Art Lab at William King Museum of Art is seeking submissions from ghastly and grotesque artists for Dark Arts 2025: The Reckoning, Yet another Halloween Art Exhibit. We invite all regional artists to conjure their most haunting and creative works for this event.

Dark Arts 2025: The Reckoning, Yet another Halloween Art Exhibit. celebrates the spirit of Halloween, exploring its diverse facets, from luminous landscapes and spiritual encounters to mythical creatures and ghoulish delights. We welcome a wide range of techniques, including, but not limited to painting, drawing, mixed media, sculpture, and digital art.

Submission Guidelines: All submitted artwork must relate to Halloween, capturing the essence of this bewitching holiday.

Eligibility: The call for entries is open to artists of all ages, backgrounds and experience levels. Whether you’re a professional, emerging artist, dabbler or student we encourage you to participate.

Originality: Each artwork must be original and not infringe upon any third-party copyrights or intellectual property rights. Fan art (ex. Replicating Disney, anime, Marvel, and other existing characters or celebrities) will not be considered for this show. Art labelled as AI or evidenced as AI or “AI collaboration” will not be accepted. 

Format: Two-dimensional artworks (paintings, drawings, illustrations, etc.) must be ready to hang with appropriate framing or securely mounted on suitable backings. Sculptures and other three-dimensional artworks should be stable and suitable for display.

Entry Limit: Each artist can submit up to three artworks

Important Dates:

Submission Period: August 1- August 29

Notification of Acceptance: September 5

Art Delivery Dates: September 8-12

Exhibition Dates: September 22 – November 7

How to Submit: Please send your submissions via email to asalyer@wkmuseum.org with the subject line “Halloween Art Exhibit Submission – [Your Name].” Include the following information in the email:

• Your full name and contact information
  (phone number and address).
• High-resolution images of your artworks in JPG or PNG format.
• Artwork titles, dimensions, and medium.
• Any other information about the artwork you feel we should know.

Selection Process: Submissions will be reviewed by our panel of esteemed jurors, who will consider artistic quality, relevance to the theme, and overall impact. Selected artists will be notified via email.

Location: Art Lab, William King Museum of Art, 415 Academy Dr., Abingdon, VA