This call for entry is for BOTH the Open Studios ARTIST MEMBERSHIP YEAR, July 1, 2023 -  June 30, 2024) AND the OPEN STUDIOS TOUR (Oct. 7-8, 14-15, 21-22, 2023). All applications are reviewed and scored by a panel of jurors who will determine the list of artists invited to become MEMBERS. Approximately 175 artists with highest scores given by our jurors will receive invitations to participate in the OPEN STUDIOS TOUR in October 2023. Accepting the Tour invitation is not mandatory. You may take advantage of our Membership program without participating in the Tour.

We will discuss the Membership program here, followed by details about the Studio Tour. Please also see jury scoring criteria at the end of this DESCRIPTION.

A $37 NON-REFUNDABLE application fee is required with the online application. This call closes at 11:59 pm on Sunday, May 14th.  Artists will be notified of acceptance for Membership and on or before May 31, 2023. At that time, top-scoring artists will also receive their Studio Tour participation invitations.

If accepted for Membership, a Membership agreement must be submitted along with an $85 participation fee ($75 for returning Members from the 2022-2023 Membership year) by June 30, 2023. Fees are non-refundable.

Artists who accept invitations to participate in the Open Studios Tour must complete a combined Membership and Tour Participation agreement and submit fees as described in Studio Tour information below.

OPEN STUDIOS MEMBERSHIP

The upcoming membership year runs July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2024. 12-month membership fees are $85 for new members, and $75 for returning members. Members are also required to provide 8 hours of volunteer service by June 30, 2024. Ample opportunities will be provided for volunteer service throughout the year. Alternatively, artists may pay an additional fee to replace volunteer hours. This fee will be calculated at $16 per hour for time not volunteered. Artists who do not complete the volunteer requirement or pay the additional fee to compensate for unworked volunteer hours will not be eligible to apply for Membership and/or the Open Studios Tour in 2024.

The following benefits will be provided for artists during the Membership year: 

·       Your own Artist Page in the openstudios.org Members’ online catalog with images of your work, artist statement, links to your email, website and social media,

·       A piece of your best art in a Members’ Exhibit. 

·       First-in-line opportunity to participate in POP! Galleries (these are retail pop-up galleries that Open Studios establishes in commercial locations, typically during tourist and holiday seasons,

·       Optional placement of a brief Virtual Video Tour of your studio on your online Open Studios Artist Page. We'll provide directions for you to produce your own video. If unable to create a video on your own, we will assist you for an additional fee,

·       The opportunity to sell art through Open Studios’ online shops and galleries,

·       Sales and marketing training on topics including, but not limited to, social media, sales techniques, website basics and more,

·       First-in-line opportunities to participate in corporate art programs,

·       A listing in our website Art Class Search with a link to the teaching page on your website,

·       The opportunity to do paid teaching residencies in Boulder County’s public schools (BVSD and SVVSD), and to teach on-line through virtual EdLinks programing,

·       The opportunity to do paid outreach residencies in underserved neighborhoods throughout Boulder County and to offer these services on-line through virtual Mobile Art Lab programing,

·       Discount on registrations for other Open Studios programs, including plein air events and ticketed paint-outs.

·       Ongoing Social Media, email and additional Marketing Campaigns throughout the year to promote all the activities listed here,

·       A $10 discount on membership fees for the 2024-2025 membership year.

And MORE . . .

OPEN STUDIOS TOUR

Artists who accept an invitation to participate in the Tour are automatically MEMBERS of Open Studios and may take full advantage of Member Benefits. If a Tour participation invitation is extended to you, accepting it will not be mandatory. You may still participate in the Membership program.

The Open Studios Tour is held the first three weekends of October. This year, the dates are Oct. 7-8, 14-15, and 21-22. Tour artists MUST participate during the first two weekends of the Tour, and have the option of participating the final (3rd) weekend. You MUST PARTICIPATE BOTH SATURDAY and SUNDAY on the first two weekends and during the 3rd weekend, if you opt for that weekend as well. The Tour Preview Exhibit will be held at the Dairy Arts Center. This exhibit will showcase one piece of each Tour artist’s best work and will open prior to the first Tour weekend. An opening reception will be held.

Tour Artists must participate in the Tour at an art studio location in Boulder County. Tour artists may join another artist in their studio during the tour. All artists must show their art-making equipment and provide education about their art-making, in addition to displayin g artwork. This is discussed more fully later in this section.

Since 1995, the Open Studios Tour has attracted patrons from around Colorado and beyond. Patrons visit artists’ studios to learn about their work, purchase art and sign up for classes. In 2022, over 8,000 patrons made nearly 41,000 visits to studios on the Tour. 

Open Studios is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization whose mission is "to advance and enrich the visual arts and promote the role of artists in the Boulder Community." Both Membership and Tour participation are open to all artists who produce art in studios in Boulder County. Arts education is an important part of our work. Tour artists are required to provide an educational component about their art-making process in their Tour studio or Tour location. Process videos shown continually in your studio, a self-guided tutorial and scheduled demonstrations are examples of educational components. A short description of your planned educational component must be included in your Tour participation agreement.

The 2023 Tour participation fee is $185, which is in addition to the Membership Fee. Membership + Tour Fees total $270 ($260 for returning 2022-2023 Members). Tour fees are used exclusively for the Studio Tour program. These fees pay for approximately 50% of the cost of advertising, promotion and administration of the Tour. To help defray costs of the Tour, artists are required to contribute an amount equal to 10% of their gross art sales that result from the Tour, to Open Studios by the end of the calendar year. Artists who do not pay this commission will not be eligible to apply for future Membership and Tour participation.

Tour Artists are also required to provide 12 hours of volunteer service by June 1, 2024. Ample opportunities will be provided for volunteer service throughout the year. Alternatively, artists may pay an additional fee to replace volunteer hours. This fee will be calculated at $16 per hour for time not volunteered and is due by June 1, 2024. Artists who do not complete the volunteer requirement or pay the additional fee to compensate for unworked volunteer hours will not be eligible to apply for 2024-2025 Membership and the Open Studios Tour in 2024. Artists who do not pay the 10% Tour commission by December 31, 2023, will not be eligible to apply for Membership and the Open Studios Tour in 2024.

IMPORTANT DATES:

·       Application Deadline: May 14, 2023.

·       Jury Review: May 15 – 31, 2023.

·       Applicants notified of Acceptance: June 1-5, 2023.

·       Contracts and Fees for Membership and the Studio Tour are due June 30th. Member benefits will begin for artists on July 1, 2023 or as soon as contracts and fees are received.

·       Art Delivery for Preview Exhibit at the Dairy Art Center in September, date TBD.  Artists will be assigned specific times to deliver their art.

·       Preview Exhibit Opening Reception, Dairy Art Center, date TBD

·       Tour Dates: October 7-8, 14-15, 21-22, 2023.

·       Art Pick Up from Dairy Art Center in October, 2023, date TBD

Special Training for Tour Artists:

In addition to Social Media, Sales and Marketing workshops provided to Open Studios Members, two Tour preparation workshops will be provided for artists. These will assist Tour artists in developing their own Tour promotion strategies and teach basic in-person sales techniques.

Promotional Package for 2023 Studio Tour Artists

·       Printed promotional piece with Images of Artists’ work and Studio Location Map: 12,000+ copies will be printed and distributed along the Front Range,

·       Promotional Rack Cards distributed locally and at all Colorado Interstate Highway welcome centers,

·       Public Radio Underwriting messages on Front Range stations,

·       Daily social media posts,

·       Promotional postcards available for Tour artists’ use,

·       Mobile device-friendly Tour Map,

·       Online and print advertising and editorial coverage,

·       And More.

VOLUNTEERING: We encourage artists to volunteer in the spirit of promoting our artist community and to help the Open Studios Director and the Board provide a fulfilling year of promotion and career advancement for themselves as participating artists and for their peers. Tour Artists are also required to provide 12 hours of volunteer service by June 1, 2024. Ample opportunities will be provided for volunteer service throughout the year. Alternatively, artists may pay an additional fee to replace volunteer hours. This fee will be calculated at $16 per hour for time not volunteered and is due by June 1, 2024. Artists who do not complete the volunteer requirement or pay the additional fee to compensate for unworked volunteer hours will not be eligible to apply for 2024-2025 Membership and the Open Studios Tour in 2024.

If you are interested in helping with a specific Open Studios program (e.g. arts education, family art activities, art residencies for underserved populations, etc.), have specific skills to contribute (graphic art, IT, event management, etc.) or in serving on our board of directors or on an Open Studios Steering Committee for one of our programs, please email us: info@openstudios.org.

REFERRALS: For each NEW artist who applies through CaFE this year and who is referred by an Open Studios Member, we will discount your fees by $5.

For each NEW artist referred to us by an Open Studios Member, who applies and is accepted for the 2023 Boulder Open Studios Tour, you will receive a $10 discount on your Membership or Tour participation fee. "NEW" artists include those who have not participated in the Boulder Open Studios Tour in the last 5 years or more. New artists your refer MUST indicate YOUR name as the referral source on their CaFE application.  

REQUIREMENTS FOR APPLICATION (BOTH MEMBERSHIP AND STUDIO TOUR), ACCEPTANCE AND PARTICIPATION

(Please read these requirements through carefully!)

•    Applications are due by 11:59pm on May 14, 2023. All applicants must be juried and must apply online through CallForEntry.org (CaFE).

•    The images of your art submitted in your CaFE application, will be used on your Artist Page in our online Members’ Directory. Please put the image you would like to be your single image in our Tour promotion materials, in the first position on your application.

•    Submit images showing the entire piece of each of 6 to 12 different pieces of art you have completed since January 1, 2021 and that are representative of art that you will show during the Membership year and, if applicable, as an Open Studios Tour Artist. You may submit up to 12 images, 4 of which may be detail images of the other 8 pieces presented.

JURY PROCESS

This year's jurors are

Todd Edward Herman (see Todd's bio HERE)

Richard Saxton (see Richard's bio HERE)

John Taft (see John's bio HERE)

·       Open Studios jurors will review all applications. We will inform you between June 1 and 5, 2023 regarding whether or not you have been accepted for Membership and, if appropriate, to participate in the Studio Tour. Artists must return completed agreements and pay associated fees by June 30, 2023. Fees are not refundable.

·       The decisions of the Jury and Open Studios are final.

·       There are two-parts to the adjudication process: Part 1-The jury will consist of art consultants, museum administrators and/or gallery owners from the art community. Each juror will complete a scoring sheet for each artist. The Open Studios staff, working with jurors, will total the scores, rank all artists by “Total Score”, and determine a “cut-off” such that all artists above that score will be accepted. Part 2-The staff will also review all applications below that score and may add up to 4 more artists based on:

• Substantial contribution to the community by the artist,
• Major benefit to Open Studios provided by the artist’s participation,
• Exceptional emerging talent.

 JUROR SCORING CRITERIA - each of the following accounts for 25% of total score:

·       Does the work indicate a technical proficiency with the medium (skillfulness in handling the medium and ability in composition and design)?

·       Does the work reflect an individual style and personal vision (unique works reflecting originality, visual interest, impact, emotional response)?

·       How do you rate the overall quality of the work?

·       Do the images show a consistency in the body of work (do all images look like they were created by the same artist)?

In addition to the 4 criteria above, you must present artwork that has be completed since December 31, 2020. You are required to provide date of creation for your submitted artworks. Artwork produced before December 31, 2020 will not be considered by our jurors.

Deadline to Apply: 11:59pm, May 14, 2023

Notification: All artists will be notified of acceptance between June 1 and 5, 2023. The $37 application fee is non-refundable. If accepted, you will receive your participation agreement to complete and return to Open Studios with your payment for the Membership and, if applicable, Tour participation fees. Please make checks out to Open Studios and mail to Open Studios, P.O. Box 45 Boulder, CO 80306. You may also e-sign agreements and pay fees online. Information about online payment will be provided with your acceptance email. Agreements and fees are due June 30, 2023. Fees are not refundable.

NOTE: Open Studios has a fund for a limited number of full or partial scholarships to cover participation fees for artists who are in financial need. If you feel this is appropriate for you, contact us: info@openstudios.org or 303-444-1862.

•    Accepted Members and Tour artists' year-round studios must be  located in Boulder County, Colorado. Call or email Open Studios (303-444-1862, info@openstudios.org) before applying if you have questions about your eligibility.

•    Accepted Tour artists must derive a portion of their annual income from their art.

•    Accepted Tour artists must have the required City, County and State Sales Tax Licenses and collect and pay Sales Taxes if they handle art sales themselves. Artists may choose to sell art through the Open Studios’ online galleries. Open Studios will collect and pay sales taxes for artwork sold through Open Studios galleries and exhibits online and in physical locations.

•    Open Studios will retain a commission of not less than 25% and not greater than 40% on art sold through our online galleries. Artists will be responsible for delivery, patron pick-up, or shipping of art sold.

•    Accepted Tour Artists agree to read and sign receipt of the 2023 Open Studios Artist Handbook, which will outline participation requirements and deadlines for Tour marketing needs.

•    Accepted Members and Tour Artists agree to read and respond to all email communication in a timely manner.

•    All artwork on display at the Members’ Exhibit and Tour Preview Exhibit MUST be offered for sale. Open Studios will retain a 40% commission from work sold at these exhibits.

•    Each artist must apply to this call for entries separately. There is a $10 participation fee credit to Members for referrals of new accepted Tour artists and a $5 credit for all referrals of artists who apply to this call, regardless of acceptance.

•    Each participating artist will have their own separate listing on the Open Studios website, with accompanying image(s), along with information unique to their specific studio practice and product, contact information and (for Tour artists) Studio Tour location.

•   For Studio Tour Artists in single artist studios – No non-Tour artist may display art in your studio during the Tour.

•   For Studio Tour Group Studios – per Open Studios’ Board of Directors – “We rely on you to respect and adhere to the Group Studios policy stated here. If artists participate who have not been selected for the Tour through our jury process, this undermines the intent of the evaluation process.” Participating Tour artists must display large, prominent signs (supplied by Open Studios) saying “Open Studios Tour Participating Artist.” We request that non-Tour artists respect the Studio Tour event by 1) not actively promoting their work to attendees visiting a group studio or collective to see Open Studios artists, and 2) not displaying any signage in their space that mentions Open Studios and/or previous participation in Open Studios.

Application Requirements

REQUIREMENTS FOR APPLICATION (BOTH MEMBERSHIP AND STUDIO TOUR), ACCEPTANCE AND PARTICIPATION

(Please read these requirements through carefully!)

•    Applications are due by 11:59pm on May 14, 2023. All applicants must be juried and must apply online through CallForEntry.org (CaFE).

•    The images of your art submitted in your CaFE application, will be used on your Artist Page in our online Members’ Directory. Please put the image you would like to be your single image in our Tour promotion materials, in the first position on your application.

•    Submit images showing the entire piece of each of 6 to 12 different pieces of art you have completed since January 1, 2021 and that are representative of art that you will show during the Membership year and, if applicable, as an Open Studios Tour Artist. You may submit up to 12 images, 4 of which may be detail images of the other 8 pieces presented. 

Eligibility Criteria

This call is for BOTH Membership AND participation in the Open Studios Tour, October 2023. Membership is a 12-month program of benefits for artists. The Tour is a 3-weekend event.

Artists who live in and/or make art in Boulder County, CO are eligible. Applications are scored by jurors who will select an unlimited number of MEMBERS, based on jurors’ scoring rubric. Approximately 175 artists with highest jury scores will receive invitations for optional participation in the 2023 OPEN STUDIOS TOUR. This year, Tour artists must participate Oct. 7, 8, 14 & 15. Participating Oct. 21 & 22 is optional. Tour artists host the public in working studios throughout Boulder County.

Membership and the Studio Tour each offer many benefits to build your art business and brand. (See Long Description.)