2017 North American Print Biennial 

Exhibition dates: January 27 – March 4, 2018

About the Boston Printmakers 2017 North American Print Biennial

Presenting the best in contemporary and traditional printmaking, the North American Print Biennial has long been recognized as one of the most prestigious events in printmaking. Founded in 1947, the mission of the Boston Printmakers is to promote public knowledge of printmaking, encourage and support artists working in printmaking, and promote excellence and innovation within the field of printmaking. 

Juror

Judith Brodie, Curator of Modern Prints and Drawings at the National Gallery of Art, has organized and collaborated on many exhibitions, including A Century of Drawing: Works on Paper from Degas to LeWitt, Shock of the News, and Yes, No, Maybe: Artists Working at Crown Point Press. Prior to coming to the Gallery, Brodie worked at the National Museum of American Art and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. She was a visiting artist at Birgit Skiöld’s Print Workshop in London, and taught printmaking at the Rhode Island School of Design before becoming a curator.

Biennial Venue

Lunder Arts Center at Lesley University College of Art and Design, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Prizes

Over $10,000 is available in juror-designated purchase prizes and materials awards. The Boston Printmakers’ purchase prizes are placed into permanent collections at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; the Art Complex Museum, Duxbury, MA; and the Boston Printmakers Collection at the Boston Public Library. Additionally, this show generates a large number of sales through patron and public purchases.

Calendar 2017

March 1, 2017 Application process opens at www.bostonprintmakers.org  

August 25, 2017 Application process closes


September 28, 2017 Notifications emailed


November 1—20, 2017 Period to receive shipped work (*from outside U.S. by Nov 9)

November 12, 2017 Hand delivered work must be received

January 27, 2018 Opening reception and events

March 4, 2018 Exhibition closes


March 10, 2018 Pick up of hand delivered work 10am-2pm

March 10, 2018 Return of shipped work

Eligibility

North American artists 18 years and older are eligible to enter. Original, innovative works in all printmaking media are eligible.

Photographs, offset reproductions, or reproductions of artwork originally produced in another medium will not be considered. Submitted work may not have been exhibited in any other Boston Printmakers exhibition. Artists may submit up to three digital images of original prints completed within the past two years.

Specifications

All delivered work must match the juried image; substitutions of accepted works will not be allowed. All work must be framed in simple (Nielsen like) black metal or black wooden frames no more than ½” thick on the front edge. All frames should have Plexiglas, and a standard white or off-white window mat, minimum 3 inches wide. Your print must be securely mounted to the backing board. Frames must be ready to hang with wire or D-rings. Place your framed print into a clear plastic bag before boxing. Where appropriate, due to size or aesthetics, these directions may be amended and must be included in your entry on the CaFE site. Also, please include in your submission this clearly explained description of special hanging instructions. With your acceptance letter, you will receive labeling forms, detailed packing instructions, and a loan agreement to complete and sign.

Shipping

All shipped work must be sent in appropriate and re-usable packaging. It must be sent pre-paid via UPS. It must include a UPS pre-paid return-shipping label held in a clearly marked envelope taped to the back of the foam core backing of the art. Work will not be exhibited without a UPS pre-paid return packing slip, which includes shipping insurance.

Artists living outside of the US who are not able to provide a return UPS label will be billed the cost of return ground shipping (including insurance) via a carrier chosen by the Boston Printmakers. These artists agree to pay these charges promptly on receipt of the invoice.

Sales

A 35% commission will be charged on all sales. Artists must assume the expense and responsibility of supplying to purchasers any additional prints in the edition that may be sold. The Boston Printmakers is a non-profit organization that uses proceeds from commissions for exhibition expenses.

Liability

Every precaution will be taken in handling the prints accepted for the Biennial. Lesley University will assume responsibility for those works chosen for exhibition from the time they are delivered to the gallery until they are picked by the artist or shipper. Artwork in the gallery will be insured for 35% less than the selling price. Artists must insure their work while in transit to and from the exhibition. The Boston Printmakers assumes no responsibility in case of loss or damage to submitted or accepted works. 

Agreement

Filing of the entry form constitutes an agreement on the part of the entrant to all conditions set forth in the prospectus, including permission to use images of the exhibited work in print or online media for promotional, educational, or archival purposes and for the creation of a catalog of the exhibit.

Entry Procedure


All entries must be submitted online at www.callforentry.org. Entries must be submitted on or before August 25, 2017.
Review all entry information carefully before submitting. No changes can be made once submitted. Should you need to view your entry after submission, you can see your submission at www.callforentry.org.

Upload requirements for image files:

File format: JPEG only

File dimensions: No smaller than 1920 pixels on the longer side

File resolution: 72/ppi/dpi

File size: 5 MB maximum

Entry Fee

$30 USD for members of the Boston Printmakers with coupon code (sent after receipt of 2017 membership dues)

$45 USD for non-members

The non-refundable entry fee entitles the artist to submit up to 3 works. The entry fee is payable by credit card at callforentry.org.

Notification

Results of the jurying will be emailed on September 28, 2017 at which time the list of the accepted artists will be posted on our website at www.bostonprintmakers.org.

Further Information

www.bostonprintmakers.org   •   email: biennial@bostonprintmakers.org

This prospectus may be downloaded at www.bostonprintmakers.org/biennial and reproduced as needed.

Application Requirements

Eligibility Criteria