The Capital Prize and accompanying juried exhibition series is made possible through a partnership between VCUarts and Capital Square, offering Painting + Printmaking alumni the chance to exhibit their work within Capital Square’s new Chasen building in Scott’s Addition. The prize features two rounds, each showcasing the talent of Painting + Printmaking alumni. This unique opportunity places alumni work in a dynamic residential setting, providing visibility in one of Richmond’s most active creative neighborhoods while contributing to a vibrant arts community. Learn more about Chasen.

A public viewing of the Capital Prize round one exhibition will be held on Friday, March 6, 2026 from 5-8 p.m. at Chasen, 2922 W. Marshall St., Richmond, VA 23230. Learn more about the event.

The Capital Prize is made possible through the generous support of Capital Square.

 

Call for Submissions

Round Two

The call for submissions for Round Two of the Capital Prize is now open to Painting + Printmaking alumni. This is a great opportunity for professional exposure in an unconventional gallery space and the chance to connect with new audiences and potential patrons. Details about the prize, award levels and submission requirements can be found below. The deadline for applications is March 8, 2026.
Submit your work

FAQs & Submission Details

Application Deadline: March 8, 2026, 5 pm

Artwork Drop Off for Installation: August 21 and 22

Opening Reception: date to be announced

Exhibition Closing Date: December 4, 2026

Pick-up of artwork: December 10-12, 2026

  • Entries are accepted from VCUarts Painting + Printmaking alumni.
  • Entries must be less than three years old.
  • Each artist may submit up to five entries for consideration.
  • All media are accepted but must be able to hang on a wall.

The juror for round two of the Capital Square Prize is Jessica S. Hong, Chief Curator at the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art. She is formerly the Senior Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at the Toledo Museum of Art where she organized the premiere of Stan Douglas’s major film installation Doppelgänger in a U.S. institution, Alexandra Daisy Ginsberg–Machine Auguries: Toledo, the artist’s first U.S. solo presentation, and Toledo’s presentation of Marisol: A Retrospective. Prior to the TMA, Hong was the inaugural Associate Curator of Global Contemporary Art at Dartmouth’s Hood Museum of Art and Assistant Curator at the Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston. Before the ICA, she was part of the new Division of Modern and Contemporary Art that launched the renovated Harvard Art Museums. She was previously based in New York and held curatorial positions at Independent Curators International (ICI), SculptureCenter, and the Whitney Museum of American Art. Hong received her B.A. from Barnard College, and M.A. from the Institute of Fine Arts, New York University.

Jury-awarded prizes in the amount of $5,000 per exhibition round

  • $3,000 for First Place
  • $1,500 for Second Place
  • $500 for Third Place

  • All hanging works must be wall-hung ready with wire.
  • Limited funds are available to assist with framing costs.
  • Hanging and display will be completed at the discretion of the exhibition coordinator and host.

  • If a patron inquires about purchasing work, exhibition hosts will put them in direct contact with the artist to complete the sale. No sales will be transacted by VCUarts or Capital Square.
  • Artists are required to attach a label to the back of their work that includes artist name, title, medium, date of productions, and retail value.

  • Although every effort will be made in the safe handling of artwork, VCUarts nor Capital Square will be held liable for any theft or damage of artwork during the exhibition period. The artist is responsible for packing, insurance, and other handling expenses and the risk of loss or damage incurred in the delivery of the artworks.
  • Neither VCUarts nor Capital Square may accept shipped artwork or ship outbound artwork. Works need to be hand delivered to and physically picked up at the close of the exhibition in between the specified dates.
  • VCUarts nor Capital Square will be held liable for any loss or damage of artworks that occurs after their delivery to the exhibition space and until they are picked up by the artist.
  • No funds are available for shipping or transporting artwork to or from the exhibition space.
  • Exhibition hosts will manage installation and deinstallation of artwork at Chasen.
  • Capital Square commits to providing basic liability insurance for the space for VCUarts faculty and staff, students, and alumni working on this project or visiting the exhibition.
  • All artwork must be delivered to the exhibition space by the artist or a designee between Friday, August 21 and Saturday, August 22, 2026 during designated hours (TBA). No deliveries from Fed-EX, UPS, or other delivery service will be accepted.
  • The exhibition space cannot store boxes or packing material for works in this exhibition.

  • VCUarts and Capital Square will host an opening reception for the exhibition.
  • Images of selected works in this exhibition will be used on the VCUarts and Capital Square websites and in promotional materials.
  • Submitting to the entry form includes the implied consent of the artist to also allow VCUarts and Capital Square to incorporate images of artwork in educational materials, press releases, and other related publicity.

Round One Winners

Pillar and Cadence

Natalia Mejía Murillo (First Prize, Round One, Capital Square Prize 2026)

The award for First Place and recipient of the $3,000 prize in round one of the inaugural, 2026 Capital Square Prize, goes to Natalia Mejía Murillo (M.F.A ‘23). Murillo, (b. Bogotá, Colombia), is a visual artist whose work explores the notions of territory, repetition, trace and time through correspondences between astronomy, cartography and archaeology. She holds an MFA in Painting and Printmaking from Virginia Commonwealth University, an MA in History and Theory of Art and a BFA from the National University of Colombia.

A Few Rules for Predicting the Future

Luis Vasquez La Roche (Second Prize, Round One, Capital Square Prize 2026)

The award for Second Place and recipient of the $1,500 prize in round one of the inaugural, 2026 Capital Square Prize, goes to Luis Vasquez La Roche (M.F.A.’20). La Roche is an artist and educator who resides between Trinidad and Tobago and Virginia. They hold an MFA from Virginia Commonwealth University. They are a tenure-track Assistant Professor in the Department of Art and Design at George Mason University in Northern Virginia.

Trölls

Eleanor Mahin Thorp (Third Prize, Round One, Capital Square Prize 2026)

The award for Third Place and recipient of the $500 prize in round one of the inaugural, 2026 Capital Square Prize, goes to Eleanor Mahin Thorp (M.F.A.’22). Thorpe was featured on Yellowstone Public Radio in 2025. Her work has been featured in the Washington Post and published in Anarchist Review of Books. She currently teaches at City College at City University of New York.

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Capital Prize Exhibition

Round One

The first round of the inaugural Capital Prize exhibition will present work by the following VCUarts Painting + Printmaking alumni:

First Prize: Natalia Mejía Murillo (M.F.A. ’23)
Second Prize: Luis Vasquez La Roche (M.F.A. ’20)
Third Prize: Eleanor Mahin Thorp (M.F.A. ’22)

Aaron Tran (B.F.A. ’24)
Amy Chan (M.F.A. ’08)
Angelica Credle (B.F.A. ’21)
Alexandra McGowan (B.F.A. ’23)
Chunghee Yun (M.F.A. ’24)
GM Keaton (M.F.A. ’20)
Julia Nauroth (B.F.A. ’23)
Juliana Bustillo (M.F.A. ’22)
Kristen Andes (B.F.A. ’24)
Louisa Bodor (B.F.A. ’25)
Mahari Chabwera (B.F.A. ’17)
Matt Shelton (M.F.A. ’12)
Nadia Msalek (B.F.A. ’02)
Pia Bakala (M.F.A. ’24)
Scott Whipkey (M.F.A. ’13)
Winston Harris (B.F.A. ’90)

A public viewing of the Capital Prize round one exhibition will be held on Friday, March 6, 2026 from 5-8 p.m. at Chasen, 2922 W. Marshall St., Richmond, VA 23230