The Stedman Gallery of Rutgers–Camden Center for the Arts is pleased to announce a national call for submissions of works on paper for the exhibition _Of the People._ Coinciding with America’s 250th anniversary and Rutgers University–Camden’s centennial anniversary, this exhibition will celebrate the Stedman Gallery’s commitment to advancing contemporary American artists.

**Theme**

The 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence has inspired people across the country to reflect on the meaning of American democracy. The Stedman Gallery invites artists to participate in this moment of contemplation and respond to the question: what does American democracy mean to you? Artists are encouraged to consider the contemporary moment, take risks in their responses, and express their creative freedoms.

This exhibition recalls the foundational practices of the Stedman Gallery and the Rutgers–Camden Collection of Art. The inaugural exhibition for the gallery in 1975 was the Rutgers National Drawing Competition. Due to the success of this first exhibition, it became a biennial exhibition. Former jurors include Louise Bourgeois, Nancy Graves, Lee Bontecou, Ilya Bolotowsky, Lisa Phillips, Ned Rifkin, Leon Golub, Faith Ringgold, Elizabeth Sussman, and Lowery Stokes Sims. In 1981, the Rutgers National Competition widened its scope from drawings to works on paper. The Rutgers–Camden Center of the Arts seeks to continue this legacy in celebration of the gallery’s 50th anniversary.

Purchase Award receives a $2,500 honorarium and the opportunity to become a part of the Rutgers–Camden Collection of Art. The award will be presented during the exhibition opening reception on Thursday, January 29, 2026.

  
Exhibition at The Stedman Gallery.

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