Preamble
a. The Great Northern Art Explosion (also referred to as “the Event”) is organized by AuSable Artisan Village art center of Grayling, MI, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization (hereafter referred to as “the Organizer”).
b. The goal of Great Northern Art Explosion is to showcase Grayling as an art destination and to use the arts to generate activity in the downtown area.
c. The Organizer reserves the right to change or update any information in these rules or conditions of the Event. All candidates will be notified of changes via email.

1. Eligibility
1.1. Art Explosion is an open, international contest - any artist age 18 and up can participate regardless of location.

1.2. Works submitted may be in any medium: drawing, printing, installation, painting, photography, digital art, sculpture, mixed media, decorative art (textiles, glass, wood, metal, ceramics, mosaic, paper or other techniques). However, the Organizer cannot guarantee to accommodate specific or specialized needs such as specialized lighting or site-specific power source. See section 3 for further details.
1.3. No specific theme is imposed on the works of art submitted by the artists.
1.4. Any artwork submitted must be created within the last two years.

1.5. All hanging artworks must be ready to hang with wire or D-rings, no sawtooth hangers.

1.6. 2-D work must be framed, or gallery wrapped.

1.7. Multi-piece work will not be accepted. Entries must not exceed 4’ in width and 9’ in height.

1.8. 3-D work cannot require more than 30 square feet of floor space and less than nine (9) feet in height without special permission, unless the work is suitable for outdoor display.
1.9. Previous Art Explosion participants may not submit a work that was accepted in previous Art Explosion events.
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‍2. Artist Registration
2.1. Candidates must submit their applications online through Café no later than July 23, 2023, 11:59pm EST.
2.2. To submit an application, each candidate must create a Café’ account and submit all required information.
2.3. One to three images may be submitted with each entry

2.4. All entry fees are non-refundable

2.5. Registration fee for Artisan Village members is $30.
2.6. Candidates who provide untrue information, who are not the creator of the works they present, or who pay the entry fee through fraudulent means will be banned from Art Explosion.

3. Show Selection
3.1. Artists' entries will be reviewed and selected by a jury committee appointed by the Organization.
3.2. The Organizer does not guarantee acceptance of all applicants.

3.3. Artists will be notified of their acceptance status by July 31, 2023.

‍4. Art Explosion Exhibition
4.1. The finalists take part in the Art Explosion public exhibition in Grayling, MI from the show private opening reception on August 25th at 6 pm, through Sunday, September10, 2023 at 2:00 pm.

4.2. Each accepted artist must exhibit the work that was selected.
4.3. Artists are not required to be present for the Event.
4.4. The 2023 Great Northern Art Explosion will be displayed in a single location at the AuSable Artisan Village gallery. The show will be organized and hung by the AAV gallery curator.
4.5. All works exhibited must remain in the show throughout the exhibition.

4.6 All artists who receive an award must file a current W-9 with the gallery prior to receiving their prize monies.
 

5. Artist Sales and Solicitation
5.1. If the submitted artwork is for sale the price must accompany the entry, if not for sale the work should be marked NFS.

5.2. The Organizer will take a 40% commission of works sold during the show. Any work sold must remain on display through the duration of the show. The buyer may pick up the piece no sooner than Sunday, September 10, 2023 after 3:00 pm 
5.3. Artists may hand out business cards or related literature during the exhibition.
5.4. Artists may not hand out un-related materials or literature.
5.5. Artists may not make sales of additional items, objects or merchandise within the show space or immediately outside the show space.

5.6 If an Artist sells the submitted work prior to delivery to the Organizer, the artist shall make every effort to have the buyer pick up the sold piece after the conclusion of the show and not cancel or withdraw from the exhibition.

6. Awards
6.1. All accepted artists are eligible to win prize money.
6.2. Participating artists are eligible for one award only. If an artwork is recognized for multiple awards, the highest prize money will be award to the artist, the other award will be available to the next highest work.

6.3. A $2,500 grand prize will be awarded to the artists whose work receives the most public votes.

6.4. A $2,500 grand prize will be awarded by the Juror
6.5. A $1,000 second place prize will be awarded to the artist whose work receives the second most public votes.
6.6. A $1,000 second place prize will be awarded by the juror.

6.7. Category Awards, $250 people’s choice award and $250 Juror’s Award

6.7.a. A category will be determined according to the entries received and may be related to the medium or the subject matter or any other set of criteria as determined by the Organizer.

6.7.b. There will be up to 4 category awards so long as there are 5 or more entries in any given category of work.

6.8. The juror is a hired, qualified individual not affiliated with the Organizer.
6.9. Winning artists will receive payment during the awards reception on September 10. If the winning artist is not in attendance, payment will be sent using the mailing address provided by the artist in their registration form.

7. Voting
7.1. Voting will be open from the Members Only reception on August 25 at 6 PM through closing on September 9, 2023 at 5 PM. 
7.2. Artists may take part in voting.
7.3. All individual voters, including artists, may cast one vote per artwork.

7.4. Each voter may cast a vote for up to six (6) pieces of artwork.
7.5. All individual voters must submit votes under one name, email and phone number.

7.6. Household members may submit ballots under the same email and phone number
7.7. All voters must be physically present at the Event to cast their ballot.
7.8. An artist may not solicit votes from persons who are not attending the Event.
7.9. Any attempt to rig the voting system, including but not limited to: Creating false identities, voting using multiple names, email addresses, or phone numbers, attempting to cast more than one vote per artwork, or soliciting votes from individuals who are not attending the Art Explosion exhibition, will result in disqualification.

8. Transport and Installation of Artwork
8.1. Artists are responsible for the transport of their works to the exhibition space during open hours from Saturday, August 12 and no later than Wednesday, August 23, 2023.

8.2. Artists may deliver or ship their work. If an artist ships their work, the artist is responsible for all costs associated with shipping.

8.3 All shipped works must have a valid return shipping label included.
8.4. If an artist does not transport their work to the exhibition space by the date noted above, the Organizer reserves the right to disqualify the artist.
8.5. Artists are responsible for removing their works from the exhibition space no later than September 17, 2023.
8.6. If an artist does not remove their work or provide a return shipping label by the date noted above, the artist grants the Organizer the right to remove, store, or discard the work in any way seen fit by the Organizer.
8.7. If an artist's work requires special transportation or installation, such as a sculpture or other large artwork, the artist may make the necessary logistical arrangements with the Organizer.
8.8. The Organizer will install work in the space selected by the Organizer. Artists whose work requires unconventional or elaborate installation methods may install their own work at the direction of the Organizer with advance notice.

9. Insurance
9.1. Artists are encouraged to take out insurance for the works exhibited. Insurance for artwork is not required to participate.
9.2. Exhibiting artists release the Organizer from any responsibility for any damage that could have been covered by insurance taken out by the artist.
9.3. Exhibiting artists release all participating venues from any liabilities including injury, vandalism, theft and damage of artwork or personal property.

10. Postponement, cancellation
10.1. The Organizer reserves the right to postpone or cancel the Event if circumstances require it. Postponement or cancellations will be announced via email.
10.2. The Organizer cannot be held liable for any postponement or cancellation.
10.3. The Organizer reserves the right to cancel the submission of any artist and reimburse the entry fee amount with no obligation to provide the reason for said cancellation and with no assumption of liability by the Organizer.

11. Artist data and property
11.1. The artists expressly agree that their personal data will be processed by computer by the Organizer for registration.
11.2. The artists taking part in the Event give the Organizer the right to photograph or re-use the artwork presented in their submissions free of charge in perpetuity for promotional purposes only, in any medium- digital or physical.
11.3. The artists acknowledge and accept that their personal information details will not be communicated to third parties except where required in application of a legal or regulatory provision or for the normal organizational purposes of the Event.
11.4. The artists expressly agree that by registering for the Event, they agree to receive future Art Explosion and/or other art-related solicitations from the Organizer via the contact details provided in the artist’s submission.

‍12. Force majeure
12.1. Neither the artist nor the Organizer will be responsible for failure to execute their obligations if a case of force majeure arises, defined as any unpredictable, unpreventable event arising from circumstances external to the artist or Organizer.
12.2. If orders via federal or state mandate in relation to COVID-19 restrictions that prohibit the Event from taking place are in place or scheduled to be in place during the Event, the Event will be postponed to a later date. In the event of cancellation related to such restrictions, all artists will be refunded their registration fee. Event cancellation is the only circumstance where registration fee refunds are considered.

‍13. Acceptance
13.1. The artist declares that they have read these rules and expressly accepts them in full and without reservation.