Yellowstone Art Museum (YAM)
Yellowstone Art Auction 53 (YAA53)
January 22 - March 6

Important Dates

Accepted auction artists receive:

Inclusion in the Yellowstone Art Auction 53 and exhibition, which is presented in the museum’s main galleries, and runs from January 22 to March 6, 2021, at the Yellowstone Art Museum in Billings, Montana.

A special invitation to the opening reception, preview event & one-night-only silent auction honoring participating artists, Friday evening, January 22, 2021.

One copy of the full-color catalog.

All juried works are included in the online catalog available on the YAM’s website.

Widespread regional advertising and promotion of the Auction.

Invitation plus guests to artist meet and greet March 5, 2021.

One complimentary ticket to the culminating event on March 6, 2021.

Special acknowledgment for artists making full donations (100%) to live or silent auctions on exhibition signage, catalog, and website.

Submission Requirements

• Completed application 
• Artist statement (50 words maximum, required for printed publication).
• Digital images uploaded.

Eligibility and judging

• To be considered for the live auction, all artists must submit a 50-word artist statement.
• Yellowstone Art Auction 53 is open to all original media (2-D and 3-D) except jewelry. Reproductions, including giclées and mechanical prints on canvas, will be disqualified.
• Up to four works may be submitted. Artists may submit detail images of their work if they choose. Works will be juried based on the digital entries. Submitted work must be created within the last five years.
• Works submitted to past Art Auctions are not eligible.
• Over-sized objects will be considered, but are discouraged due to spatial considerations from buyers. Two-dimensional objects exceeding 48” high x 72” wide, and three-dimensional objects weighing over 150 pounds are considered over-sized artwork submissions.

Digital image requirements

• May submit up to two images for each artwork entry.
• Digital images are required (slides or prints will not be accepted)
• Label each image in a similar fashion, including the artist Last name, First name, and Title of the Work. (example: Smith_John_ Still Life 1.jpg or Smith_Jane_Autumn.jpg)
• Images should be at least 8” by 5” at 300 dpi.
• The quality of your artwork image affects jurying. Submit a high-quality image of the artwork only, excluding artwork frame. Selections may be disqualified if the YAM is unable to obtain a high-quality image before the catalog press deadline.

Delivery of selected works

• All 2-D works must be framed and ready to hang. All 3-D works must have proper supports, hanging devices, and, if needed, instructions for installation.
• The YAM will not be responsible for works framed/mounted in an unstable manner.
• Any artwork that does not these requirements will be disqualified.
• Only selected work will be included; no substitutions. Upon receipt of the actual work, the YAM reserves the right to disqualify work that was not adequately represented or suitably prepared for exhibition.
• Any artist that does not meet these requirements will be disqualified.
• Art must be delivered to the YAM no later than December 11, 2020.

Liability

• The YAM insures all works on its premises from arrival through departure from the premises, or April 2, 2021, whichever comes first.  Artists will be responsible for insuring work in transit to and from the YAM. Submission of work to this exhibition shall constitute an agreement on the part of the artist to the conditions set forth in this document, and shall further include permission to reproduce work in the catalog and for publicity.

Shipping

• Shipping to the YAM is the responsibility of the artist.  The YAM may choose not to include work that arrives after the December 11, 2020, deadline.
• Following the Auction, unsold works will be returned to the artists at the YAM’s expense, via non-additional insured FedEx shipping.
• Artwork will only be shipped domestically. International shipping will be paid at the buyer’s/artist’s expense.
• All unsold artwork will be returned in the manner & condition it was delivered. If an artist drops of art to the museum the artist is responsible for pick-up.
• Any artwork that is unclaimed by April 2, 2021 may be sold in the YAM’s consignment gallery or incur a daily $20 storage fee.
• If the artist changes residence at any time during the process of submission and exhibition, he or she must send written notification to ensure safe return of artwork and/or payment for sales. If the YAM is not informed of a change in address until after payment for sales has been distributed, the check cancellation fee will be deducted from the total payment value.

Auction

• The YAM will retain the percentage selected within the application based on the actual sale price. The minimum donation (split) is 50%. We warmly thank those who are submitting 100% or 75% donations! Your support of the YAM goes far in maintaining the high quality of exhibitions and programs at the Yellowstone Art Museum. 100% donors will receive a complementary YAM/NARM (North American Reciprocal Museum) membership as a token of our gratitude.   

• In the event that an artist specifies a 100% donation, they must indicate one of the following options on the consignment form: 
  • ​If my donated work does not sell during Yellowstone Art Auction, I request that it be returned to me following the event, in the way in which it was received.
  • If my donated work does not sell during Yellowstone Art Auction, I would like it to remain at the YAM to be sold at a later date.

• Bidding starts at or near the declared reserve. When establishing values and reserves, consider the price your work has recently sold for. The museum will not sell a piece for less than its reserve value. Reserve may not exceed 70% of retail value. Thank you for keeping in mind that this event is a museum fundraiser!
• Buy-It-Now option allows patrons to reserve works before March 6 at the full retail cost + a surcharge. Items purchased in this manner will remain on exhibit until March 6, 2021.

Application Requirements

Eligibility Criteria