Call for Submissions: Annual AVA Member Juried Exhibition

Timeline:

Submission deadline- Saturday June 28th

Jury scoring- Sunday June 29th- Friday, July 5th.

Notification for selected entries- End of day on Tuesday, July 8th

Delivery of works/install week- July 19th-July 23rd between 10 AM-6 PM

Exhibit opening- Friday, July 25th from 6-9 PM

Exhibit duration- July 25th - September 5th

Eligibility

This call is open to all current AVA Member Artists with an active membership. There is no fee for AVA members to submit. Membership will be verified by AVA staff upon submission.

What’s the theme? 

Member artists are welcome to submit one piece in any medium category, from painting, drawing, photography, sculpture to mixed media, installation, and digital. While there is no organizing theme for the show, the idea is to “put your best foot forward” with work that is the best up-to-date representation of your current art practice or a recent body of work. Artists working in multiple media categories are welcome to submit a single piece in each category as a separate submission, although artists whose works score into the show will only be represented by a single piece. Submitted works should be no older than two years.

For more information on membership, visit: AVA Membership

Limitations & Restrictions

  1. Originality: All artwork must be original to the artist submitting and produced within the last two years. No master studies, student work from classroom assignments, or reproductions will be accepted. 

  2. Framing & Display:

    • Framed 2D works MUST be ready to hang at the time of delivery (using d-rings and wire with little to no slack, placed a quarter to a third of the way down on the back of the piece, or with a securely attached sawtooth hanger for smaller works).

    • Absolutely NO loose works on paper will be accepted without an approved display plan, which must be confirmed by the AVA Curator for standalone works.

    • 3D works must be ready to display. AVA has a selection of pedestals available for use. Any 3D works that are designed for display on a wall must be securely wired or include appropriate hardware. If you have any questions about appropriate hardware or display plans, please contact AVA’s Curator for assistance.

  3. Size & Weight: There is no size limit for this exhibit, but the show is most successful with a variety of sizes. Framed 2D works cannot exceed 20 lbs., as our hanging system can accommodate only works within this weight limit.

  4. Delivery: Works must be delivered to AVA within the allotted time frame prior to the exhibit. If the artist needs to ship the work, shipping and handling are the responsibility of the artist. The Curator will contact artists about logistics for picking up their work after the exhibit.

  5. Rejection of Works: AVA reserves the right to reject works that are misrepresented in the submission process, poor image/documentation quality or are not properly outfitted for display in the gallery. As has been the case with the Juried Show for the last few years, AVA’s Curator will invite artists whose works are not juried into the show to meet and discuss feedback on their score once the show has opened.

  6. Sales: AVA handles all sales transactions and receives a 30% commission from all gallery sales after processing fees (for works purchased by credit card).

  7. Framing and Display: Even before the jury process begins, you should have a plan for how you intend to frame or display your work (if it has not been framed already) that can be executed reasonably in the time before the show opens, whether your work is selected or not.

Submission Requirements

  1. Images: Submit images of each work. Image(s) must meet the following criteria:

    • Saved in .jpg format (no .HEIC files as these are difficult to open through our database system).

    • No added filters.

    • File name should include the artist’s last name and the image’s title. Example: JONES_UNTITLED.jpg

    • The image must be clear, centered, and evenly framed. No keystoned images. The image should feature only the artwork, with a neutral background (you may use AVA’s white room to photograph your work). Here’s a helpful YouTube tutorial on taking good photos of artwork.

    • The image will be used for the online gallery and store on AVA’s website, so it should represent the work as clearly as possible.

  2. Listing Information: Include the following for each work submitted:

    • Artist Name

    • Title

    • Medium/Process (please specify the print process used)

    • Framed Dimensions

    • Price. It is generally considered best professional practice to keep your prices consistent across all venues and platforms where your work is displayed. AVA takes a 30% commission from all gallery sales and if it is important to you, account for that when you submit your work and not after.

  3. Contact Info: Include your preferred social media handles/links, website, or contact info for promotion. These links will be included on the wall labels.

  4. Artist Statements & Biographies: Due to the size of a group exhibit like this, we will not include artist statements or biographies in the exhibit materials.

  5. Business Cards: If you would like to leave business cards at AVA during the exhibit, bring them at the time of delivery.

All materials should be submitted via the submission form link below. Contact AVA’s Curator, Tim Goldsmith, via email with any questions. AVA’s staff is happy to assist!

Jurying Process

Once submitted, all entries and information will be compiled and turned over to a panel of jurors (with the exception of the artist’s name) who will then score the submissions based on the following five categories:

-technique/craftsmanship within the respective media

-creativity/innovation within the respective media

-design/composition

-visual impact

-professional  presentation (quality of image and documentation, inclusion of all required material, etc)



Artworks with ranking scores will then be selected for the exhibition. As is the case with this show, the artist with the highest collective score from the jurors receives “Best in Show” and is awarded with a solo exhibition in the Main Gallery at AVA the following year in the Fall. A couple of years ago, we also started having each juror select a single work from the submissions that is automatically selected for inclusion in the show, regardless of the score. The three artists who are selected as “Juror’s Choice” are awarded a small group show together at the same time as the Solo show in our Landis Education Gallery the following year. 



Artists whose works have been selected will be notified by email by the end of the day on Sunday, July 7th. Once selected, artworks must be delivered, ready to hang or install, to the AVA gallery between July 17th-23rd between 10 AM-5 PM. For digital works or installations, the artist must provide means of display and instructions. 

Submitting your work indicates that you have read and understand all guidelines and criteria contained in this prospectus. You understand that it will be your responsibility to deliver your work to the AVA Gallery, ready for installation and on time, according to the given schedules. All works will be insured while on AVA’s premises.

For more information regarding this exhibit or other AVA programming, visit AVA’s website or contact Curator and Education Director Tim Goldsmith at tim@avarts.org or 423-265-4282.





Non-Discrimination Policy

No person will be excluded from participation or otherwise subjected to discrimination in regards to services, programs, and employment provided by the Association for Visual Arts based on color, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, gender, age, or religion.