PrintAustin is excited to announce the open call for its 10th annual juried international exhibition, The Contemporary Print. Presented in collaboration with Austin Community College in Austin and Form & Concept in Santa Fe, this year’s exhibition will be juried by Rashaun Rucker, and held at Austin Community College gallery during PrintAustin 2023. Selected works will be invited to exhibit during Print Santa Fe 2023 at Form & Concept.  

The Contemporary Print is a survey of traditional printmaking techniques and innovative approaches in contemporary printmaking. While non-traditional or digital output is accepted as a print element, submissions must utilize traditional print media as their primary technique. These include lithography, relief, intaglio, silkscreen, photo polymer plate (i.e. SolarPlates), and monotype.

Solely digital and photographic prints are not eligible. For questions regarding eligible media, please contact info@printaustin.org.

Please visit www.printaustin.org or email info@printaustin.org for more information.

EXHIBITION DATES FOR PRINTAUSTIN  January 23 – March 9, 2023
MEET THE JUROR & MEMBERS PREVIEW TBD
OPENING RECEPTION  TBD
VENUE  Austin Community College, 6101 Highland Campus Dr, Austin, TX 78752

EXHIBITION DATES FOR PRINT SANTA FE TBD, but during April 2023 when Print Santa Fe's festival will be held 
VENUE Form & Concept, 435 S. Guadalupe St., Santa Fe, NM 87501

ABOUT PRINTAUSTIN  PrintAustin is an artist-led nonprofit organization working with organizations and individuals throughout the Austin visual arts community to showcase traditional and contemporary approaches in printmaking during its annual festival, held January 15 through February 15. Visit www.printaustin.org to learn more about our open calls, and other exhibition and collaboration opportunities. You may also find us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

ABOUT PRINT SANTA FE Print Santa Fe is PrintAustin's effort to bring a similar print-related festival to another city, helping to cultivate collectors and print awareness among an established print community. Check out their website at printsantafe.org. Note: only selected work will be invited to Print Santa Fe

ABOUT AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE  Austin Community College is a nationally recognized college serving Central Texas as the primary gateway to higher education and technical training opportunities. ACC's mission is to provide open-door access to an affordable college education for students who want to earn a degree, learn a marketable skill, or advance their careers. ACC prides itself on offering an extraordinary learning experience that puts every student on their path to success--including a well-equipped printmaking facility.

ABOUT FORM & CONCEPT Located in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Form & Concept challenges the perceived divisions between craft, design, and art. They dispute the historic use of these terms to classify artists and rank material culture. Form & Concept programming acts as a conversation between many converging disciplines, harnessing the power of contemporary creative practice to shatter entrenched narratives. Form & Concept is part of the Santa Fe Railyard Arts District. Their sister collection, Zane Bennett Contemporary Art, exhibits modern and contemporary works on paper.

ABOUT THE JUROR  Rashaun Rucker (b. 1978, Winston-Salem, NC) is a product of North Carolina Central University and Marygrove College. He makes photographs, prints and drawings and has won more than 40 national and state awards for his work. In 2008 Rucker became the first African American to be named Michigan Press Photographer of the Year. He also won a national Emmy Award in 2008 for documentary photography on the pit bull culture in Detroit. Rucker was a Maynard Fellow at Harvard in 2009 and a Hearst visiting professional in the journalism department at UNC-Chapel Hill in 2013. In 2014 Rucker was awarded an artist residency at the Red Bull House of Art. In 2016 Rucker was honored as a Modern Man by Black Enterprise magazine. In 2017 Rucker created the original artwork for the critically acclaimed Detroit Free Press documentary 12 and Clairmount. His work was recently featured in HBO’s celebrated series Random Acts of Flyness and Native Son. In 2019 Rucker was awarded the Red Bull Arts Detroit micro grant and was named a Kresge Arts Fellow for his drawing practice. In 2020 Rucker was named A Sustainable Arts Foundation Awardee. Rucker was a 2021 resident at the International Studios and Curatorial Program (ISCP) in Brooklyn, New York and is currently a Mellon Resident at the University of Michigan Institute of Humanities. Rucker’s diverse work is represented in numerous public and private collections.

AWARDS

* The Link & Pin Award  $500 cash prize (Austin)
* The Print Santa Fe Award $500 cash prize (Santa Fe)

ELIGIBILITY Open to local, national, and international artists 18 years or older. Any 2-D or 3-D work including ceramics, sculpture, mixed media, and artist books that uses printmaking as the sole or primary technique in its execution are eligible. Unless an installation, work cannot exceed 72 inches (183 cm) in any direction. Artists may enter multiple images/detail images for entries consisting of installations or 3-D works by sending attachments to info@printaustin.org.

Works that have exhibited in past The Contemporary Print exhibitions are not eligible to be considered for this year’s exhibition. We appreciate your cooperation in helping us provide a fresh and current survey of printmaking today.

IMPORTANT DATES

SEPT 1                Call opens!

NOV 1                  Registration Deadline! All entries due by 11:59 PM (MT)

NOV                     Jury begins selection

DEC 1                  Email notifications sent to all artists

JANUARY           Refer to direct correspondence from PrintAustin for updated info. Hand-delivery arranged upon request only. 

JAN 23 - MAR 9  Exhibition dates for Austin. Santa Fe dates are TBD, but will be in April 2023. 

MAR 13 - MAY 1  Selected work will be invited to Print Santa Fe. Work will be returned starting in March for pieces not heading to Santa Fe.

COMMISSIONS & FEES  We encourage artwork sales. For the Austin exhibit, artist receives 70% commission, while PrintAustin retains a 30% commission. Commissions on sales will help support PrintAustin's expenses for shipping selected work to Print Santa Fe exhibition at Form & Concept. Commissions at Form & Concept are still TBD. 

SALES & COPYRIGHTS  Your entry grants PrintAustin, ACC, and Form & Concept permission to use artist statements, artist biography, and image(s) of your work in catalogs, websites, and any marketing or public relations materials. PrintAustin will provide image credit with information you provide on your application.

FEES: $2 entry fee for PrintAustin members, $10 per submission over 3. Visit printaustin.org/membership to become a member (membership starts at $50/yr, but it includes $2 entry to our juried shows as well as a profile on our website). Be sure to register using the same name as your membership or your entry will be automatically deleted on the date the call closes. 

Fee for non-members: $35 for up to 3 entries; $10 for each additional entry.  We understand that the pandemic has affected artists disproportionately. If you are unable to pay the $35 application fee, please contact us at info@printaustin.org as we have a limited number of comped entries for this reason. For those able to pay and help support our organization, a fee of $35 is due at the time of submission.

FILE FORMAT: JPEG (“Quality” set to Maximum).  Audio and video files may be submitted if essential to represent the work (i.e. time-based works, etc.). MP3 files may be submitted for audio. MP4 files may be submitted for video. All submissions must include at least one JPEG.

File Name: First Name_Last Name_Image # (e.g.: Albrecht_Durer_1.jpg.)

CATALOG: Once selected, artists will be required to submit hi-res images of their work along with an artist statement. 

FRAMING REQUIREMENTS  Once accepted, all work must be presented professionally as a cohesive group show. For this purpose, we require the following:

o    Prints should be professionally matted/floated and framed, and be installation ready
o    No sawtooth hangers
o    Plexiglass only
o    White or off-white mats
o    Frames should be white or natural wood only

International artists have the option to ship prints rolled or flat, and unframed (to be hung with a magnet system provided by PrintAustin).

Exceptions to above requirements include only works larger than 40 inches, 3-D works, and artist books.

For any special installation requirements, artist must provide a visual and detailed instructions included in the packaging or via email. We strongly encourage artists to contact info@printaustin.org to discuss special installation prior to shipping.

To ensure the quality of the exhibition, PrintAustin reserves the right to exclude any entry that presents complex hanging/exhibition problems or is not professionally framed.

PrintAustin may also reject any work that is not accurately represented in the digital file. The decision is final.

NOTIFICATIONS  Email notifications will be sent to all artists by December 1, 2023.

SHIPPING AND INSURANCE

o    Selected artists will receive a shipping stipend, courtesy of PrintAustin. Stipend amount minimum will be $50.
o    Artists are responsible for return shipping, and must include a prepaid return label. Your work will not be installed without it. What we suggest doing is creating an account with Fed Ex or UPS so your return shipping can be from Austin or from Santa Fe. The bar code should allow for the amount to be deducted regardless of where it's being shipped from. **IMPORTANT: While selected artists will receive a shipping stipend, artists are responsible for arranging shipping. You MUST include an easily located prepaid return shipping label with artwork. If you do not, your work will not be included in exhibit.
o    Shipped work must be packaged in a reusable carton, box, or crate.
o    NO PACKING PEANUTS.
o    PrintAustin will insure all works while in the gallery.
o    Artists are responsible for any damage or loss during transit.
o    Shipped works must be delivered to PrintAustin in January (see direct email from PrintAustin)
o    Hand-delivery arranged upon request ONLY.

An artist statement and a high resolution jpeg of selected work will be required and requested once accepted for catalogue and promotional media use. Loan agreement will be provided by PrintAustin and Form & Concept, if applicable, and will be emailed with your acceptance. Signed agreement must accompany the artwork when shipping.

Shipping address will be provided upon acceptance. 

Application Requirements

The Contemporary Print is a survey of traditional printmaking techniques and innovative approaches in contemporary printmaking. While non-traditional or digital output is accepted as a print element, submissions must utilize traditional print media as their primary technique. These include lithography, relief, intaglio, silkscreen, photo polymer plate (i.e. SolarPlates), and monotype.

Solely digital and photographic prints are not eligible. For questions regarding eligible media, please contact info@printaustin.org.

Eligibility Criteria

ELIGIBILITY Open to local, national, and international artists 18 years or older. Any 2-D or 3-D work including ceramics, sculpture, mixed media, and artist books that uses printmaking as the sole or primary technique in its execution are eligible. Unless an installation, work cannot exceed 72 inches (183 cm) in any direction. Artists may enter multiple images/detail images for entries consisting of installations or 3-D works by sending attachments to info@printaustin.org.