2021 NCECA Annual – Social Recession
Curated by Shannon Rae Stratton

Hosted by:
Weston Art Gallery
Aronoff Center for the Arts
650 Walnut Street
Cincinnati, Oh 45202
513-977- 4166
www.westonartgallery.com

ENTRY DEADLINE:  Wednesday, October 7, 2020   (11:59pm MDT)

EXHIBITION DATES: February 5 – March 28, 2021

ABOUT THE NCECA ANNUAL
The NCECA Annual blends impactful attributes of invitational and open juried models of exhibition development. Exhibition curator Shannon Rae Stratton’s organizing concept is brought to life through the work of three invited artists. The curator will select additional works and artists for the exhibition through an open call for submissions.

Stratton shares the following about her vision for the exhibition:

According to physician’s Vivek H. Murthy and Alice Chen’s March article for the Atlantic, the corona virus could cause what is being called a “social recession.” They speak about how the longer we go without personal contact, the more social bonds fray and unravel, leading to harmful effects on mood, health, our ability to learn and work, and our overall sense of community. Their concern stems from an already growing body of national and global research on the epidemic of loneliness that reports, at the lowest 22% of American adults, and at the highest 50%, are struggling with loneliness. That is more adults than smoke or have diabetes. 

Many artists working in craft value the field for its history of peer-to-peer exchange, mentorship, functionality and proximity to the body. It’s a field that identifies itself with connection and touch, with craft objects – whether functional design or conceptual art – often serving social functions. 

While Murthy and Chen were concerned with fraying social bonds based on enforced separation, the legacy of settler colonialism and white suprematism that has shaped capitalism, Western culture and specifically the United States, has long disrupted social bonds, destroying communities, histories and traditions in its wake.

This call for artwork for the NCECA Annual invites artists to consider the tension between together and apart, interdependence, belonging, hospitality and modes of support that allow people to extend themselves with mindfulness and compassion towards each other and to the non-human world. As the list of untenable and ailing structures that have caused harm begin to crumble, what change can be supported through connection, compassion and empathy?

Living in a culture that places a high value on individuality has obscured the reality of interdependence – the fact that nobody thinks or creates in a vacuum. If anything, people are all vectors for one thing or another, transmitting ideas that have coalesced in and around us at any given time. Empathy is the nourishment required to sustain a tender “us” now and in the future. 

Interested artists are encouraged to submit works that draw on their personal and cultural experience to explore themes of the social and how social connection, as a renewable resource, is a means for addressing the challenges we face both individually and as a society. We encourage submissions that deal with collective grief and mourning, rage, empowerment, joy, care and compassion - but all through work grounded in connection, interdependence and the social.

ABOUT CURATOR SHANNON RAE STRATTON
Shannon Rae Stratton is an independent curator and researcher with specific interest in fiber art histories and artist-run platforms who most recently served as Interim Senior Curator at The John Michael Kohler Arts Center (Sheboygan, WI) for the 2020 exhibition season. From 2015-2019 she served as William and Mildred Lasdon Chief Curator at the Museum of Arts and Design (New York) overseeing diverse exhibitions and collections, fostering relationships with artists and designers, and developing new strategies to engage contemporary audiences. Prior to MAD, she co-founded and led Threewalls from 2003-2015, a Chicago-based contemporary arts organization that presents both exhibitions and public programs. Under her leadership Threewalls provided grants and resources to artists and other organizers through projects like The Propeller Fund and PHONEBOOK and co-founded Hand-in-Glove and Common Field, a conference and national network for artists and organizers that amplifies the visibility and viability of arts organizing projects across the United States. In 2020, she became executive director of Ox-Bow School of Art & Artists’ Residency (Saugatuck, Michigan).

Throughout her career Stratton has worked with notable artists, such as William Cordova, Cauleen Smith, Daniel Barrow, and Theaster Gates, among many others. Her traveling exhibition Faith Wilding: Fearful Symmetries, A Retrospective was nominated for Best Presentation in an Alternative Venue by the International Association of Art Critics (AiCA-USA). She was named a critical studies fellow at The Cranbrook Academy Art (2012); a fellow of the NAMAC Visual Arts Leadership Institute (2011); and “Chicagoan of the year” in the arts by the Chicago Tribune (2011). She is a current recipient of an Emily Hall Tremaine Exhibition Research Grant and a Craft Research Fund Exhibition Grant from the Center for Craft.

Stratton received a BFA from Alberta College of Art and Design and an MFA in Fiber and Material Studies as well as an MA in Art History, Theory and Criticism from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

ABOUT THE GALLERY
One of the most sought-after exhibition venues in the region, the Cincinnati Arts Association’s Weston Art Gallery is acclaimed for its eclectic mix of emerging and professional artists presented in museum-quality environs in the heart of downtown Cincinnati’s restaurant and theater district. With galleries on two levels and 3,500 square feet of exhibition space, the Weston serves as a staging ground for the most intriguing visual art by local, national, and international artists working in all media.

ELIGIBILITY
Submission of works for consideration is open to the broad field of ceramic art. NCECA welcomes submissions from artists throughout the US and other countries. Please consider international shipping costs and NCECA’s shipping reimbursement policy as stated below before submission. Artists must be over 18 years of age and not matriculating for a degree in higher education. (NCECA provides a platform for student artists in the NCECA Juried Student Exhibition which will take place at DAAP Galleries, College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning University of Cincinnati).

NCECA membership is not a requirement of eligibility, however, NCECA members receive complimentary entry to NCECA exhibitions.
Entry Fees:
Member: $0.00 (At checkout enter discount code MemberFREE)
Non-member: $45.00
Membership will be verified by NCECA, please check your NCECA Membership status and expiration date by logging into your NCECA Profile at this LINK or contact kate@nceca.net AND support@nceca.net

Membership in NCECA is paid on an annual basis and is not included in conference registration. NCECA membership runs 12 months from the date of joining or renewal.  To renew or become a member of NCECA, go to: www.nceca.net/membership/

MEDIA
All works must be …
… primarily ceramic. Mixed media works will be accepted only when clay is the dominant material.  Video featuring clay or ceramics will also be accepted.

... able to fit through the venue’s entryways and be safely installed on premises. Floor and pedestal works must be self-supporting. NCECA and exhibition venue staff reserve the right to exclude from exhibition works that arrive at the venue in unstable condition. The curator will make final determinations;

...should be responsive to the theme of the exhibition. Works shown in previous NCECA exhibitions are not eligible. Please do not enter the same work in more than one NCECA exhibition call.

NUMBER OF WORKS:
Interested artists may submit up to three (3) distinct works with no more than two (2) media files (images, video, or audio) per work, not to exceed six total media files. (See media files details at https://www.callforentry.org/artist-help-cafe/uploading-media/

EXCLUSIONS
NCECA reserves the right to exclude from adjudication any submissions that include more than three (3) works or more than two (2) media files per work. Please do not submit the same pieces to multiple NCECA calls in the same year. 

Additionally, NCECA reserves the right to exclude from adjudication any submissions made with incorrect fees. It is the artist’s responsibility to verify and update member status before submitting his/her work and paying the entry fee. NCECA will not process refunds to those who submit incorrect fees. 

ENTRY PROCEDURES
Jurying will be conducted from images of actual works available for the exhibition.

Applicants must first create a CaFE profile at www.callforentry.org  Uploaded media files will be stored in your CaFE Portfolio as a repository of images to be accessed while completing the submission. Media file submissions must comply with specifications found at CaFÉ https://www.callforentry.org/artist-help-cafe/uploading-media/

IMAGE: Only JPEGs.  No smaller than 1920 pixels on the longest side. Landscape or portrait formats are acceptable. The file size may not exceed 5MB.
AUDIO: Only AIFF, WAV, XMF, MP3 up to 10MB with a minimum bit rate of 96.
VIDEO: Only 3GP, WMV, AVI, MOV, ASF, MPG, MP4, M2T, MKV, M2TS up to 100MB with a minimum resolution of 640 x 480; minimum 12 fps.

For complete specifications, tutorials and resources please visit the CaFE website at  https://www.callforentry.org/artist-help-cafe/

DEADLINE: Wednesday, October 7, 2020 (11:59pm Mountain Daylight time)

All submissions must include declaration of a monetary value for insurance purposes. This value may not be altered at a later date.

BEFORE beginning submission, applicants must be prepared to provide the following as well as images and image details. Please proof carefully and submit as print ready.

*Work statement (limit 1000 characters with spaces) This is a general statement about your work. This statement might describe research, creation, and your artistic goals rather than a biographical statement as we do ask for that below.

*Artwork Statements - (TOTAL for all three pieces- limit 2000 characters with spaces) Provide a short statement about EACH piece being submitted that discusses the connection of how the piece relates to the exhibition concept/call title. If the work involves multimedia elements, please explain in detail the process used to create the work. For example:

Piece 1 (include title) relates to the exhibition concept because... AND (if applicable) the processes used for this multimedia work include...
Piece 2 (include title) relates to the exhibition concept because... AND (if applicable) the process/s used for this multi-media work included...
Piece 3 (include title) relates to the exhibition concept because... AND (if applicable) the process/s used for this multi-media work included...

*Brief biographical statement (limit 1000 characters with spaces)  Providing biographical text written in third person will help to restrain editing that might be necessary to support the creation of publishable content. If selected the short bio may be printed in the catalogue, please proof carefully, and submit print ready.

* A two-page resume of ‘highlights’ … max 2mb…to be uploaded as either a pdf or word doc.

* Preferred pronouns

Each work image submitted must include the following details:

∙           Title
∙           Medium (60 character limit with spaces)
∙           Height/Width/Depth (in inches)
∙           Retail Value
(Retail value must be reported even for works included in the exhibition that are not available for purchase.) Insurance value will be calculated as 50% of the retail value.
∙           Year completed
∙           Primary Discipline (ceramics)
∙           Description

NO CHANGES will be allowed once an entry has been submitted. Once data is entered in the CaFE system, it cannot be altered. PROOFREAD your data carefully as this information may be used to generate the catalogue, insurance, and publicity information.

ADJUDICATION
Curator Shannon Rae Stratton will make selections for the exhibition from digital images and work statements to develop the exhibition. Selected artists will be asked for high-resolution images.

INSURANCE
Weston Art Gallery shall maintain insurance coverage for all works included in the exhibition only while they are on its premises. It is the responsibility of the artists to provide insurance coverage for their work while it is in transit. The gallery insurance will provide coverage for up to 50% of the works reported retail value. Retail value must be reported even for works included in the exhibition that are not available for purchase. In the event that damages occur to works in the exhibition, artists may be required to demonstrate that the value(s) declared are established fair market values.

SHIPPING and DELIVERY of artwork
(Specific details to be provided in selected artists’ agreements)
Works included in the exhibition must arrive at the venue between Monday, January 25 and Friday, January 29, 2021 between the hours of 8am-5pm. Larger scale works may be offloaded at one of two loading docks. Modestly scaled works may arrive via door access at street level. Artists wishing to deliver their works by themselves must arrange in advance with the Weston Gallery Director Dennis Harrington dharrington@cincinnatiarts.org

It is the responsibility of artists to securely pack their works for the exhibition, arrange and pay for shipping to and from the exhibition venue, and insure their artworks while in transit. NCECA recommends that all artists document their packaging process using digital images and text description prior to closing all crates and /or boxes for shipment. This documentation may provide critical information to support claims against carriers for damage in transit.

When paying to ship your work TO the venue, be sure to also purchase RETURN-SHIPPING. The pre-paid return shipping label is to be included in your box. A copy of the return label is to be emailed to kate@nceca.net

RETURN OF UNSOLD WORK
The exhibition will be taken down and works will be packed for return shipping immediately after the close of the exhibition. All return shipping of unsold works must be paid in advance by participating artists who must be the shipper of record. Round-trip shipping/transportation reimbursement requests must be supported by original receipts and will be limited to no more than $500.00 per artist.

In consultation with the exhibition development team (curator, gallery director, and NCECA exhibitions director) it may be determined that some works selected for the exhibition may require artists to travel to the venue in order to participate in installation. With approval of the exhibition development team, artists travelling to the site to install works may request travel reimbursement in lieu of shipping reimbursement. Artists who choose to hand deliver their works may be able to request reimbursement at NCECA’s allowable mileage rate in lieu of shipping reimbursement. Artists will be responsible to finance any travel-related expenses that are not pre-approved by the exhibition development team. Additional details on claiming reimbursements will be included in the loan agreement.

SALES
Works to be offered for purchase at the discretion of artists included in the exhibition. Artists will receive 50% of the purchase value on works sold and 50% will be retained as commission by NCECA and the exhibition venue. Shipping of purchased works will be the responsibility of collectors.

PHOTOGRAPHY
Participating artists must agree to allow NCECA, the exhibition venue, and gallery visitors to photograph work while on display for educational and publicity purposes. Images of accepted works will be retained by NCECA for promotional purposes, posting on the NCECA website and sharing with media related publications.

CATALOGUE
NCECA reserves the right to produce a color print, print on demand and/or web-based catalogue for the exhibition featuring an essay by the curator along with statements and images of artwork by all participating artists. Should a print or print on demand catalogue be produced, each participating artist will receive one complimentary copy, with additional copies available for purchase online.

CALENDAR
Deadline –  Wednesday, October 7, 2020  (11:59pm Mountain Daylight time)
Artists notification - by late-October
Signed loan agreements due by - November 18, 2020
Shipped and hand delivered works to arrive: BetweenMonday, January 25 and Friday, January 29, 2021 between the hours of 8am-5pm.

Exhibition Dates: February 5 – March 28, 2021
55th Annual NCECA Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio  March 17-20, 2021
Reception: 6 PM- 9 PM Thursday, March 18, 2021 during conference

Pick up work and start packing/shipping: Details to be provided
Damage Claim: Immediately upon return
Shipping reimbursement request: Before June 1, 2021

If you encounter problems and require technical assistance, contact CaFÉ™ support staff at cafe@westaf.org. The CaFÉ™ website is best viewed with most major desktop web browsers. The following desktop browsers are recommended:

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If you have questions about eligibility or submission rules that are not answered in the CaFE listing description, contact kate@nceca.net AND support@nceca.net

Application Requirements

Eligibility Criteria