “The word ‘love’ is most often defined as a noun, yet all the more astute theorists of love acknowledge that we would all love better if we used it as a verb.” 

Join us in celebrating the exhibition. Speak About Love is an opportunity for talented artists in Hampton Roads and beyond to win cash prizes and incredible display opportunities. The winners will be announced at the closing reception.  RSVP for the reception here.

Meet The Judge

Nana A.N. Ferdnance, M.A.

Nana A.N. Ferdnance is a curator of modern and contemporary art. In her current role as Visual Arts Manager at the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts, Ferdnance creates contemporary fine art exhibitions that illuminate the narratives and creative talent of artists in Hampton Roads, Virginia, and beyond. Her recent exhibition projects include Walk on the Wild Side: Chilling Creatures, a reinvention of the Center’s annual animal exhibition; Indigenous Summer, celebrating contemporary Virginian Indigenous artists; and exhibitions highlighting women artists, such as Chris Jeanguenat: Flora, Fauna and Fables and Rowena Federico Finn: Crowd Control. Her curatorial practice bridges accessibly and community engagement with the evolving role of cultural institutions in shaping inclusive narratives.   

Prior to completing her graduate degree, Ferdnance volunteered at the Downing Gross Cultural Arts Center—an experience that makes jurying this exhibition a full-circle moment. During her graduate studies, she developed her research and curatorial expertise as an intern at the National Gallery of Art. There, she contributed research and cataloging for Photography and the Black Arts Movement, 1955–1985 and became a contributing author to the exhibition catalog Dorothea Lange: Seeing People. Ferdnance holds a Master of Arts in Art History with a concentration in Museum Studies from Virginia Commonwealth University and a Bachelor of Science in Art History and Environmental Studies from Randolph-Macon College. 

Calendar

  • Last date for online submissions: March 12, 2026 at 11:59pm 

  • Notification to Artists: March 16, 2026 

  • Delivery Deadline for all accepted works: March 27, 2026 at 7:30pm 

  • Exhibit Duration: April 4-25, 2026 

  • Virtual Artist Talk: April 11, 2026 at 1:30pm 

  • Exhibit Reception: April 25, 2026, 5-7pm. RSVP.

Overview

We’re hosting a juried exhibit for artists of all ages with cash prizes and incredible display opportunities for first, second, and third place winners. In order to enter, artists must submit hi-definition photos of up to two (2) pieces along with details about themselves and the pieces via email and must pay the $25 entry fee through CivicRec. Only one piece will be accepted.

Quick Links

Port Warwick Art and Sculpture Festival Details

Loan Form



Entry Information

Theme: Speak About Love

This April, our “Speak About Love” exhibition brings together the visionary voices of Ella Fitzgerald and bell hooks, two cultural icons who reshaped how we understand art and love. 

Newport News legend and jazz visionary Ella Fitzgerald, in her 1983 album Speak Love created with jazz guitarist Joe Pass, track by track moves through the intimate landscape of love: the joy of falling in love, being in love, the ache of heartbreak, and the restoration that comes through community, friendship, and inner strength.  

bell hooks, in her book All About Love, explores love through a social and philosophical lens. She argues that love cannot be understood only through romance or sentiment but must be redefined as a practice shaped by race, gender, class, and collective care. Hooks gives us the framework for understanding how love operates in our daily lives and in our society. 

Together, these works reveal that love is not just a personal experience. Both women challenge us to speak about how love is learned, lost, rebuilt, and shared. 

This year, in honor of Ella’s legacy and our Ella 28th annual Ella Fitzgerald Music Festival, we invite artists to create works inspired by the intertwined perspectives in Speak Love and All About Love. Consider love as Ella performs it and as hooks defines it: 

“The word ‘love’ is most often defined as a noun, yet all the more astute theorists of love acknowledge that we would all love better if we used it as a verb.” 

Awards and Benefits

  • 1st Place receives $700 and the opportunity to display free of charge at the Port Warwick Art & Sculpture Festival (Date TBD but typically the second weekend in October). The total cash value of these prizes is $1,025. 

  • 2nd Place receives $350 and the opportunity to display free of charge at the Port Warwick Art & Sculpture Festival (Date TBD but typically the second weekend in October). The total cash value of these prizes is $675.  

  • 3rd Place receives $100 and the opportunity to display free of charge at the Port Warwick Arts & Sculpture Festival (Date TBD but typically the second weekend in October). The total cash value of these prizes is $425.  

    All artists will receive 1 free ticket to the last featured concert of our Ella Fitzgerald Music Festival on April 25, 2026 featuring Roberta Lea and Emma Nissen. For more information on Ella Fitzgerald Music Festival visit www.downing-gross.org.  The total cash value of this award is $35. 

    A number of honorable mention awards will be announced as well, where artists will receive ribbons or certificates.   

    All accepted artists receive the following benefits: professional exhibition space and display of artwork in our Newport News Community Gallery, a listing on the DGCAC website with the artists’ contact information. 

    Once the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Place award recipients are chosen and notified at the reception, they must submit a W9 form and will be paid via check. Please allow up to 2 weeks for receipt of your check. 

Eligibility

All Virginia artists are eligible to submit up to two artworks for consideration. One will be chosen. All ages are invited to submit (please note: there will be no children’s categories. All work will be evaluated equally regardless of age). All media is allowed. Original artwork only; no prints or reproductions of paintings will be considered. Artwork previously displayed at the center will not be considered. 2D works must not exceed 48in in size on all sides. 3D works must be free standing or be able to fit on a 1ft x 1ft pedestal. Works must not exceed 60lbs.  

Submission Process

Click here to email your submission. Please submit hi-resolution photographs of your work that you want to be considered for the show. Do not drop-off any original artworks to the center before you have been notified of acceptance into the show. Each artist is allowed to submit photos of up to two (2) pieces. Please name your attachments with the exact title of the piece. The subject line of your email should read “Speak About Love Juried Exhibition Submission”. In the message area, please include your first and last name, artist name (if applicable), address, contact phone number, titles of your work, and a short explanation (no more than 75 words) of how the work fits the theme.

In addition, the entry fee of $25 for up to two works (only one may be accepted into the show) and can be submitted here. Please be sure to use the same name for your email entry and the payment of your entry fee. The names must match to be considered.

Delivery, Pick-up, and Shipping:

All artwork must be delivered to the Downing-Gross Cultural Arts Center ready to be installed. For example, two-dimensional artwork such as paintings and photographs must be delivered ready for hanging with wire. Works should be identified by name on the back or base. During the period of exhibition, the works may not be removed. All artwork must be picked up or sent back to the lender within 30 days after the exhibition period. Deadline for delivery: March 27, 2026, 7:30pm. 

Please note: DGCAC reserves the right to refuse artworks that do not meet installation requirements or are otherwise judged unsuitable even after the delivery of works. 

Shipped Artwork: Shipped work must be in reusable packaging and must include prepaid return shipping labels. 

Remember, both the submission and entry fee must be complete to be considered.

Good luck and we look forward to seeing your work!