Artist Services

Solo Gallery Exhibitions                                               

MISSION

The mission of the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County is to nurture, promote, and support a healthy, diverse, and inclusive cultural sector. We serve as cultural architects, championing and growing cultural organizations and creative professionals so that arts and culture are a part of everyday life, for everyone.

The Cultural Council’s headquarters (601 Lake Ave., Lake Worth Beach) features three galleries. The spaces are used for visual arts exhibitions as well as performances (music, dance, etc.) throughout the year. The solo gallery is approximately 390 square feet and includes moveable wall in the space. The Council also offers other programs and services designed to support creative professionals in Palm Beach County and has a dedicated Artist Resource Team (ART) to support the sector.

VISION

We envision Palm Beach County as a thriving, vibrant, financially stable, and inclusive arts and cultural community that contributes to an exceptional quality of life.

STATEMENT OF CULTURAL EQUITY

We believe that everyone has cultural traditions that are inherently valuable. We seek to honor and value creative expression of all people through the work of the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County. Creating an art-filled community means seeing, celebrating, and serving all. Cultural equity is essential to a sustainable arts and cultural sector and a vibrant and thriving community.

Exhibitions

Exhibitions allow visual artists to display and sell their work in a professionally curated and well-promoted show. The Council is available to assist in the selection of the artwork to be displayed, install/de-install the show, handle logistics and sales, and answer all questions along the way. The Council retains 25% of all art sales. These funds are used to support the artist services staff and maintain the building.

Overview

The purpose of the Solo Gallery is to provide Palm Beach County-based emerging or professional visual artists with an opportunity for a solo exhibition (typically a full series of their work or a sampling of work representative of their career evolution). The Council uses a non-paid, competitive selection process for this gallery in an effort to provide opportunities for artists of any means.

Interested artists will submit an application and sample work to be considered by a vetting committee of visual arts professionals. The 2024-2025 schedule will include six solo shows that run for six weeks each.

 Services* to the artist include:

• Dedicated Director of Artist Services available to assist in the selection of the artwork to be displayed, install/de-install the show, handle logistics and sales, and answer all questions along the way.
• Selected artists will receive a stipend to off-set some expenses related to mounting this exhibition.
• Announcement postcard (self-mailer) with an image and short artist statement/exhibition summary. The Council will design and print 300 cards (up to 200 available for the artist to distribute and 100 will be displayed at the lobby desk).
• Opening reception for up to 50 guests which will be listed on the Council website. Artist is encouraged to invite their own friends, family, and collectors to the event.
• Inclusion of the show on Council’s website and in e-newsletter (monthly), artist newsletter (monthly), press announcement (monthly) and select collateral materials (Season Preview brochure, Annual Report, etc.).
• Exhibition signage, including: wall vinyl and artist bio in gallery; dedicated A-frame sign in front of the Council’s headquarters; and TV monitor graphic in the lobby.
• Opportunity to be a “Featured Artist” in the Council’s social media program

(Total value: $3,500)

Timing:

Call to Artists Open:                    March 29, 2024

Deadline for Submissions:          May 17, 2024

Vetting Committee Meets:          Week of June 3, 2024 

Artists Contacted: By June 14, 2024

Possible Show Dates*:        

October 11 - November 30, 2024

December 6, 2024 – January 18, 2025

January 24 – March 8, 2025

March 14 – April 26, 2025

May 2 – June 14, 2025

June 20 – August 2, 2025

*Subject to change

How to Submit

Artists are invited to submit an exhibition proposal, brief bio and up to seven images of individual artworks to be considered for inclusion in the 2024/2025 Cultural Council Solo Gallery exhibition schedule. Artwork may be any medium including but not limited to: photography, video, work on paper, sculptural installations, crafts, and textiles. Files must be jpg not larger than 5 MB per file. (Note: refer to Cafe's help page for file size limits on other media) Please include all artwork information (Title, Date, Dimensions, Medium, Edition, Run length, Insurance Value). The artist must be the sole author and owner of the title and copyright of all artwork entered.

Please list top three choices for show dates in application.

Submissions will only be accepted by the online platform CaFE.*

*The Council will post a FAQ and tutorial video on how to use the online platform on its website. 

By submitting a proposal each participant agrees to the following conditions:

•  All applicants will receive an email notification on the status of their application no later than June 14, 2024. Selected applicants will also receive a designated exhibition date.
•  Once selected, the participant and the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County will coordinate exhibition, opening reception, artwork drop off, de-installation and pickup dates and times.
• Selected participants are responsible for the delivery and pickup of their artwork(s).
• Participants will receive and sign a Memorandum of Understanding and a fine art loan agreement with the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County stating the dates and exhibition terms. Artists should not have concurrent solo exhibitions within Palm Beach County and are expected to inform the Cultural Council of planned or proposed solo or group exhibitions that will occur during the exhibition year.
• Selected artists should be available for additional tour, event, and presentation opportunities during the run of their exhibitions.
• To receive sales proceeds, the participants must submit a W-9 for payment purposes.
• The Cultural Council for Palm Beach County has permission to photograph, videotape, and reproduce any work submitted to the exhibition for publicity purposes unless otherwise stated in writing.
• All artwork will be insured on premises as long as a list of artwork titles, descriptions, and values is presented prior to delivery on site. Artwork is not insured while in transit to and from the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County.
• The Cultural Council for Palm Beach County cannot store artwork for a later pickup; artwork must be picked up on the designated de-installation days.

Vetting Committee:

Committee includes:

Dave Lawrence, CEO, Cultural Council for Palm Beach County

Lauren Richman, PhD, William and Sarah Ross Soter Curator of Photography, Norton Museum of Art

Izel Vargas, 2022 Cultural Council for Palm Beach County Solo artist

Sybille Welter, Administrator of Public Art and Culture, City of West Palm Beach

Alicia G. Longwell, PhD, retired, formerly Chief Curator at The Parrish Art Museum, Southampton, NY

Application Requirements

Artists are invited to submit an exhibition proposal, brief bio and up to seven images of individual artworks to be considered for inclusion in the 2024/2025 Cultural Council Solo Gallery exhibition schedule. Artwork may be any medium including but not limited to: photography, video, work on paper, sculptural installations, crafts, and textiles. Files must be jpg, not larger than 5 MB per file. Please include all artwork information (Title, Date, Dimensions, Medium, Edition, Run length, Insurance Value). The artist must be the sole author and owner of the title and copyright of all artwork entered.

Please list top three choices for show dates in application.

Submissions will only be accepted by the online platform CaFE.

Eligibility Criteria

Artists must live in Palm Beach County, Florida.