National Art Encounter Competition 2017

• Nine cash awards totaling $3,500
• Two entries per artist
• Exhibition Jurors: Alejo Benedetti, Curatorial Assistant, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art; Jade Dellinger, Bob Rauschenberg Gallery Director; and Mallory O’Connor, Professor of Art History, Emerita, Santa Fe College. The thrid juror will be announced.
• ​Open to artwork created after Jan 1. 2013 by artists residing in the United States.
• Non-refundable Entry Fee of $29​
• A brick and mortar exhibition on view at the Naples Art Association, 585 Park Street in Naples, Florida from March 17 through April 15, 2017
• Entry Deadline: January 16, 2017

The National Art Encounter Competition 2017 is a fine art exhibition open to 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional artwork. Artwork will be installed in the Naples Art Association’s Frederick O. Watson Gallery at 585 Park Street from March 17 through April 15, 2017. The gallery is 1,848 square feet with a 14' ceiling. The Naples Art Association is located in Naples, Florida in the heart of the 5th Avenue South shopping, dining and entertainment district.
 
Awards 
$3,500 in cash awards will be presented to artists during the Preview Reception on Friday, March 16, 2017. Artists are encouraged to attend the preview reception, but attendance is not a requirement. Award checks will be mailed to winning artists who are unable to accept their awards in person.

List of Awards
$1,000 Best of Show
$800 First Place
$600 Second Place
$400 Juror’s Choice Award
$200 Award of Merit
$200 Award of Merit
$100 Honorable Mention
$100 Honorable Mention
$100 Honorable Mention
 
Three Jurors will review online entries and select award winners:

Alejo Benedetti, Curatorial Assistant, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art
Alejo Benedetti is a Texas native who earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Art History and Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Studio Art from the University of Missouri, Columbia and his Master of Arts degree in Art History from Texas Christian University in Fort Worth. While completing his degree at TCU, he worked as a curatorial intern at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, assisting with the exhibition Framing Desire: Photography and Video. While in Fort Worth, he also served as an art critic for Glasstire: Journal of Visual Art in Texas. As a critic, he reviewed contemporary exhibitions occurring at museums and galleries across the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.

Benedetti joined Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in 2015 as a curatorial assistant. Most recently Benedetti acted as the venue curator for The Art of American Dance, an exhibition that traveled to Crystal Bridges in the fall of 2016 from The Detroit Institute of Art and the Denver Art Museum. It includes roughly 90 artworks relating to dance in America from 1830 to the recent past and explores the relationship between American artists and dance. In his time at the museum, he also organized the permanent collection exhibition Black Unity and assisted Curator Chad Alligood with the development of the 1940s to Now portion of the collection.

Benedetti’s research has focused on Contemporary art in the United States over the past 50 years with a particular emphasis on art of the West Coast since the 1980s. In his graduate thesis, he examined the artwork of Mike Kelley and Jim Shaw and how their works blur the barriers between the traditional art world and the world of comics.

Jade Dellinger, Bob Rauschenberg Gallery Director
Jade Dellinger is Director of the Bob Rauschenberg Gallery at Florida SouthWestern State College in Fort Myers. The Gallery has as its primary function the exhibition, presentation and interpretation of modern and contemporary international art in all media. 

Dellinger has collaborated on curatorial projects regularly with the Tampa Museum of Art and the Contemporary Art Museum at the University of South Florida for more than two decades. As former Director of Edition Julie Sylvester in New York, Dellinger collaborated on prints and multiples with artists including Félix González-Torres, Franz West, Martin Kippenberger, Richard Prince, and Ed Ruscha. His continued interest in art editions led him to co-curate (with Margaret Miller) [re]mediation: The Digital in Contemporary American Printmaking, the official US participation in the 22nd International Biennial of Graphic Arts, in Ljubljana Slovenia, which resulted in the prestigious Grand Prix of Honor (Gold Medal for “Best Artist”) being awarded to David Hockney for his participation in the exhibition. Dellinger has organized major solo museum shows for such artists as Yoko Ono, Wayne White, Dave Muller, Allan McCollum, Robert Rauschenberg, Keith Haring, and The Art Guys.

He has contributed to numerous exhibition catalogues (including providing interviews for the National Gallery of Art’s GRAPHICSTUDIO: Contemporary Art from the Collaborative Workshop at the University of South Florida). Additionally, Dellinger has guest edited Maurizio Cattelan’s Permanent Food, written for publications including Sculpture, Flash Art, Art Papers, Printmaking Today, and Guitar Afficionado.
 
Mallory McCane O’Connor, Professor of Art History, Emerita, Santa Fe College
Mallory McCane O’Connor, Professor Emerita of Art History, Santa Fe College, is a writer, curator and educator. She received a Master of Fine Arts in Art History, a Master of Arts in American History and a Bachelor of Fine Arts with honors from Ohio University in Athens.

O’Connor organized many highly-successful exhibitions as Director of the Santa Fe College Art Gallery and the Thomas Center Gallery, which is the primary cultural center of the City of Gainesville. She taught art history at the University of Florida in Gainesville from 1969-77 and at Santa Fe College from 1994-2005.

O’Connor has won awards for her work from the American Pen Women and from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and has received many research grants from the Florida Humanities Council. She is the author of two books on Florida art and culture, Lost Cities of the Ancient Southeast and Florida’s American Heritage River, both published by the University Press of Florida.

The third Juror will be announced.

Eligibility 
National Art Encounter 2017 is open to original 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional artwork created after January 1, 2013 by artists residing in the United States. Artwork must be original and not previously exhibited in the Naples Art Association. Prints produced from original works of art are not eligible. Accepted artwork must remain on display for the entire duration of the exhibition.

Size Limitations and Presentation 
There are two entry categories: 2-dimensional artwork and 3-dimensional artwork.

2-dimensional artwork: maximum width 108 inches and height 108 inches (including frame if artwork is framed). Artwork must be ready for display. Framed works must be sturdy. Glass may be used only if frame is smaller than 26 x 26 inches. For safety reasons, larger frames requiring a glazing must have Plexiglas.

3-dimensional artwork: maximum dimensions 48 x 48 x 48 inches with a maximum weight of 100 pounds. Artwork weighing more than 50 pounds must fit on a 20 x 30 inch platform cart for moving within the gallery and installation. Ceiling suspended artwork cannot exceed a weight of 5 pounds. Pedestals will be provided for the exhibition. However, artists with specific pedestal requirements (size, height, color, type) should provide their own pedestal(s).

Non-Refundable Entry Fee 
The $29 non-refundable entry fee entitles you to enter one or two artworks in the 2-dimensional and/or 3-dimensional artwork categories. The non-refundable entry fee is payable online by credit card when applying.

Jury Process Results Notification
Notifications will be posted on February 6, 2017.

Artist’s Statement and/or Artist’s Bio
An artist’s statement and/or artist’s bio of not more than 2,000 characters is required with your entry. Statements and/or bios are included to provide insight and information for gallery visitors, docents and art collectors.

Please do not include your name in your statement and/or bio. The jury process is “blind” which means the jurors will not see your name when they view your entries. Please also refrain from including your website URL or any other personally identifying information in your statement and/or bio.

Artwork Delivery
Artwork accepted for the National Art Encounter Competition 2017 may be hand delivered or shipped to ARTMove LLC in Naples. Accepted artwork must remain on display for the entire duration of the exhibition and the earliest date it may be removed from the Naples Art Association is Sunday, April 16, 2017 at 12 noon. 

Hand Delivery: Deliver accepted artwork on Sunday, March 5, 2017 from 12 noon - 2 pm or on Monday, March 6, 2017 from 10 am - 2 pm (delivery prior to March 5th is available by appointment and must be done during regular business hours). The Naples Art Association is located at 585 Park Street, Naples, FL 34102.

Shipping Your Accepted Artwork: Accepted artwork may be shipped to ARTMove LCC in Naples, Florida to arrive by no later than February 28, 2017. Exhibitors are responsible for the cost of transporting their artwork to and from Naples, Florida. Shipped artwork must include a FedEx or UPS prepaid return shipping label or an Airbill or Groundbill with shipping account number. Return shipping to PO Boxes is not permitted. ARTMove LLC will receive and return all shipped artwork. The ARTMove LLC shipping address and contact information will be provided to all applicants with artwork accepted for the exhibition. 

Use care when packing your artwork. Cushion artwork on all sides with at least 4 inches of packing material and pack in a sturdy shipping carton. Popcorn (loose foam) is not an acceptable packing material as it will allow your artwork to shift during transit. Airfloat Systems sells excellent cushioned-shipping “Strongbox” containers that are sturdy and reusable. Enter code NAA when ordering online to receive a 20% discount on all orders. FedEx Office locations sell lightweight boxes specifically designed for shipping framed artwork.
Please note: The Naples Art Association and ARTmove LLC are not responsible for artwork damaged during shipment. The NAA reserves the right to disqualify damaged artwork from the exhibition.

Preview Reception
On Thursday, March 16, 2017 from 5:30 - 7:30 pm the Naples Art Association will host a Preview Reception and Awards Presentation for the National Art Encounter Competition 2017 at 585 Park Street in Naples. The Preview Reception is free for exhibiting artists and Naples Art Association members. Each exhibiting artist is eligible to bring one non-member guest to the reception free of charge. The public is welcome and invited to attend the preview reception for $10 per person.

Gallery Hours
The National Art Encounter Competition 2017 will be on view from March 17 through April 15, 2017. It is a brick and mortar exhibition. The exhibition will not be available for viewing online. Gallery hours are Monday through Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm. Admission is free.  

Sales 
Artwork exhibited in the National Art Encounter Competition 2017 may be available for purchase or listed as NFS (not for sale). The Naples Art Association processes sales and will retain a 30% commission on all artwork sold during the exhibition. Proceeds from artwork sales support the Naples Art Association’s exhibition programs. Artists’ proceed checks will be mailed. Artists should receive their checks within three weeks from the close of the exhibition. Once stated, the price of artwork may not be changed. Please take into consideration your costs for framing, shipping and the 30% sales commission before establishing the price for your artwork.

Artwork Pick-up or Shipped Artwork Return
All unsold artwork will be available for pickup from 12 noon to 2 pm on Sunday, April 16, 2017 and from 10 am to 2 pm on Monday, April 17, 2017. Artwork should be picked-up during scheduled pickup dates. Shipped artwork will be return shipped by ARTMove LLC during the week of April 24, 2017.

Waiver
Due care will be taken with all artwork. However, the Naples Art Association and ARTMove LLC will not be held responsible for loss or damage to exhibited and/or shipped artwork. Artists may wish to acquire insurance to cover loss and/or damage.

Calendar 
January 16, 2017 - Entry Deadline
February 6, 2017 - Notification Date (notification posted to your CaFE account)
Feb. 28, 2017 - Shipped Artwork Deadline (ship to ARTMove, LLC)
March 5, 2017; 12 noon to 2 pm - Artwork Receiving
  (For an earlier delivery date: Make an appointment to hand deliver your accepted artwork during regular business hours.)
March 6, 2017; 10 am to 2 pm - Artwork Receiving
March 16, 2017; 5:30 to 7:30 pm - Preview Reception
March 17 - April 15, 2017 - Exhibition Open (Gallery Hours are 10 am to 4 pm, Monday - Saturday with free admission.)
April 16, 2017; 12 noon to 2 pm - Artwork Pick-up
April 17, 2017; 10 am to 2 pm - Artwork Pick-up
Week of April 24, 2017 – Artwork return shipped by ARTMove LLC

Application Requirements

Eligibility Criteria