Warren County Senior Citizen Art Show 2026

Our seniors are comprised of talented artists who submit amazing works each year and we always look forward to seeing their submissions. Senior living in Warren County that would like to participate, please reach out to Gina Rosseland (908) 453-4381.

This year, the art show is moving to a new venue-- on the 2nd floor of the Richard D. Gardner branch of the Warren County library  (2 Shotwell Drive, Belvidere, NJ), which will enable more visitors to see their submissions. The artwork will be on display after installment in May through the summer, ending August 25th.

There is no admission fee for senior artists to enter the show.

Please choose one of the two types of application formats. They are downloadable and printable (PDF format). Please type or print neatly in blue or black ink.

Application, guidelines & label (PDF downloadable) Standard size version. Hardcopies of your application (page 1) due with submission of artwork in April (see schedule below). Please affix your label as directed.	STANDARD PRINT
LARGE PRINT application, guidelines & label (PDF downloadable) Large print version. Hardcopies of your application (pages 1 and 2) are due when artwork is submitted in April (see schedule below). Please affix your label as directed.	LARGE PRINT

 County Arts Administrator & Senior Art Show Coordinator is Gina Rosseland (908) 453-4381.

County & State Guidelines

County Eligibility.

• Residency & age requirements: Open to any artist who resides in Warren County, NJ and is age 60 or older.
  
  
• Submission piece: The artist may submit one (1) piece of artwork to his/her County-of-Residence’s Senior Citizen Art Show (see “Categories—for both County & State Shows).
  
  
• Number of Entries: Artists may enter in only one (1) County show. Multiple entries may disqualify them from having their work in the State Senior Citizen Art Show.
  
  
• Completion of submission piece: Artwork must have been completed within three (3) years immediately prior to the Show (work must have been completed between April 2023 and the present).
  
  
• Restrictions: Entries may not have been entered or shown in any prior County Senior Citizen Art Shows or in prior N.J. Senior Citizen Art Shows.

State Eligibility.

1. Only 1st place winners from the Warren Co. Senior Citizen Art Show (2026) will automatically advance to the 2026 State Show.
   
   
2. One (1) professional & one (1) non-professional first place entry will be submitted by the County Coordinator to the State Senior Show: acrylic, digital art, mixed media, oil painting, pastels, photography, print, watercolor painting, and works on paper (see below).

State & County Categories.

There are 9 categories for hanging 2-D artwork that are submissible to the 2026 Warren County Senior Citizen Art Show.

Acrylic Painting	Oil Painting	Pastels Includes soft chalk &  oil pastel
Digital (Computer) Art Artwork created using  computer graphics software, does not include digital photographs.	Mixed Media Combination of two or more media, and  non-traditional, with no single dominating media; includes collage & assemblage	Photography Includes color, black & white, or tinted photographs taken with a film-based and/or  digital camera.
Print All print forms including, but not limited to etching, linoleum block, lithograph, woodcut, monoprint (made by applying ink to a smooth surface like glass or metal and pressing against paper), silkscreen, and collagraph (made by gluing various materials to a plate and printing from it).	Water Color Painting Including gouache Note: traditional often includes light pencil work  and/or ink, which is not considered  “Mixed Media”	Works on Paper Hand-drawn works in mediums including: charcoal, pencil, colored pencil, graphite, ink, pen, crayon, or stylus of any sort

 For more specifics, please see "Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)" below. 

Art Classification: Professional or Non-Professional.

PROFESSIONAL Any artist that meets two or more of the following qualifications.	Sells or has sold artwork through commercial channels, including galleries, on-line galleries, craft shows, art shows, etc.
	Has been exhibiting their work for 2 or more years in professional galleries and/or in professional art exhibits.
	Has had work selected in 2 or more juried art or craft shows.
	Has received 2 or more awards for their artwork.
	Has won 1st place three or more times in the same category in the Warren Co. Senior Citizen Art Show.
	Holds or held professional membership in any artist or craftperson's guild or association.
NON-PROFESSIONAL	Any artist that does not meet two or more of the "Professional" criteria.
	Never exhibited their work in any other show or venue (does not include the County Senior Citizen Art Show).

Artwork/Display Rules.

2-D Artwork (including framed art, photos wired to hang)-- no larger than 30" or smaller than 10" in any dimension. Sizing includes the frame.

2-D Artwork must be framed and wired  with fully wired frames from left to right. Saw tooth hooks or command strips will not be accepted.

Entries must be original works of art (reproductions of paintings, drawings, etc., especially digital print copies., will not be accepted). Entries in the Photography or Digital Arts categories may be digital prints.

No kits or direct copies of another person's artwork will be accepted.

It is recommended that artists photograph their 2-D work before it is framed, to avoid a glare. Artists should photograph against a neutral background so it shows up well.

Every effort should be made to ensure all work is correctly categorized. Work that is incorrectly categorized may be moved to the correct category (or risk being taken out of the competition altogether) at the discretion of the NJSAS administrators.

Participating artists will receive a hard copy invitation to the 2026 State Reception & Awards Ceremony in the mail. The invitation is for the participating artist and one (1) guest only. Artists may share the website information with friends and family who wish to view the County and/or State Show(s).

All artwork valued at $400 or more must be insured by the artist, either as part of their homeowner's insurance or under a special arts insurance rider. The Artist shall provide the County of Warren with proof of insurance (certificate from your insurance company) for any and all insured artwork entered into the show.  * Please provide a copy of your insurance certificate with your application.

Artwork valued at $399 or less is not required to be insured by the artist.

The County of Warren does not and will not insure submitted artwork. The County of Warren is not responsible for any lost, damaged, or stolen artwork.

 

Works Listed For Sale.

Work may be listed for sale and no commission will be charged byany county or state entities.

If someone would like to purchase the artist’s work at the State Show, either Warren Co. Cultural & Heritage Affairs and/or the NJSAS staff will forward any purchase inquiry directly to the artist. 

The Artist will assume complete responsibility for sales (including, but not limited to: payment arrangements, plants for shipping/p ick-up of purchased artwork, sale taxes that may occur from sales and/or sale negotiations.)

For those artists whose works are advanced to the State show, please notify Gina Rosseland (908) 453-4381 if your artwork has been sold and if the buyer will be picking it up from the venue.

Schedule.

This year, the art show will be at the Richard D. Gardner Branch of the County Library (2 Shotwell Drive, Belvidere, NJ). This site is accessible for individuals with physical limitations and has accessible parking, cut curbs, power doors and an elevator to the 2nd floor.

DATE, TIME & LOCATION	DESCRIPTION
Thursday, April 23, 2026 9am to 11am Richard D. Gardner Branch, County Library 2nd floor conference room	Drop-Off Submissions & Application.  This is a new venue, please do not go to the Administration building for drop-off.  Please have your completed application (regular print, page 1; large print, pages 1-2), artwork with completed label affixed with painters' tape to the back lower left corner. The application includes the label and is able to be downloaded and printed.  Application, Show Guidelines & Label: There are two files available at the top of the page (please choose only one)-- standard application or large print application. Labels are included with both.  For seniors who do not have the Internet in their homes, please contact Gina Rosseland at (908) 453-4381 to request a hardcopy to be mailed (either standard or Large Print).
Friday, May 15, 2026 1pm to 3pm Richard D. Gardner Branch, County Library 2nd floor conference room	County Show & Reception.   Please note the time change for this event.  The Warren Co. Senior Citizen Art Show & Artists' Reception will begin at 1pm in the conference room (2nd floor) of the library (where drop-offs were held).  The show will be installed on the 2nd floor of the library, available for the public to view.
Wed., August 26, 2026 9am to 11am Richard D. Gardner Branch, County Library 2nd floor conference room	Pick-up Submissions.  For artists whose artwork is not being advanced to the State Show will need to pick-up their submissions at the library as scheduled.  Artists unable to pick-up their entries at the library will need to contact Gina Rosseland (908) 453-4381 to schedule a pick-up at Shippen Manor Museum (8 Belvidere Ave., Oxford, NJ).  1st place entries will be transported to the State in September for entry in the Show.
September 28 to November 4, 2026 Times TBA	State Show.  For all artists who were awarded 1st place in their classification & category will be advanced to the State Show, located at Meadow Lakes Senior Living (300 Meadow Lakes, East Windsor, NJ).  Times, dates and visitation information to be provided to the artists who advanced to the State Show at a later date.
October 22, 2026 Times TBA The Boathouse at Mercer Lake (Mercer Co. Park System) 334 South Post Road West Windsor, NJ	NJ State Senior Citizen Artist Awards & Reception.    Invitations for participating artists and their guest (1) to the NJ Senior Citizen Art Show (NJSCAS) awards & reception will be mailed from the State to the artists in advance of the event.
November 9 to November 15, 2026  Shippen Manor 8 Belvidere Ave. Oxford, NJ	Pick-Up Entries from State Show.  Entries to the State show will be picked up by Gina Rosseland on November 4, 2026 from the State venue. The artists whose works were entered in the State Show will need to schedule a date/time for pick-up at Shippen Manor. Gina Rosseland (908) 453-4381

 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).

1. Do “Digital Photographs” go into the “Digital/Computer Art” category?
   No. Photographs from any camera (including digital) will be entered into the “Photography” category, unless the artist has manipulated and digitally altered the image beyond any outcome they could have gotten using a traditional darkroom setting.
   
   
2. Are “Watercolor Paintings” with some ink and pencil used considered “Mixed Media”?
   No. Watercolorists often use pencil or ink drawings as part of their work. These are NOT “Mixed Media” works.
   
   
3. Are paintings that include small photos or other materials considered “Mixed Media”?
   Not necessarily. If a painting is almost entirely created in oils or acrylic, for example—and the artist includes tiny photos, stencils, or small pieces of cloth in a small part of the painting it may still be entered as an “Oil” or “Acrylic Painting”, as long as the clear majority (more than 85%) of the piece is painted with oil or acrylic.
   
   
4. Why must artwork be done within the past three (3) years?
   The County and State Shows celebrate current artists who are senior citizens. Requiring work to have been done within the past three (3) years ensures that the artist submitting the work is still actively pursuing his/her artistic passion, rather than taking artwork out of storage.
   
   
5. If there are only one (1) or two (2) pieces in a category in the County Show, does the one piece automatically go to the State Show?
   If there is a single entry in a category on the County level, the County Adjudicators have the option of selecting that entry for First Place if the artwork is of high merit.
   
   Note: Adjudicators are not required to advance a solo piece (or one of two pieces) in a category to the State. If the adjudicators believe the piece (or both pieces) are not sufficiently strong to receive a First or Second Place award, they may decide to award only an Honorable Mention to the solo (or top of two pieces). In a category with three (3) or more entries, adjudicators should be required to select a First-Place winner to move on to the State Show.
   
   
6. What if I have more questions?
   Call or email Gina Rosseland (grosseland@co.warren.nj.us), (908) 453-4381.

 

 

Updated 2/25/26