$4,200 In Awards, including $1,000 Top Prize

Deadline to apply: August 11, 2024

The Brownsville Museum of Fine Art is proud to announce the 49th International Art Show. This year, we are expanding the exhibition to utilize both the museum's Atrium and Main Gallery. This exhibition has become a cherished tradition in Brownsville, showcasing an inspiring collection selected by a distinguished juror, bringing together talented and creative artists from around the world. As Brownsville, one of Texas's most historic cities, experiences vibrant growth in the arts and development alongside nearby South Padre Island, the museum plays a vital role in this cultural expansion. We are honored to host such a prestigious occasion, celebrating and awarding artists working in a variety of mediums.

Juror

Alison de Lima Greene is the Isabel Brown Wilson Curator of Modern & Contemporary Art at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, where she has been on the curatorial staff since 1984. Among the many exhibitions she has organized for Houston are James Turrell: The Light Inside (2013); Kindred Spirits: Louise Nevelson and Dorothy Hood (2018), and Philip Guston Now (2023), and her publications include the award-winning Texas: 150 Works from the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (2000) and Mark Rothko: An Essential Reader (2015). Ms. Greene also serves as an advisory trustee of The Blaffer Art Museum and Gulf Coast: A Journal of Literature and Fine Arts at the University of Houston.

Application Requirements

AWARDS (totaling $4,200)
(Depending upon the number of entries in each category, the Juror may not be able to present all the awards.)

• BEST OF SHOW: $1000
• CLARA ELY AWARD: $250 limited to oil and acrylic paintings
• OCTAVIA ARNESON AWARD: $250 limited to water media
• MAYOR’S AWARD: Commemorative Plate
• FIRST PLACE: in each of nine categories $150
• SECOND PLACE: in each of nine categories $100
• THIRD PLACE: in each of nine categories $50
• HONORABLE MENTIONS: in each of nine categories

TIMELINE:

• August 11: Entry Deadline
• August 12-18: Juror Selection Process
• August 19-20: Notification of Acceptance
• August 26-September 7: Shipping of Artwork Arrival Dates
• September 4 & 7: In Person Drop-off during museum hours
• September 9-17: Installation Dates
• September 20: Juror Selects Winners/Awards (10:00am-12:00pm)
• September 20: Opening Reception and Award Ceremony (6:00-8:00 PM)
• September 21: Breakfast with Juror for Participating Artists (9:30-11:00 AM)
• October 23: Last day of exhibition
• October 23-30: Dates for Shipping Works Back and Picking Up Pieces

Eligibility Criteria

ELIGIBILITY:
All artists 18 and older are welcome to submit their works. All submissions must be original and from the artist submitting, no reproductions of other artist’s work nor published photographs. Works must have been completed during 2020 to the present. Work must not have been previously exhibited in a previous Juried International Art Show at the BMFA.

DEADLINE AND FEES:
Midnight (Central Time) for digital submission on August 11, 2024. The fee is forty US dollars ($40) for 1, 2, or 3 artworks. The entry fee is non-refundable.

SUBMISSION PROCESS:
Submissions will only be received via www.callforentry.org. Submit up to three (3) digital images. CaFE only accepts JPEGs or JPGs up to 5 MB with a minimum of 1200 pixels on the longest side.

CATEGORIES:

1. Painting (oil and acrylic)
2. Drawing (including pen, graphite, colored pencil, pastel, charcoal)
3. Water Media (watercolor, gouache, India ink)
4. Mixed Media (including collage)
5. Printmaking (including etching, woodcuts, monograph, lithograph, aquatint)
6. Fibers (including original clothing, weaving, embroidery, quilting, macrame, knitting, crocheting)
7. Three-dimensional (including sculptural relief, sculpture in the round, installations, jewelry, ceramics)
8. Photography
9. Digital Media (including digital collage, illustration, photo manipulation, video, animation)

GUIDELINES:

All two-dimensional art must be framed, equipped with D-rings and/or multistrand metal wire (no single strand wire or nylon filament), and ready for hanging. NO SAW TOOTH HANGERS. Canvases must be framed, or gallery wrapped with no staples showing nor painted over staples. Mats must be neatly cut and clean. Three-dimensional works must be stable and ready for installation.

• Artists must submit an artist statement.
• Artist may not substitute another work(s) for the accepted work(s).
• The BMFA reserves the right to place entries in proper categories when they have been designated in incorrect categories.
• The Brownsville Museum of Fine Art has the right to refuse the exhibition of any artwork that does not follow the proper guidelines and presentation.
• All art must be for sale and the BMFA will retain a 30% commission for any sale that is a direct result of the exhibition.
• By submitting work to be considered, artists grant permission to the BMFA to reproduce accepted artwork for promotional uses in both printed and electronic forms.
• Please note that artwork created by artificial intelligence (AI) will not be accepted. All submissions will be checked for AI involvement.

DELIVERY:
All artwork must be shipped in reusable containers (no Styrofoam peanuts) with a prepaid return-shipping label via UPS or FEDEX. Please retain a copy of your return-shipping label. Artists are responsible for their own shipping costs. Shipped artwork must arrive by Saturday, September 7. Artists will be responsible for transporting and installing any sculpture exceeding 6 x 4 x 4’ or over 150 lbs. All accepted works must be available for the entire duration of the exhibition. Artists hand-delivering works must do so either Wednesday, September 4, 10 AM – 7 PM OR Saturday, September 7, 10 AM – 4 PM.

ARTIST DISCLAIMER:

I accept all the guidelines and understand that the Brownsville Museum of Fine Art (BMFA) will handle all art objects submitted for the 49th International Art Show in a professional manner. BMFA is not responsible for any damage to art objects incurred during normal and proper handling of the work during the jurying process, installation, exhibition, or return to the artist. I understand that all work must be ready to install. The Brownsville Museum of Fine Art will not be held responsible for any shipped artwork that is damaged or stolen after November 9, 2024. All hand-delivered work not picked up by November 9, 2024, will be charged $50 handling fee and $1 for each extra day the artwork remains in the BMFA. ARTWORK NOT PICKED UP BY DECEMBER 7, 2024, WILL BECOME MUSEUM PROPERTY.