CLARK COUNTY OPEN STUDIOS TOUR

WHO
Visual artists and artisans in Clark County, working in all media

WHAT
Clark County Open Studios is a juried art event, offering a unique opportunity for you to gain further recognition as an artist, open your studio doors to the public, and show and sell your work. For the community, Open Studios is a free self-guided tour that will enhance awareness of talented local artists while enriching the cultural life of Clark County neighborhoods.

WHEN
Open Studios tour: Sat-Sun, NOVEMBER 5-6, 2022, 10 am to 5 pm

Preview exhibit: First Friday NOVEMBER 4, 2022 
Art at the CAVE Gallery, 108 E Evergreen Blvd, Vancouver, WA 98660
 

COVID PROTOCOL FOR PARTICIPATING ARTISTS

As a participating Open Studios artist, you can feel confident knowing the highest priority is given to the health and safety of you and your visitors. The tour will follow the latest guidelines necessary to create safe spaces. 

ARTIST BENEFITS

• Expand your audience by sharing where and how you work.
• Take advantage of an opportunity to sell your work to the public. All proceeds from studio sales go to the artists unless your gallery contract specifies otherwise.
• Gain exposure through Open Studios’ print, web, and social media marketing—including postcards, flyers, local and regional advertising, yard signs, and more.
• An artist directory will be published on the Open Studios website, including up to 5 images, a link to the artist’s website, contact info, and more.
• Preview exhibit and artists' reception will feature one work of art from each participant. The hosting gallery will receive a 50% commission on sales during the preview. (If this conflicts with your local gallery contract, artwork can be marked NFS with courtesy of your local gallery.)
• Networking opportunities, meet and work with other local artists

COMMUNITY BENEFITS

Open Studios goes beyond the traditional art show in fostering a greater understanding of the artistic process by providing the public with an opportunity to enter the world of the visual artist and experience how, why, and where art is created. The Open Studios tour is designed to support key goals for Clark County’s arts community:

• Increase visibility and public awareness of practicing and accomplished creative artists in Clark County.
• Bring arts education and cultural enrichment to Clark County neighborhoods.
• Expand opportunity and accessibility for residents of all ages to experience art.
• Develop the county's cultural climate, enhance its image, and support the growth of the local economy through the arts.

JURY PROCESS, ACCEPTANCE, AND PARTICIPATION FEE

Clark County Open Studios will showcase art in a broad range of media and styles. The event contributes to public awareness of the quality and diversity of artists in our community. Because of the increasing number of applicants, jurying is competitive and there is strict enforcement of the guidelines. Participation is intended for professional artists who are actively producing and exhibiting their work. Application material will not be judged on personal tastes or preferences.

2022 JURORS

Michele Hanlon ~ Clark County’s newly appointed Arts Education Commissioner relocated to Vancouver from North Texas in 2021. She has worked in the arts as a performer, creator, advocate, and arts administrator for over 30 years. Most recently, she served as Associate Dean for the Arts at the University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) in Richardson, TX.

Tom Anderson ~ Currently residing in Olympia, WA, Tom has worked as a full-time artist for over 30 years with a practice that includes painting, metal fabrication, mixed media construction, and printmaking. Represented by galleries in Oregon, Washington, California, and Hawaii, he exhibits regularly and his work can be found in over 1600 public and private collections. www.thomasandersonart.com

Nancy Morrow ~ Owner and Director of The Gallery at Ten Oaks in McMinnville, Oregon in the heart of wine country. The gallery/tasting room showcases a variety of mediums and focuses on Pacific Northwest artists.  www.tenoaksgallery.com

JUDGING CRITERIA

After your non-refundable $25 application fee is received and your application has demonstrated that you meet studio eligibility requirements and art guidelines, the jury will view and score your submitted images using these criteria:

• Originality/Creativity: Does the artist’s work express a unique style/voice and vision?
• Craftsmanship/Use of Materials or Media: Does the artist’s work show mastery over his/her medium or innovative use of materials/media?

ACCEPTANCE

Artists who are accepted will receive an acceptance letter by June 6th.

A PARTICIPATION FEE OF $125 will be required to confirm your participation, paid through your CaFE account, DUE by June 10th.

Upon acceptance, you will have access to our Artist Login page with Open Studios tour essentials to help guide you with studio preparation, marketing plans, and a timeline of events.

While Artstra provides administrative event planning, marketing, and promotional support for participating artists, be aware that your active involvement and volunteer work by participating artists will be essential in making this a successful event. 

Application Requirements

HOW TO APPLY 

YOUR APPLICATION MUST BE SUBMITTED ONLINE, so have your information and files available prior to filling out the online form.

    1.   Prepare FIVE DIGITAL IMAGES OF YOUR ARTWORK created in the last three years. One of these images can be an image of your studio space showing multiple works. This image helps jurors see a perspective of your work and may be used for marketing promotion. NOTE: the CaFE system will not take the studio photo without adding a price so be sure to add a $1.00 figure in the price box. 

    3.    Write a BRIEF artist statement, 1000 Characters, approximately 150 words, describing your creative process and inspiration, and have it ready to paste into the online application. This statement will be used for the online guide. 

    4.    Fill out and submit the online CaFE application and pay the $25 application fee.

Eligibility Criteria

STUDIO ELIGIBILITY

Participating artists MUST have a regular, ongoing studio workspace for creating art located within Clark County, Washington.

• STUDIO SHARING: Open Studios was created to offer the public an opportunity to be invited into the working spaces of Clark County's artistic community and to have an authentic experience visiting a working artist. It is not intended for temporary set-ups in businesses or pop-up spaces. Sharing space in another artist's studio must be approved on an individual basis and will only be granted when an artist's studio is inaccessible to the public.
• The studio must retain the atmosphere of an active workspace, with materials, equipment, and work-in-progress visible.
• Artists must agree to not exhibit, sell or host non-participating artists in the space over which they have interest or control. Artists working in cluster studios should encourage their fellow artists to apply for participation in Open Studios. Artists who are not officially participating in Open Studios are asked not to represent themselves in any way as Open Studios artists.

ART GUIDELINES

Clark County Open Studios is open to a wide range of visual media including painting, drawing, mixed media, sculpture, ceramics, wood, metal, glass, fiber arts, jewelry, photography, digital art, and printmaking. Art displayed in Open Studios must adhere to these guidelines;

• During Open Studios, participating artists must exhibit a minimum of 15 pieces of original art, created within the last three years.
• Reproductions are limited to 20% of an artist’s Open Studios display space and must be clearly labeled as reproductions.

QUESTIONS

Any questions or concerns regarding eligibility and participation guidelines please contact Jennifer Williams, Clark County Open Studios director, before applying.