Last week I talked about the current show in the Powerhouse Community Arts Center.

This week, I will discuss the schedule for the 2016 Powerhouse Gallery Series. The series has been running annually since 2009 and provides local artists a chance to show their work in a public space. Novice and accomplished artists are invited to participate in next year’s series.

Included in the lineup are several recurring shows that happen each year including the Student Exhibition and the Biggest Baddest Art Show with the Oxford Artists’ Guild.

A new show this year, Where for Art Thou?, will coincide with a city wide program of events surrounding the Shakespeare Folio exhibit at the Gertrude Stein Ford Performing Arts Center. The work for this show needs to be inspired by or connected to a Shakespearean quote. To add to the excitement, the pieces in this exhibit will be eligible to win a $150 prize. A submission fee of $10 is required to participate in this show.

The 4×8 Show will feature one artists’ work on each of several panels of the above mentioned size. Artists will be able to create a small gallery of works choosing whether they want to show a diverse body of work or simply one theme on their panel. This will give each artist a chance to spotlight their work all together in the gallery.

Coming back for an encore, The Birdhouse Show will again be a partnership with Habitat for Humanity. In 2013 a similar show was staged with much success featuring dozens of artisan crafted birdhouses featuring a variety of styles and personalities.

Proceeds from the sale of these houses will be shared by the artists who create them and the organization that help build houses for local residents of the community.

An Art Show and Auction is also being planned next year with the intent of selling works by local artists and encouraging the community to become collectors of local art.

If none of these options sound enticing, you could also apply for a chance to display your work at City Grocery for a two-month installation, have your work sold in the local art vending machine located at Cups Coffee shop on Jackson Avenue or participate in the Ornament Auction held every December at the Powerhouse.

With so many opportunities for exhibiting work, most local artists will find at least one or more options worth applying.

Applications come out once a year, so artists will know well ahead of time which shows they will be participating in next year. The new applications can be found at oxfordarts.com and are due to the Powerhouse by Oct. 30.

The intention of planning the shows a year in advance is to give artists time to develop new work and to gather funding to create the new work by grants or just by planning in advance. If you are making art, please consider participating in next year’s series.

ANDI BEDSWORTH is owner of Art To Go, which brings free art opportunities to children in the community.