Arbor Gallery invites artists to submit work for Nocturne & Catawampus, an October exhibition exploring the mysterious, the moonlit, and the beautifully off-kilter.

A nocturne is a work inspired by night, often contemplative, atmospheric, or dreamlike. Catawampus describes something askew, out of alignment, or positioned at an unexpected angle. Together, the words create a space where darkness shifts familiar forms, nature behaves strangely, and the ordinary becomes just a little less certain.

Artists are encouraged to interpret the theme broadly. Work may draw from nighttime landscapes, lunar imagery, shadow, dreams, folklore, transformation, unusual botanical or animal forms, altered perspectives, peculiar figures, hidden rituals, strange domestic scenes, or anything that feels enchanted, unsettled, or delightfully awry.

Submissions may be elegant, eerie, playful, surreal, symbolic, or psychologically charged. Both literal and abstract interpretations are welcome, along with two-dimensional and three-dimensional work in a variety of media. Artists are invited to embrace the witchy, the wild, and the wonderfully catawampus while maintaining a thoughtful fine-art approach.

Important Dates
Submissions Accepted: July 28 through September 20, 2026
Notifications: September 24
Drop-off Dates: October 3 & 4 from 2:00m-5:00pm
Exhibition Dates: October 7 through November 1, 2026 
Pick-up Dates: November 1 from 10:00am-2:00pm
Opening Reception: October 17 5pm-8pm
No fee to submit - see submission form for hanging fees, commission and rules.