Art Center Waco
Located in the heart of Waco’s silo district, Art Center Waco serves as a space where everyone can make, view and learn about visual art.
@artcenterwaco
Description
Diversity We are dedicated to being a space where everyone is welcome and everyone feels seen, and inspired. Enrichment We strive to offer a diverse range of exhibitions and art programs to activate and educate visitors of all ages and backgrounds. Stewardship As a trusted arts institution, we believe in preserving our permanent collection for future generations. Accessibility We offer affordable art education programs accessible to everyone. Thanks to our generous supporters, our exhibitions are free and open to the public during regular gallery hours.
Organization Type
Arts NonprofitLOCATION
UPCOMING OPPORTUNITIES
Open Call: Annual Art For All
Art Center Waco invites emerging and established artists across the state of Texas, over the age of 18, to submit original works for its inaugural Annual Art for All juried exhibition—marking the beginning of a new annual tradition
Exhibition Focus: Rooted in Art Center Waco’s mission that Art is for Everyone, Annual Art for All celebrates the breadth of artistic practice across all media. This exhibition seeks to establish an enduring platform for artists to share their work and for the community to engage with the evolving landscape of contemporary art
Deadline: Sunday, June 7, 2026, at 11:59 pm CST
Exhibit dates: 7/1/2026 – 8/22/2026
Urban Stories Photography Open Call
Juror Greg Davis, Fort Worth
Exhibit Dates
5/21/2026 - 6/27/2026
Exhibit Location
Beard Gallery, Art Center Waco, 701 S. 8th Street, Waco, TX 76706
Please read this prospectus carefully and only consider submitting work if you are certain you can comply with the requirements and timetable outlined in this document. By submitting artwork to this Call for Entry, and if your work is selected for this exhibition, you agree to exhibit your work from 5/21/2026 - 6/27/2026
Prospectus
Art Center Waco invites emerging and established photographers from Texas to submit original images for this juried photography exhibition celebrating the beauty, complexity, and humanity of urban life.
Exhibition Focus: "Urban Stories" seeks photographs that capture the authentic moments of daily life in our cities and towns—the people, interactions, routines, celebrations, and quiet observations that define our shared urban experience. From bustling street scenes to intimate neighborhood moments, from architectural details to human connections, we're looking for images that reveal the extraordinary within the ordinary.
Open Call: Annual Art For All
Art Center Waco invites emerging and established artists across the state of Texas, over the age of 18, to submit original works for its inaugural Annual Art for All juried exhibition—marking the beginning of a new annual tradition
Exhibition Focus: Rooted in Art Center Waco’s mission that Art is for Everyone, Annual Art for All celebrates the breadth of artistic practice across all media. This exhibition seeks to establish an enduring platform for artists to share their work and for the community to engage with the evolving landscape of contemporary art
Deadline: Sunday, June 7, 2026, at 11:59 pm CST
Exhibit dates: 7/1/2026 – 8/22/2026
Urban Stories Photography Open Call
Juror Greg Davis, Fort Worth
Exhibit Dates
5/21/2026 - 6/27/2026
Exhibit Location
Beard Gallery, Art Center Waco, 701 S. 8th Street, Waco, TX 76706
Please read this prospectus carefully and only consider submitting work if you are certain you can comply with the requirements and timetable outlined in this document. By submitting artwork to this Call for Entry, and if your work is selected for this exhibition, you agree to exhibit your work from 5/21/2026 - 6/27/2026
Prospectus
Art Center Waco invites emerging and established photographers from Texas to submit original images for this juried photography exhibition celebrating the beauty, complexity, and humanity of urban life.
Exhibition Focus: "Urban Stories" seeks photographs that capture the authentic moments of daily life in our cities and towns—the people, interactions, routines, celebrations, and quiet observations that define our shared urban experience. From bustling street scenes to intimate neighborhood moments, from architectural details to human connections, we're looking for images that reveal the extraordinary within the ordinary.
EVENTS
ACW Summer Camp
✈️ Around the World with Art Art Center Waco | Summer 2026 Pack your imagination—we’re traveling the globe. This summer at Art Center Waco, campers explore world cultures through hands-on art, storytelling, and immersive gallery adventures in the Flora Cameron Gallery. Each week unlocks a new destination, new materials, and new ways to create—plus a passport stamp to mark the journey. Kinder Camp (Rising Kindergarten) June 15–18 (No Camp June 19) | 9:00–11:30 AM Play. Explore. Imagine. Little artists experiment with color, texture, and materials in a joyful, hands-on environment. June 22–26 | 9:00–11:30 AM Create. Discover. Grow. Building confidence and creativity through storytelling, movement, and art-making. Elementary Camp (Rising 1st–6th Grade) Week 1: Africa – Patterns & Prints June 15–18 | Half Day (9–12 or 1–4) Bold patterns. Layered prints. Rhythm you can see. Design textiles and create repeating designs inspired by African art traditions. Week 2: Japan & East Asia – Paper & Ink June 22–26 | Full Day (9–3) Ink. Brush. Precision. Flow. Create expressive works using traditional techniques with a modern twist. Week 3: Mexico & Latin America – Color & Celebration July 6–10 | Half Day (9–12 or 1–4) Bright color. Powerful symbols. Pure joy. Art that celebrates culture, movement, and meaning. Week 4: Europe – Medieval & Renaissance Art July 13–17 | Full Day (9–3) Gold details. Big ideas. Timeless techniques. From illuminated letters to portraits—step into the art that shaped history. Week 5: Oceania & Indigenous Cultures – Storytelling Through Art July 20–24 | Half Day (9–12 or 1–4) Symbols. Nature. Storytelling. Create meaningful work inspired by connection to land, culture, and tradition. Teen Camp (Rising 7th–12th Grade) Week 6: World Fusion & Exhibition July 27–31 | 9:00 AM–4:00 PM Mix influences. Push your style. Make it yours. For teens ready to level up—this culminating week blends global inspiration into bold, original work, ending in a featured exhibition. Each week builds to a student showcase—inviting families to experience the creativity firsthand. Choose your weeks. Claim your spot. Register now on the Art Center Waco website.
ArtVenture - Weekly Teen Program - Every Thursday 4:45 - 6:15
ArtVenture is where teens create art, experiment, and build confidence in a space that feels like theirs. Every Thursday | 4:45–6:15 PM ArtVenture: Not Your Typical Teen Art Class This isn’t about staying inside the lines. ArtVenture is where teens come to experiment, take risks, and create work that actually means something. No step-by-step projects. No “everyone’s looks the same” assignments. Just a space to explore, push boundaries, and figure out what you want to say—and how you want to say it. Designed for middle and high school students, this afterschool experience blends hands-on artmaking with real mentorship. Students work with new materials, try unexpected techniques, and build skills that go way beyond art—confidence, independence, and creative problem-solving. It’s not about being “good” at art. It’s about showing up, trying something new, and surprising yourself. For parents: this is more than an art class. It’s a space where teens build identity, confidence, and connection in a world that doesn’t always make that easy. For teens: this is your space. No judgment. No pressure. Just you, your ideas, and a community that gets it. Make something real. Find your people. Be unapologetically you. Art is for Everyone—and yes, that includes you.
ArtVenture - Teen Program - Every Thursday 4:45 - 6:15 pm
ArtVenture is where teens create art, experiment, and build confidence in a space that feels like theirs. ArtVenture: Not Your Typical Art Class This isn’t about staying inside the lines. ArtVenture is where teens come to experiment, take risks, and create work that actually means something. No step-by-step projects. No “everyone’s looks the same” assignments. Just a space to explore, push boundaries, and figure out what you want to say—and how you want to say it. Designed for middle and high school students, this afterschool experience blends hands-on artmaking with real mentorship. Students work with new materials, try unexpected techniques, and build skills that go way beyond art—confidence, independence, and creative problem-solving. It’s not about being “good” at art. It’s about showing up, trying something new, and surprising yourself. For parents: this is more than an art class. It’s a space where teens build identity, confidence, and connection in a world that doesn’t always make that easy. For teens: this is your space. No judgment. No pressure. Just you, your ideas, and a community that gets it. Make something real. Find your people. Be unapologetically you. Art is for Everyone—and yes, that includes you.