The organizers of the 2021 “Ellarslie Open” juried art show invite artists to submit artwork through April 30 via an online entry system.

Dr. William R. Valerio

Sidelined in 2020 by the coronavirus pandemic, the Trenton City Museum’s annual juried show will return for 2021 as “Ellarslie Open 37/38” in acknowledgment of its canceled year and its return. Dr. William R. Valerio, director of Philadelphia’s Woodmere Art Museum, will jury the 2021 show. There will be awards and prizes in 10 categories, include a $1,000 prize for Best In Show.

The “Ellarslie Open” showcases work by established and emerging artists from across the region and beyond, and has grown into the Delaware Valley’s premier annual juried exhibition since its inception in 1983. This year’s show will open June 26 and remain on view in person and online through October 3.

“Ellarslie Open 37/38” Curator Joyce Inderbitzin said artists may submit up to six entries across a variety of categories through April 30. Through the online entry system artists can submit digital images of artwork in most media (not film or video). Submissions are limited to six works, with a maximum of two from any of the 10 primary judging categories, as outlined at ellarslie.org/ellarslie-open-2021-call-for-art.

Director of the Woodmere Art Museum since 2010, Valerio has led the Philadelphia museum into its increasingly vital presence in the cultural life of the region. As the museum’s Patricia Van Burgh Allison Director and CEO, Valerio has overseen the organization of nearly one hundred exhibitions while expanding and digitizing its collection.

Valerio graduated cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Williams College in 1985. He earned his MA in art history at the University of Pennsylvania in 1987 and his PhD in art history at Yale University in 1996. After working as curator at the Queens Museum of Art in New York, he attended the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, earning his MBA in 2004 with a double major in strategic management and marketing. Valerio has received numerous awards and fellowships, including the Rome Prize of the American Academy in Rome.

The Trenton City Museum is housed in Ellarslie Mansion, an 1848 Italianate villa in the heart of Trenton’s historic Cadwalader Park. Museum hours are Friday and Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. and Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m. The museum’s social distancing measures include timed entry for visitors. Parking is available. There is no admission charge, but donations, which support the museum’s mission and programs, are appreciated. For more information, visit ellarslie.org.