Call for Entry – Journeys Onward – Art Relevant to the Veteran Experience

Wickford Art Association, 36 Beach Street, North Kingstown, RI 02852-5745

The Wickford Art Association’s Journeys Onward explores the artistic expression of veterans and their families in the context of some of their specific military experiences.  Many veterans and their families want to tell their stories, but those conversations can be difficult to start.  Often, art has been shown to be able to foster communication.

Every member of the U.S. Armed Forces and their family members embark on a journey of experiences that are both shared by many, and specific to each individual. Those experiences can be complex and enduring - perhaps lifelong. Their impact and intensity may be hard to grasp for those outside the Armed Forces community.

Accompanied by the artists’ written words, their 2D or 3D art reflects the military experiences of veterans - retired or currently serving - or their family members. It creates an opportunity and forum for artists to share their past experiences and their journeys onward. Their art and relevant written words can offer a common ground for those conversations to start. Communication is what this exhibit is all about.

Please read this prospectus carefully and only consider submitting work if you can comply with the requirements and timetable outlined in this document.

IMPORTANT TIMELINE DATES

EXTENDED Registration Deadline: Friday, March 29, 2019, 11:59 PM, Mountain Standard Time
Notification of Acceptance: Not later than Wednesday, April 10, 2019, by email only. No inquires please. All decisions are final.
In-Person Delivery:  Tuesday, May 15, and Wednesday, May 16, 2019, as described below.
Shipping Delivery:  Not later than Friday, May 10, 2019, as described below.
Exhibition:  Friday, May 17 – Sunday, June 16, 2019
Opening Reception: Sunday, May 19, 2019, 1 – 3 PM
Return of Work:  In-person pick up on Tuesday, June 18, 2019, and shipping return after that date, as described below.

Since 1962, the Wickford Art Association (WAA) has hosted numerous fine art shows, classes, workshops, monthly lectures and demonstrations. Ranked as the #7 fine art festival in the country by Sunshine Artist Magazine, WAA annually produces the Wickford Art Festival featuring 200 fine art artists from around the world. The Festival was voted “Best Of” by Rhode Island Monthly Magazine and ranked #1 in New England. As part of its community involvement, WAA hosts an annual scholarship competition and awards $3,000 to three of Rhode Island’s top public high school seniors accepted into an art college. The gallery is wheelchair accessible and shows and opening receptions are free and open to the public.

Jurors:  Alicia Dietz is a sculptor, furniture maker and mixed media artist, and U.S. Army veteran Blackhawk (UH-60) pilot and company commander who served in Iraq and worldwide. In this short video, she describes her motivation in creating one for her important wood sculptures, “Fallen Soldiers”.

Paul Bouchard is a sculptor and painter, and U.S. Navy veteran who served aboard the destroyer USS Ramsey in the Western Pacific during the Vietnam War. In this short video, he relates an intense five-day naval experience in 1968, and how he and his art were impacted by that experience.

Please read this call for entry carefully and consider submitting work if you can comply with the requirements and timetable.  

Artist Eligibility: Any artist who is at least 18 years old is eligible to apply to this Call for Entry if the artist is either:

1- A current or past member of the U.S. Armed Forces (i.e. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard), the Reserve Corps of the U.S. Armed Forces, or the National Guard; or,

2 - A member of the immediate family (i.e. a parent, sibling, child (by blood, adoption, or marriage), spouse, grandparent, or grandchild) of a current or past member of the U.S. Armed Forces (i.e. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard), the Reserve Corps of the U.S. Armed Forces, or the National Guard. 

At its sole discretion, WAA may require the artist to submit documentation for proof of their eligibility (i.e. DD 214, current military ID, or proof of relationship to the veteran).  WAA's decision regarding eligibility will be final, and no fees will be refunded if the artist and/or the submitted artworks are deemed to be ineligible. Eligible artists do not have to be U.S. residents or citizens, but this call is valid only to the extent that in does not violate or contravene any U.S. or foreign laws or restrictions.

Artwork Eligibility: All 2D and 3D media are accepted. Artists should reflect in their respective medium some aspect of the veteran experience. All artwork must be original creations by the artist, not under a teacher’s direct supervision. Artwork shown in prior juried or judged WAA gallery shows is eligible. 

All artwork must be exhibition ready to hang or position with all appropriate hardware securely attached and must be ready to sell. No work can be not-for-sale (NFS) or price-on-request (POR) without the prior approval of WAA. No saw-tooth hangers or ceiling hanging can be used. Frames are not required on all artwork if the presentation is current with today’s gallery/museum standards as determined solely by WAA.

Artwork cannot be larger than 44 inches on the longest side including the frame. Artists may not submit crafts, functional art, or art composed of multiple pieces (diptych, triptych etc.) that would be hung or manipulated separately.  3D work must be easily movable and fit safely and securely in the gallery.

Work that does not adhere to any of these guidelines or is deemed not to be a faithful representation of the image submitted will not be exhibited.  The WAA reserves the right to refuse entry to works that do not fit its community’s standards or its operational needs.

Submittal Fees:  Artists may submit up to 10 images of their entries. For non-WAA members, the application entry fee, which includes the first image fee, is $25, and the fee for each subsequent image is $15.  Current WAA members will be e-mailed a CAFE discount code to be used at checkout giving them a 20% discount. The WAA member application entry fee, which includes the first image fee, is reduced to $20, and the fee for each subsequent image is only $12.  All CAFE fees are non-refundable and must be paid by credit/debit card through the CAFE system.  Payment of those fees indicates the acknowledgment and acceptance of the terms and conditions of the exhibition.

Artwork Relevance Statement: A short written statement of the relevance of the artwork to the veteran experience is required and can be uploaded at the Artwork Relevance Statement portion of the application.  Please name the file containing the statement, "LastName-FirstName_Relevance" (i.e. Murphy-Greg_Relevance). Only one document file can be uploaded.

This is not a caption or a general artist statement.  It should be based on the artist's actual experience, perceptions or knowledge.  Along with the artwork's quality, presentation, and appropriateness, the statement is a critical element in conveying the importance of the artwork both for the selection process, and for the exhibition, if the artwork is accepted.  The intent is that the statement, or an edited version of it, will accompany the artwork(s) in the exhibit.  If multiple statements are needed to address different images, the artist should submit those as part of the same document.
  
Notification of Acceptance: Artists will be notified of the acceptance of specific artwork via e-mail not later than Wednesday, April 10, 2019.

Want to become a WAA Member? WAA membership offers many benefits to artists. If you would like to explore WAA and join as a Member, click here, or on the “Become A Member” button below the banner on the Wickford Art Association web site.

In-Person Delivery of Accepted Work: All in-person deliveries will be made at the WAA Gallery on Tuesday, May 15, 11 AM to 6 PM, and Wednesday, May 16, 2019, 11 AM to 3 PM. Anyone delivering artwork in person must remove any packing materials used from the Gallery. Please DO NOT use Styrofoam peanuts or their equivalents in packing.  Accepted work MUST remain in the gallery for the duration of the exhibit.

Shipment of Accepted Work:  Shipped deliveries must arrive at a designated UPS facility in Rhode Island by Friday, May 10, 2019, based on specific instructions that will be communicated via e-mail to those artists whose work is accepted.  Each box shipped must be accompanied by a prepaid, return shipment label which is placed in an envelope inside the box. Please make sure that the box and materials that you use will adequately protect your work, and DO NOT use Styrofoam peanuts or their equivalents in packing. A $15 WAA handling fee will be required for each box shipped. Among the art shipping box solutions available, Air Float Systems (https://airfloatsystems.com) provides an inexpensive and reusable family of packaging products that are sold directly or through U-Line (https://www.uline.com/).  Accepted work MUST remain in the WAA gallery for the duration of the exhibit.                                                    

Return of Work: Participating artists who delivered their art in person will pick it up on Tuesday, June 18, 2019, 11 AM to 6 PM.  Those who shipped their art will have it returned to them in the packaging in which it was sent using its prepaid return shipping label. 

If WAA, UPS, or other carrier determines that the packaging is not adequate to safely ship the art back to the artist, WAA will contact the artist.  The artist must notify WAA in writing of any changes in their contact information, or their intended place or time of return of their art, prior to the end of the exhibition.  The artist is solely responsible for any time, materials, storage, shipment, or other charges that may arise from inadequate packaging, delayed, or redirected shipments, nonresponse of the artist, or any other artist requests.  All additional charges must be paid prior to the return of the art.

Sales & Commissions: All artwork must be for sale. Prices provided by the artist should reflect the 30% (members) or 40% (non-members) commission taken by WAA on all artwork sold. Artists will be paid their percentage of the sale by WAA within the first two weeks of July, 2019. Rhode Island does not tax the sale of fine art. 

Liability Waiver:  WAA is not liable for lost or damaged work, and recommends artists have their work insured.

No National Security Violations:  The artist warrants that both the artwork and the artwork relevance statement do not in any way violate any national security laws, regulations, directives or agreements.

Usage Rights and Copyright: The artist retains all copyright interests to their submitted art and relevance statements. In applying for this call of entry, you grant WAA the royalty-free right to display and reproduce those submissions, which have been accepted for the exhibition, and use them for the purposes of marketing and documenting the exhibition. Furthermore, you agree to have those submissions be part of an online exhibition if WAA should choose to do so. WAA reserves the right to adjust any deadline(s) as the result of causes beyond its immediate control.  Payment of the submission fee indicates acknowledgment of all terms and conditions.
 
Questions: Contact exhibits@wickfordart.org or call 401-294-6840.  To learn about other WAA exhibits and programs, visit the Wickford Art Association web site. 

Application Requirements

Eligibility Criteria