The 2024 National Fine Arts Show and Sale takes place in Louisville, Colorado, a beautiful historic city on Colorado’s Front Range. The venue is the Louisville Center for the Arts, an elegant, late 19th century, red brick schoolhouse.  
Historic Downtown Louisville offers an array of art galleries, related shops, businesses, restaurants and cafes. 

The Show runs from Aug 30, 2024 through Sept 8, 2024, in conjunction with the three-day Louisville Labor Day week-end event. The gallery is closed mid week for special events. *LAA website has specific gallery hours and days at https://louisvilleartassociation.org/2024-nfas-show/

SPONSORS                                                                                        

This annual show is sponsored by the Louisville Art Association, in conjunction with the City of Louisville, the Scientific & Cultural Facilities District (SCFD), Guiry’s Art, and Bolder Insurance.

AWARDS
Best of Show/First Place Award  $600                                                     2nd Place Award  $400                                                                          3rd Place Award  $250                                                                             10 Artistic Achievement Awards  $100                                             Judge’s Choice Award  $200                                                                     1 Peoples’ Choice Award  $200

PLEASE READ ENTIRE PROSPECTUS, ELIGIBILITY, and SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS to be sure you meet all requirements for entry and participation in the show.                                                      

JUDGE

We are honored to have Colorado artist Chuck Ceraso as the judge/juror for this show. Chuck Ceraso studied painting and sculpting at the University of Notre Dame and painting with Henry Hensche, the well-known painter and teacher of the Cape School in ProvinceTown, MA. Hensche taught ‘the art of seeing and painting’ for over 60 years until his death in 1991. 

Chuck has been a sought-after instructor at the Denver Art Museum, the Art Students League of Denver and the Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities for many years. He also holds ongoing classes in his gallery and studio in Lafayette, CO. His work can be found in public and private collections throughout the U.S. and Europe.

Chuck has been fascinated with painting from the actual experience of sight as opposed to painting from a set of rules or theories as taught by many artists. Using the principles of seeing that he learned from Henry, Chuck continues to discover a fresh vision of the world as simply an arrangement of colored shapes. Science has verified that color vision is a much more complex and fascinating phenomenon than any theory or formula can ever predict.

IMPORTANT DATES
Monday, July 15                     Entry deadline 11:59pm MTN time.

Wednesday, July 24              All accepted entries notified via email by     end of day.  

Mon-Fri, Aug 19 - Aug 23      Timeframe for shipped artwork to arrive     

Ship to: LAA Fine Art Show C/O Bolder Insurance                          800 Jefferson Avenue, Louisville, CO 80027

Tuesday, Aug 27                  In person deliveries accepted 1pm–5pm at 801 Grant Ave,  Louisville, CO 80027.

Friday, Aug 30                       Awards Reception: 6pm– 8pm with Awards Ceremony at 7pm. Participating artists and public invited.    

Monday, Sept 2                    Labor Day: OPEN GALLERY 11am–6pm. 

Sunday, Sept 8                   Last day of show. Gallery closes at 4pm. Pick-up of hand-delivered exhibited art work from 5pm –7pm.   *NOTE: No early pickup. Volunteers need 4-5pm timeframe to close the show and set up for artists pickup. There is no storage for artwork after the show. In the event an artist will not be able to pick up or have another person pick up their artwork, arrangements must be made in advance for an alternative pickup by emailing us at https://louisvilleartassociation.org/contact-us/

Mon, Sept 10                       Unsold artwork will be shipped back to artists using artist’s prepaid return label.  

Application Requirements

1. Artists must be 18 years or older. 
2. Artists of all mediums and genres are encouraged to apply, with the exception of:
          a. No installation art.
          b. No videos.
          c. No photography or manipulated photography. 
3. Applications must be completed online through CaFE’.
4. No copies, kits, giclee reproductions, or work done in a class or under the supervision of an instructor.

ARTWORK MUST:
1. Not previously have been shown in a LAA National Fine Art Show.  
2. Be original in both concept and execution (no giclee or reproductions).
3. Be created in the last two years.
4. Be appropriate for general audiences and general public venues (no nudity).
5. Be ready to hang if 2D using wire and hardware that will support its weight.   
       a. No glass in framed art if being shipped.
       b. Hand delivered framed artwork may have glass.
6. Meet Size limitation:  2D pieces may not exceed 48” on any side INCLUDING FRAME and cannot weigh over 50 lbs.  3D sculptures cannot exceed 36 inches in any one dimension and cannot weigh over 70 lbs. 
7. Fit into one of these 10 categories: 
       a. Oil/Cold Wax,
       b. Acrylic, 
       c. Watercolor, 
       d. Pastels, 
       e. Sculpture, 
       f.  Fiber,
       g. Mixed Media, 
       h. Digital Painting (using a software program to paint/draw freehand on a monitor screen then print - it is NOT a manipulated or enhanced photograph and it is not AI generated.
       i. Drawing,
       j. Printmaking (lithography, silkscreen, etching, wood/linocuts).   Definition of Artists Printmaking: Printmaking is an artistic process based on the principle of transferring images from a matrix onto another surface, most often paper or fabric. Traditional printmaking techniques include wood-cut/linocut, etching, engraving, lithography, and screen-printing. Monoprints are also in this category. What is NOT in this category: photographic prints, Giclee, or other prints made from an original piece via scanning or other digitizing processes. Link to articles on printmaking: https://www.metmuseum.org/about-the-met/collection-areas/drawings-and-prints/materials-and-techniques/printmaking, https://www.highpointprintmaking.org/about/about-printmaking

SUBMISSION INFORMATION

• Entry fee is $45.00, nonrefundable, for three entries. Each additional entry is $10.00, up to a total of six (6) entered pieces. Entries can be in multiple categories.
• Your email address will be our primary contact source.  Note: Add LAANFAS@louisvilleartassociation.org  to contacts so communication does not go to your spam folder. If you do not see a notification letter from CaFE after judging, check your spam folder.
• Only works selected by the juror will be displayed and eligible for awards from the show.
• IMAGES: Submit only your images, do not include the frame and/or mat, or any background. Having the best possible photograph of your work makes it much more likely that you will be juried in. Search online for more information (videos and articles) on taking better photos of your work.
• Pieces must be appropriate for general audiences and venues. No nudity. The juror and LAA reserves the right to disqualify any work which is considered in poor taste or inappropriate. During judging or hanging, any artwork found to contain unacceptable material or found not to be identical to the juried online piece, will not be included in the exhibition. No substitutions are allowed.

PRICING 

Please set the price for your work carefully. All artwork must be for sale. The price you assign to your artwork in CaFE’ online entry process will be the price printed on the art title card for the exhibition and cannot be changed once your piece has been submitted. There are no exceptions. Be sure to consider the 25% LAA commission, any shipping costs, and framing costs, and closely proofread your entry details before completing your submission on CaFE'. If accepted into the show, artists are responsible for shipping and returning costs. 

Shipping services such as FedEx and UPS have online tools for estimating shipping costs.

SALES 

All exhibited artwork must be for sale. All exhibited artwork must be present for the duration of the show. Sales of invited art pieces and bin work will be handled through the Louisville Art Association, who will retain a 25% commission on all sales resulting from the exhibition.

If artwork is sold, artists will receive payment via a USPS mailed check within 14 days after closure of the show. 

ENTER THROUGH CALLFORENTRY.ORG There are easy to follow instructions to make an artist profile  on CaFE' if you do not already have one. The submission process and uploading of images is simple.
A non-refundable $45.00 entry fee for the 1st three images and $10.00 for each additional image up to 6 total images is paid through CaFE.

FOR QUESTIONS, CONTACT: https://louisvilleartassociation.org/contact-us/ or Louisville Art Association • PO Box 852 • Louisville, CO 80027 
_______________________________________________

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR INVITED ARTISTS:

1. Only the piece(s) that are juried into the show will be hung. Substitutions are not allowed. Failure to provide your piece(s) will result in a ban from entering future LAA shows for two years.  

2. All selected artist may include bin work for sale, but it is not required: 

• Up to 5 pieces of 2D art work/prints, plus
• 10 Individual cards,
• 6 packs of cards.
• Bin art work needs to be flat (less than 1/4 inch), no wires or hangers.
• Framed artwork or 3D pieces of art are not allowed as bin art work.
• How to label your bin work and/or cards is included on the bin inventory sheet with an example. All bin art and cards must be listed on the bin inventory sheet and brought to check in or shipped with artwork.                              
• Bin inventory sheets need to be complete prior to check in and will be available to download and complete in August 2024 on the LAA website: https://louisvilleartassociation.org/2024-nfas-show/

BINS ARE SUPPLIED BY LAA. DO NOT BRING YOUR OWN BINS.

3. Accepted artist are requested to email a brief 1 page biography or artist statement to: LAANFAS@Louisvilleartassociation.org. Artists bios will be available in a display notebook for visitors to peruse. Be sure to add any contact information, QR code, website, or social media sites that you want visitors to see.

FRAMING AND MOUNTING REQUIREMENTS—THESE SPECIFICATIONS MUST BE FOLLOWED OR YOUR ARTWORK WILL NOT BE HUNG.
• All 2D Pieces must be framed or gallery wrapped  with a 1.5 inch minimal thickness.

• Gallery wrapped art must have a minimum or 1.5 inch thickness AND all sides must be completely painted.

• Any wrapped canvas less than 1.5 inches thickness must be framed.

• Wall art must have secure wire, ready to hang, and not weigh more than 70 pounds. Pieces without hangers will not be hung. No sawtooth hangers.

• Must be labeled on the back bottom right corner with artist's name, phone number, title and price.

• No Glass if shipping. Glass is ok if hand delivering.

• No pieces exceeding 48” INCLUDING frame on any side will be accepted. The size limit includes Diptychs or Triptychs, measured as a unit.

• Sculptures and other three-dimensional work:

1. Must be labeled on the bottom with artist's name, phone number, title, and price.
2. Must be properly and securely mounted and ready for display.
3. Not be more than 36 inches in any one dimension.
4. Not weigh more than 70 pounds.
5. No sharp edges
6. Cannot be attached to floor or suspended from ceiling.
7. No installation pieces.
8. No Artificial Intelligence (AI) generated pieces.

ARTISTS THAT ARE HAND DELIVERING INVITED ARTWORK:

1. In person delivery of artwork is Tues, Aug. 27 from 1pm-5pm, at 801 Grant Ave, Louisville, CO 80027. 
2. Early drop offs are not allowed at the venue. Artists that are not able to deliver their artwork are encouraged to find an alternative person that can deliver - or ship their artwork (see shipping instructions). Other arrangements can be made on an individual basis by sending an email to: https://louisvilleartassociation.org/contact-us/. 
3. All art must be securely labeled on the back lower right corner (or bottom of sculptures) with title, artist’s name, price, and phone number.
4. Artists bringing bin work need to provide a completed bin work inventory form at time of drop off. The Bin form will be available on the LAA website; https://louisvilleartassociation.org/2024-nfas-show/
5. A one page bio or artist statement if not emailed prior to delivery.

ARTISTS THAT ARE SHIPPING ACCEPTED ARTWORK:

1. No glass.
2. Shipped artwork must be received between: Aug 19 - 23, 2024 at Bolder Insurance, see address below.
3. Artists are responsible for shipping and returning costs and must include a prepaid return label.
4. Artists are responsible for any insurance they want to have during shipping and the duration of the show.
5. Shipped Artwork must be packed in strong, reusable cartons or crates with no free-floating styrofoam/peanut packing. Packing material must be reusable to facilitate return shipping.
6. All art must be securely labeled on the back lower right corner (or bottom of sculptures) with title, artist’s name, price, and cell phone number.
7. Artists that wish to sell smaller 2D pieces of bin work need to include a completed bin work inventory form. *The Bin form will be available on the Louisville website; https://louisvilleartassociation.org/2024-nfas-show/
8. A one page bio or artist's statement if not emailed prior to shipping.
9. SHIPPING ADDRESS FOR ALL SHIPPED ARTWORK:
                  LAA National Fine Art Show, C/O Bolder Insurance 
                     800 Jefferson Avenue, Louisville, CO 80027
   Do not ship to the Louisville Art Association PO Box or to the exhibition venue. We do not receive mail at the venue. Anything shipped to that address, will be left outside of building and unattended.
    

IMPORTANT DATES             

Monday, July 15                       Entry deadline 11:59pm MTN time.

Wed, July 24                           All accepted entries notified via email by     end of day.  

Mon-Fri, Aug 19 - Aug 23      Timeframe for shipped artwork to arrive     Ship to: LAA Fine Art Show C/O Bolder Insurance, 800 Jefferson Avenue, Louisville, CO 80027

Tuesday, Aug 27                  In person deliveries accepted 1pm–5pm at 801 Grant Ave,  Louisville, CO 80027.

Friday, Aug 30                       Awards Reception: 6pm– 8pm with Awards Ceremony at 7pm. Participating artists and public invited.    

Monday, Sept 2                    Labor Day: OPEN GALLERY 11am–6pm. 

Sunday, Sept 8                   Last day of show. Gallery closes at 5pm. Pick-up of hand-delivered exhibited art work from 5pm –7pm.   *NOTE: No early pickup. Volunteers need 4-5pm timeframe to close the show and set up for artists pickup. There is no storage for artwork after the show. In the event an artist will not be able to pick up or have another person pick up their artwork, arrangements must be made in advance for an alternative pickup by emailing us at https://louisvilleartassociation.org/contact-us/

Mon, Sept 10                       Unsold artwork will be shipped back to artists using artist’s prepaid return label.            

RETURN OF WORK 
Unsold shipped artwork will be shipped back to the artist following the closing date of the exhibition with artist prepaid shipping label. Louisville Art Association is not responsible for return of art if return shipping label is not prepaid. 

Hand-delivered artwork must be picked up on the show’s closing date, Sunday, Sept 8 between 5pm and 7pm.

 NO EARLY PICK-UPS ARE ALLOWED. *In the event an artist is unable to pick up or have another person pick up unsold work, arrangements must be made in advance for an alternative pickup by emailing https://louisvilleartassociation.org/contact-us/.  

• There is no storage available for artwork not picked up. Abandoned art may be donated after 2 failed attempts to contact the artist.

Eligibility Criteria

Submitting an application to the show constitutes that you have read and agree with all of the information presented. 

FOR QUESTIONS OR HELP email: LAANFAS@louisvilleartassociation.org     Find us online at https://louisvilleartassociation.org/ or show specific information at https://louisvilleartassociation.org/2024-nfas-show/

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