The Cumberland Furniture Guild, a regional not-for-profit association of studio furniture makers, collectors, and enthusiasts, will hold a juried exhibition at the Customs House Museum & Cultural Center from July 21 through October 23, 2020. 

Location

Exhibition Calendar

• Friday, July 10, 2020 – Submission Deadline
• Tuesday, July 14, 2020 – Acceptance Notifications Sent
• Week of July 15-18th, 2020 – Delivery of Pieces
• Tuesday July 21, 2020 – Opening of Show
• Opening Reception – TBD Depending on conditions 
• Friday, October 23, 2020 – Closing of Show
• Week of October 25th – Pieces to be picked up

Submitted Work Requirements

We are seeking submissions of recent original or period reproduction furniture and furniture-related decorative arts, of any style, which display fine craftsmanship along with the skill and spirit of their maker. 

At the time of submission, all works must be complete and ready for exhibition.

The work must have been created by the maker whose name appears on the entry form.  If there are other contributors to the work, they must be acknowledged in the Application Questions section.  Collaborative works should include short bios of each maker in the ARTIST STATEMENT section.

The use of CNCs and Lasers is welcomed, but use of these must facilitate an original creation of the maker and must be noted in your application (see Application Questions).

Reproductions are welcome as long as they are identified as such.

Who Can Enter?

Exhibitors must be members of the Cumberland Furniture Guild; however, the $70 entry fee includes a one-year Guild membership.
Please note that scholarships are available for this exhibition.  Please reach out to exhibitions@cumberlandfurnitureguild.org with the subject line 'Scholarship Request' for more information.

How Many Entries May I Submit?

Each applicant may submit up to two pieces with up to three digital images per entry (2 pieces maximum, 3 images maximum per piece).

IMPORTANT:  If submitting two works, please upload all images for the first work before uploading the images for the second work.  This will facilitate sorting the images for the Juror’s review and save us the hassle of re-arranging them.

Is There a Fee?

For non-Guild Members, there is a $70 entry fee, which includes a one-year regular membership in the Guild.

For Guild Regular Members in good standing, the application fee is $35. 

For Guild Supporting or Business Members in good standing, the fee is $0.

For Regular and Supporting Guild members, the Guild will issue coupon codes which should be entered by the applicant to reduce their application fee.

Please note that scholarships are available for this exhibition.  Please reach out to exhibitions@cumberlandfurnitureguild.org with the subject line 'Scholarship Request' for more information.

All entry fees are non-refundable.

The application process requires payment by credit card.  If this creates a challenge for the applicant, please contact the Guild at exhibitions@cumberlandfurnitureguild.org with the subject line Alternative Payment Question.

How Do I Enter?

All entries must be made through this callforentry.org application.

If you experience difficulties completing the application or uploading images, please contact the CaFÉ support staff first at callforentry.org. If that does not resolve your issue feel free to reach out to exhibitions@cumberlandfurnitureguild.org.

Delivery and Return of Works

All work must be hand delivered to the Customs House Museum & Cultural Center on July 15, 16, or 17, 2020. Exact delivery shedule to be arranged.

All work must be picked up from the Customs House Museum & Cultural Center on October 26, 27, 28, or 29, 2020. Exact pickup shedule to be arranged.

Curation, Display and Mounting Works

The show will be curated by Customs House Museum & Cultural Center and the Cumberland Furniture Guild, who shall have sole discretion for the placement of work in the display.

Makers may be asked to provide typical display pedestals made of MDF with a standard paint color; additionally, the maker must provide materials and instructions for any wall hangings or unusual installation requirements.

Customs House Museum & Cultural Center will provide signage and artwork labels.  You can help this process by being very compltete with the information you are asked about each piece in the application process.

Sales

Works may be offered for sale, but any works which sell through this exhibit or during a 30-day period after closing will be subject to a 25% commission to Customs House Museum & Cultural Center and the Cumberland Furniture Guild, the 501(c)(3) through which this program is offered.   Proceeds from this commission will be donated to health care workers and other emergency responders effected by the corona virus pandemic through the Commmunity Foundation of Middle Tennessee.

There is no requirement that your piece be for sale; however, the insurance value for the piece MUST be identified in the Application Questions section.

Who Are the Jurors?

Our two distinguished Jurors are Aspen Golan and Mike Bell.

• Aspen Golann is an artist and a 17th & 18th century-style furniture maker from Boston, MA. Through the manipulation of classic American furniture forms, her work explores themes of gender and power. Her artwork is exhibited nationally and is published in Fine Woodworking, Lost Art Press Blog, Art New England, and American Period Furniture. Aspen is also the woodshop coordinator at the Penland School of Craft in Penland, North Carolina.  Current Guild members will remember her presentation about silvering glass at our recent meeting.

• Mike Bell is a talented cabinet maker and musician, formerly Conservator of Antique Furniture and Wooden Objects and Living History Expert for the Sturbridge Museum Collection in Massachusetts, Mike recently retired as the Curator of Furniture & Popular Culture at the Tennessee State Museum in Nashville. Mike wrote many wonderful articles for the Guild's Newsletter, which may be found on the Guild's web site newsletter archive. His writing has also been published in the Magazine Antiques, among others.

What is the Judging Procedure?

All work will be judged based on the submitted images without identification of the maker. 

Exhibitor Contact Information

If you have a change of address, phone number or email address, you are required to update this information with CaFÉ and the Cumberland Furniture Guild.

Application Requirements

Eligibility Criteria