FRAMED : An Evening of Art for the House That Durham Built
For forty years, Habitat for Humanity of Durham has been in the business of walls. We’ve put up close to 500 of them. That’s homes built and sold at zero-percent interest to Durham families who work here, teach here, care for our sick here, and could not otherwise afford to stay here. We’ve repaired nearly a thousand more so that neighbors could age in the houses they already loved. This fall, we’re asking Durham’s artists to help us put something on those walls and to help us build the next ones.
FRAMED is the first art show fundraiser in Habitat for Humanity of Durham’s history. One evening. Local work on easels throughout the room. Soft music, a bar, hors d’oeuvres, and a room full of people who came out because they believe a home is a foundation for everything else. A portion of every sale goes directly into building and repairing homes in this city.
We are inviting Durham-area artists to submit work for consideration. FRAMED: Call For Artist | Durham Habitat for Humanity
We are curating a room, not filling a wall. We want work that a person will stand in front of a beat longer than they meant to.
Open to:
| Category | Notes |
| Painting | Oil, acrylic, watercolor, gouache, mixed media |
| Drawing & illustration | Graphite, ink, charcoal, pastel, digital works output to archival print |
| Photography | Framed or mounted; editioned prints welcome |
| Printmaking | Screen print, relief, intaglio, monotype |
| Fiber & textile | Quilting, weaving, embroidery — must be display-ready |
| Collage & assemblage | Must be structurally stable on an easel |
| Sculpture | Small to medium only, accepted case by case. See §6 in packet below. |
Themes. Open. That said, work that speaks to home, shelter, neighborhood, family, Durham, migration, rootedness, or the act of making will be given particular attention. This is a housing organization’s first art show; the room should feel like it’s about something.
We especially encourage submissions from: Durham-based artists, emerging artists without prior gallery representation, and artists whose work reflects the communities Habitat serves.
4. Eligibility
- Open to artists 18 and older. We will be having a special young Rembrandt Series for a select number of students under the age of 18.
- Priority to artists living or working in Durham County; the broader Triangle and North Carolina are welcome to apply.
- Work must be original and made by the submitting artist. No reproductions of others’ work, no AI-generated images submitted as original hand-made work, no mass-produced items.
- Artists may submit up to three (3) pieces. Each piece requires its own submission and its own $25 fee.
- Work may be previously exhibited but must be available and unsold as of the submission date.
5. Content standards
Every piece must be tasteful and appropriate for a general, all-ages, family-and-donor audience. This is a public fundraising event hosted by a faith-based housing ministry, attended by families, community leaders, elected officials, corporate sponsors, and press.
We will not accept work containing:
- Nudity or sexually suggestive content
- Profanity or offensive language, including within the artwork, title, or artist statement
- Graphic violence or gore
- Content that demeans or degrades any person or group on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, or age
- Partisan political campaign content or endorsement of candidates
- Depictions of illegal drug use, or promotion of alcohol or tobacco products
- Third-party trademarks, logos, or copyrighted characters
Habitat for Humanity of Durham retains sole and final discretion over what is appropriate for display. We may decline a piece at any point — including after selection, and including on the day of the event — if it does not meet these standards. Work that arrives materially different from the submitted photograph will not be hung.
Art that engages hard subjects — displacement, poverty, loss, struggle — is welcome and wanted. The standard is presentation, not comfort.
6. Physical requirements
Two-dimensional work
- Displayed on easels. Plan accordingly — pieces must be able to stand on an easel without additional support.
- Maximum dimensions: 40″ × 40″ including frame.
- Maximum weight: 25 lbs.
- Must arrive display-ready — framed, or gallery-wrapped canvas with finished edges. No unfinished edges, no exposed hardware, no wet work.
- Please do not send work requiring wall mounting, hanging hardware, or drilling.
Three-dimensional work (sculpture)
- Accepted on a case-by-case basis only.
- Maximum footprint: 24″ × 24″ base.
- Maximum height: 48″ including any pedestal you provide.
- Maximum weight: 40 lbs.
- Artists must state clearly whether they are supplying their own pedestal or base. Habitat has a limited number of pedestals and cannot guarantee one.
- Freestanding, structurally stable, and safe in a room with a bar and moving guests. No sharp edges at guest height, no unsecured tip hazards, no work requiring power, water, or open flame.
If your work falls outside these limits and you believe it belongs in this show, email us before submitting. We’d rather have the conversation than lose the piece.
7. How to submit
Send one email per piece to Framed@durhamhabitat.org with the subject line:
FRAMED Submission — [Artist Last Name] — [Piece Title]
Your email must include:
- Photograph of the work — JPG or PNG, minimum 1500px on the long side, well-lit, straight-on, no filters. For sculpture, include two to three angles. This photo may be used in event promotion, so send us your best one.
- Title of the piece
- Medium
- Year completed
- Exact dimensions — height × width × depth, in inches, including frame or base
- Approximate weight — in pounds
- Your asking price (see §8) — or note if you are offering the piece for auction
- Artist name, phone, email, and city
- Artist bio — 100 words maximum
- Artist statement about this specific piece — 75 words maximum
- Artist headshot — optional but strongly encouraged; used in the media kit and artist spotlights
- Website / Instagram handle — optional
- Signed Artist Agreement
- Proof of $25 submission fee payment — Upload a receipt or confirmation number. Pay Here: https://host.nxt.blackbaud.com/donor-form?svcid=renxt&formId=7d5dd9c4-7738-42df-a3ed-e2cef2891330&envid=p-ZZRbMT3zaEyR9AWFML0V9g&zone=usa
Submission fee: $25 per piece, non-refundable, payable at [PAYMENT LINK]. The fee covers jurying, display materials, catalog and signage production, and promotion. It is not a donation and is not tax-deductible.
Fee waiver: We do not want $25 to be the reason a Durham artist stays out of this room. If the fee is a barrier, write to us at Framed@durhamhabitat.org with the subject line “Fee Waiver Request.” A limited number of waivers are available, reviewed confidentially, and no explanation beyond the request is required.
Incomplete submissions will not be reviewed. Submissions received after 11:59 p.m. ET on September 21st, 2026 will not be reviewed.
8. Pricing, sales, and the split
How the split works
- 30% of the final sale price of every piece sold at FRAMED goes to Habitat for Humanity of Durham.
- 70% goes to the artist.
- This applies to both fixed-price sales and auction pieces. This also is after processing fees.
- Habitat processes all transactions at the event. Artist payments are issued by check within 30 days of the event.
Setting your price
- You set your own price. Habitat will not change it without your written consent.
- Price with the room in mind. This is a $10-admission community event, not a blue-chip auction. Work priced between $75 and $1,500 is likely to move.
- Prices are final once submitted. No changes after August 24, and no negotiating on the floor.
Auction pieces
- A small number of works will be selected for live or silent auction. You may volunteer a piece for auction in your submission, but Habitat makes the final call on which pieces go to auction.
- Auction pieces carry a reserve price set by the artist. If bidding does not meet the reserve, the piece does not sell and is returned to the artist.
- Auction pieces are subject to the same 70/30 split.
All sales are final. No returns, no exchanges, no refunds — for buyers or artists.
Sales tax. Habitat will collect and remit North Carolina sales tax on taxable sales as required by law. Sales tax is calculated on top of the listed price and is not part of the 70/30 split.
Unsold work must be collected by the artist per §10. Habitat does not retain unsold work and does not take work on ongoing consignment.
9. Selection & notification
Selection is limited. We are curating for the size of the room and the balance of the show. A strong submission may still be declined for reasons of space, medium mix, or scale.
Review criteria:
Submissions are reviewed by a selection committee including Habitat staff, board representation, and local arts community members.
All artists — selected and not selected — will be notified by email on or before Sunday, August 24, 2026. Please add Framed@durhamhabitat.org to your contacts and check your spam folder.
Selection decisions are final and are not appealable. Habitat does not provide individual feedback on declined submissions.
10. Delivery, display, and pickup
| Milestone | Date |
| Art drop-off window | Oct 20th, limited availibility by appointment |
| Drop-off location | To Be Determined |
| Event | Oct 20th, 6:00pm to 9:00pm at The Rickhouse |
| Unsold art pickup | Oct 20th by 10pm |
- Artists are responsible for transporting their own work to and from drop-off. Habitat does not arrange or pay for shipping, crating, or transport.
- Each piece must arrive labeled on the back with artist name, title, medium, price, and phone number.
- Artists are strongly encouraged to attend. Buyers buy the story as much as the piece, and the artist telling it is worth more than any wall label.
Uncollected work. Work not collected within 30 days of the pickup window closing will be considered abandoned and may be donated, disposed of, or retained by Habitat at its discretion, with no further notice and no compensation to the artist.
Delivery to buyers. Habitat is not responsible for delivering purchased artwork to buyers. Arranging transport, delivery, or shipment of a sold piece is a matter strictly between the buyer and the artist. Habitat will facilitate the introduction and share contact information between the two parties at the point of sale, and its role ends there.
11. Liability, insurance, and risk — please read carefully
Habitat for Humanity of Durham does not insure submitted artwork and will not be responsible for any loss of or damage to any piece.
This includes, without limitation: damage, defacement, breakage, scratching, warping, water or heat damage, theft, loss, or disappearance — whether occurring during drop-off, storage, transport, installation, the event itself, de-installation, pickup, or at any other time the work is in Habitat’s custody or possession.
Artists exhibit at their own risk. Habitat will handle all work with reasonable care, but assumes no liability of any kind for its condition.
Artists are solely responsible for insuring their own work if they wish it insured. Habitat strongly recommends artists carry their own coverage. Habitat’s policies do not extend to consigned or exhibited artwork, and Habitat cannot be named as an additional insured for this purpose.
By submitting, the artist releases, waives, and holds harmless Habitat for Humanity of Durham, its officers, directors, employees, volunteers, venue, and agents from any and all claims, demands, damages, or causes of action arising from or relating to the exhibition, handling, storage, transport, sale, or return of submitted work.
Frequently asked questions
Can I submit more than one piece?
Yes — up to three. Each requires a separate email and a separate $25 fee.
Is the $25 fee tax-deductible?
No. It is a service fee, not a charitable contribution. The 30% of your sale that goes to Habitat is also not a personal charitable deduction — consult your tax advisor about how to treat it.
Can I donate 100% of my sale price?
Absolutely, and we’d be honored. Note it in your submission.
What if my piece doesn’t sell?
You take it home. There is no penalty and no obligation.
Can I bring people to the event?
Please do. That’s most of the point. You get two complimentary admissions and a promo code to share; general admission is $10.
Will there be a commission on work sold after the event to someone who saw it there?
No. Habitat takes 30% only on transactions completed at the event.
Can I sell prints or smaller work alongside my main piece?
Not at this event. FRAMED is a curated show, not a market.
Do I need to be there?
No, but we strongly recommend it. Artists who are present sell more.
Is there a fee waiver?
Yes. See §7.
Can I submit work I made ten years ago?
Yes, as long as it is yours, unsold, and available.
