A Stitch in Time: Contemporary Textile & Fiber Art

Exhibition Dates: August 17 – October 6
Juror: Aimee Le Duc

From their origins as practical crafts of protection and warmth to impractical expressions of our creative imaginations and stories, the evolution of fiber arts parallels and tells our own histories. Arts Benicia, a non-profit art center in Benicia, CA, invites artists to submit artwork for A Stitch in Time, a juried exhibition that seeks to showcase a wide range of outstanding works related to the fiber medium.

Entries may include practical and impractical 2D or 3D works for wall or floor, sculptures, vessels, installations, and/or wearables. All submissions must include a fiber material or textile technique; upcycled materials and natural fibers encouraged. There are no size limitations, but final selections will be made with consideration for an overall exhibition design that accommodates works of a variety of sizes.

Deadline for Entries:  May 17, 2024 (10:59 pm Pacific Time)

Jurying of artwork: May 20-31
Notification to Artists: June 6
Shipped Artwork Received: July 22-26 (no later than July 26)
Hand Delivered Work Received: July 26, 1-4 pm
Preview for Members & Exhibiting Artists: Thursday, August 15, 6-7 pm
Opening Reception: Saturday, August 17, 4-6 pm
In-Person Artwork Pick-Up:  Oct 8, 1–4 pm
Shipped Artwork Return: Oct 8

Juror

Born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah, Aimee Le Duc moved to the Bay Area to attend Saint Mary’s College in Moraga, California. After graduating with a BA in Philosophy, she went on to receive her MA in Visual Criticism from California College of the Arts (CCA) and her MFA through CCA’s Creative Writing program. A Bay Area contemporary arts curator and arts administrator, she has held leadership positions in such esteemed Bay Area arts organizations as Southern Exposure, SF Camerawork, San Francisco Arts Commission, and Berkeley Art Center. In 2018, Le Duc joined Ken Fulk Inc. to restore and convert a 22,000 square foot church building into an entirely new arts and cultural organization. As the Foundation Director, Le Duc developed Saint Joseph’s Arts Society from the ground up and produced dynamic and enriching exhibitions and programs. 

In early 2024, Aimee Le Duc became the first Executive Director of Campus Experience at Minnesota Street Project. Bringing more than 20 years of visual arts, public programming, and non-profit leadership, Le Duc leads the staff in the ongoing development and expansion of the Project’s campus-wide experiences for visitors, tenant galleries, artists, nonprofits, and team members.

Le Duc has served on many non-profit boards including SECA Board co-chair at SFMoMA, and is currently a board member for Saint Mary’s College Museum of Art. She lives in San Francisco with her partner, Dana, their daughter, Colette, and their cat, Anchovy.

GALLERY LOCATION
1 Commandant's Lane, Benicia, CA 94510

GALLERY HOURS
Thursday - Sunday, 1:00 to 5:00 pm, during exhibitions. The gallery is closed between exhibitions.

CONTACTING ARTS BENICIA
Staff often works remotely. The best way to reach staff is via email or leave a phone message: Jean@artsbenicia.org; Jean's cell: 209-712-6923

ABOUT ARTS BENICIA
Arts Benicia is a community-based non-profit organization offering diverse and relevant exhibitions in its gallery and at other venues in Benicia, and providing engaging public programs, creative workshops for adults, and inspiring youth arts educational programming. Located in the Commanding Officer’s Quarters, an 1865 mansion in the historic Benicia Arsenal, Arts Benicia has been a vital part of the Bay Area regional art scene for over 36 years, supporting artistic development and enriching the larger community.

POLICIES
Artwork must be available and for sale. Arts Benicia has a history of selling artworks at every exhibition. Upon sale, a check and purchaser information will be mailed to the artist within 30 days after exhibition closure, to the address provided in the Exhibition and Consignment Agreement. Artists receive 60% on the sale of their work. Arts Benicia, a non-profit organization, receives 40%. Arts Benicia also bears all the sales transaction fees and collects and reports sales tax on artwork sales.

Entry fees are not refundable. Only use the member entry price if you are a current member, otherwise your entry will not be juried.

Exceptions for late delivery of artwork cannot be made.

RELEASES AND WARRANTIES
Artists agree to release Arts Benicia for damages in shipping or delivery. Artworks are insured while they are at the gallery. Our gallery includes a security alarm system and a security camera system.

Application Requirements

MEDIA
Entries may include practical and impractical 2D or 3D works for wall or floor, sculptures, vessels, installations, and/or wearables.

SIZE LIMITATIONS
There are no size limitations, but final selections will be made with consideration for an overall exhibition design that accommodates works of a variety of sizes.
 
There is a 35-pound weight limit for any hanging work. Floor weight for 3D work must not exceed 300 lbs. Please contact the staff with any special requirements for installation.

ENTRY PROCESS
Artists may submit one application. One application allows you to submit up to 6 artworks with appropriate payment of entry fees.

IMAGES TO SUBMIT
Up to 6 entries (images or files) may be uploaded...and a maximum of 6 artworks may be submitted. For optimal juror viewing, submit the highest quality images. For each image file, 1 MB is the minimum size; maximum file size for each still image is 3 MB. If your photo software specifies quality levels instead of pixels (i.e., you are submitting an image directly from a cell phone), choose "actual size" or “very high quality.”

For questions on using café to apply for this call and prepare your images, etc. visit https://www.callforentry.org/artist-help-cafe/ 

CONCEPT STATEMENT, OPTIONAL
A brief explanation describing your concept to the juror may be submitted during the application process. This statement will be seen by the juror. Omit your name from this statement. This is not your artist statement which can be submitted upon invitation to the exhibition.

FEES AND PAYMENT

Entry fee is $35 (or $25 for current Arts Benicia members; selected at checkout) for one artwork; an additional $5 fee is required for any additional entries, up to a maximum of 6. For example, to submit 5 entries, a non-member artist will pay $35 for the first entry, plus an additional $20 ($5 each for four additional), for a total of $55. Fee may be paid through CaFE using a credit card or Paypal.

Entry fees are not refundable for any reason, in whole or in part. Arts Benicia members receive a discount on the entry fee, by selecting member at checkout. To review other benefits of becoming an Arts Benicia member, including NARM benefits, or to join online before submitting your entry, visit artsbenicia.org.

NOTIFICATION OF JURY RESULTS
The deadline is May 17, 2024, at 10:59 PM, Pacific Time. An email will be sent via CaFE to all submitting artists by June 6 with jury results. Additionally, the results will be available in CaFE artist accounts after June 6. Arts Benicia will produce and distribute promotional materials in digital formats and make them available to exhibiting artists at no cost. 

It is the responsibility of all submitting artists to check for emails, possibly in your SPAM or Promotions files, for notification. If you do not receive notification about either acceptance or non-acceptance of your submissions by June 6 contact Arts Benicia via email at info@artsbenicia.org.

CONTRACT
All artists with accepted artwork must provide a signed exhibition contract to participate.

DELIVERY AND SHIPPING DETAILS
Artists must be able to deliver or pick up your work, or have someone else do it for you, on the designated dates. Exceptions for late delivery cannot be made. Late pickups will be charged fees for storage and retrieval of the artwork. Except in rare situations, we cannot store packing materials of hand-delivered work; take packing materials with you and bring them back when you pick up your work at the end of the exhibition. 

Shipping to the gallery: Please ship via UPS or FedEx to one of the addresses below or contact us regarding special shipping requirements. Do not use USPS for any packages.

For UPS:                      
Jean Purnell
Arts Benicia
The UPS Store
77 Solano Square, Ste 284
Benicia, CA 94510

For FedEx:                   
Jean Purnell
Arts Benicia
c/o Mail and More
836 Southampton Rd Ste B
Benicia CA 94510

Artists shipping work to Arts Benicia must purchase a return shipping label. This is most easily accomplished at the time you purchase your outgoing shipping. Enclose the pre-paid label inside your package or crate or email it to jean@artsbenicia.org. We cannot access individual shipping accounts.

PREPARATION
All artwork must be clean, fully dry, and in good repair. Arts Benicia reserves the right to decline any artwork that does not meet the preparation standards or is otherwise unsuitable for exhibition. Examine your artwork for cleanliness under good lighting.

Artworks must have secure identification on the back or bottom of the work, with the Artist’s name and the title. If artworks require special installation, the Artist must include written instructions. 

Wall works must be wired. Works cannot hang from sawtooth hangers.  Due to the nature of the steel cable and hook hanging system in the Commanding Officer’s Quarters, there are weight limitations (see SIZE LIMITATIONS above) and a cleat system is not permitted.  If your artwork requires an exception with regard to hanging mechanisms, please contact celeste@artsbenicia.org before submission to discuss the options. For 2-D work, Arts Benicia reserves the right to change the position of your hanging wire to accommodate the COQ hanging system.

No works may hang from the ceiling.

ART SALES
Artwork must be available and for sale. Arts Benicia will retain 40% of art sales during this exhibition and mail a check to the Artist at the postal address the Artist provides above, in the amount equal to 60% of the sales price declared by the Artist in this contract or CaFE application (and either confirmed or amended on the Inventory Form, after selection to the exhibition), within 30 days of the exhibition closing date. The Artist agrees Arts Benicia is not responsible for any commission, division of sales, or financial obligation between the Artist and any other gallery, organization, or person. Arts Benicia handles all art sales, including sales tax.

ARTIST STATEMENT
Selected artists juried into the exhibition will be asked to submit their bio, artist statement, and resume, to be made available within the gallery. These materials are not required until after artist selection into the exhibition.

Eligibility Criteria

National and international artists invited to apply.