The Wickford Art Association’s 2021 Let It Flow exhibit is your opportunity to exhibit the best of your work in FLUID MEDIA at one of Southern New England’s premiere art galleries with a 59-year record of promoting artistic excellence.  Open to all artists across the continental United States, this exhibit will showcase works of FLUID MEDIA: Watercolor, Liquid Acrylics, Gouache, Alcohol/Drawing/Acrylic Ink.  Artists are encouraged to unleash their creativity and vision and we encourage you to share a sampling of your portfolio with up to five works each.  With an in-gallery exhibit October 29 through November 21, 2021, a virtual gallery that will launch following opening weekend, and the opportunity to sell work for a three-month period following the exhibit through WAA’s online shop.  

Serving as jurist to curate the exhibit and determine awards, Bill Lane (https://www.billlanewatercolors.com) has a long-standing relationship with Wickford Art Association as one of the most active and respected painters in New England.  With awards from organizations and galleries including Spring Bull Gallery (Newport), Bristol (RI) Art Museum, RI Watercolor Society, Cecil Byrne Gallery, New England Watercolor Society, Copley Society of Art, Newport (RI) Art Museum, Guild of Boston Artists, and American Watercolor Society, Lane remains an active artist and educator specializing in plein air work.

All current WAA members will SAVE 30% on all exhibit entry fees—this code has been provided by email, but members-artists may contact the gallery at (401) 294-6840 for further information.  Please apply the coupon code before completing your registration for this exhibit; it cannot be applied after check-out.

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

IMPORTANT DATES

Registration Deadline
Friday- August 20, 2021 (11:59pm Eastern Standard Time)

Secondary Data Form
All Applicants are also asked to complete the form at: https://wickfordart.org/exhibits-2021/let-it-flow/ by Friday- August 20, 2021

Notification of Acceptance
Not later than Friday- September 3, 2021. All decisions are final.

In-Person Delivery
Tuesday- October 26, 2021 (noon-6pm) or Wednesday- October 27, 2021 (noon-3pm), as described below.

Shipping Delivery
Not later than Monday- October 25, 2021, as described below.

Exhibition
Friday- October 29 through Sunday- November 21, 2021

Opening Reception
Friday- October 29, 2021 (4:00pm – 7:00pm), prizes announced at 7:00pm.  Prizes will also be announced via social media and website on 10/29/21.

Return of Work
In-person collection: Monday- November 22, 2021 (noon-4pm), Tuesday: November 23 (noon-6pm) or Wednesday: November 24 (noon-6pm).  All unsold work from out-of-state will be shipped back to artists the week of November 22, 2021.

Wickford Art Association (WAA)
Since 1962, the Wickford Art Association (WAA) has hosted numerous fine art shows, classes, workshops, lectures and demonstrations. WAA has an active membership of over 475 artists and produces the annual Wickford Art Festival featuring 200+ fine art artists from around the world. Ranked among the top fine art festivals in the country by Sunshine Artist Magazine, 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 granting substantial scholarship awards to four of Rhode Island’s top public high school seniors pursuing art at the collegiate level. 

Located in the historic village of Wickford in North Kingstown, RI, the ocean-front WAA gallery is wheelchair accessible; all exhibits and receptions are free and open to the public.  The gallery is located approximately 22 miles south of Providence, RI (the State Capitol), 72 miles south of Boston (MA), 76 miles east of Hartford (CT), and 170 miles northeast of New York City.

Awards
Cash awards totaling $600 ($200 - 1st prize, $150 - 2nd prize, $100 - 3rd prize, $75 - Honorable Mentions, 2 provided) plus two non-cash prizes as Judge’s Award. 

Artist Eligibility
Artists of all levels who are at least 18 years or older are invited and encouraged to enter. 

Artwork Eligibility
All work must represent painting through FLUID MEDIA: Watercolor, Liquid Acrylics, Gouache, Alcohol/Drawing/Acrylic Ink. All work must be original creations by the artist, not developed under a teacher’s direct supervision. Artwork shown in prior juried or judged WAA gallery exhibits is NOT eligible. 

All work must be exhibition ready to hang or prepared with all appropriate hardware securely attached.  To properly prepare for presentation, artists must provide proper wiring and work must be in a state ready-to-sell. Gallery wrapped canvas or standout mounts, should be at least 1-1.5 inches deep with finished sides and no visible staples. No saw-tooth hangers are permitted. Regardless of exhibit acceptance, if work does not comply with these standards upon drop-off, they may be rejected for display.  Work may not be listed as not-for-sale (NFS) or price-on-request (POR). All work must be available for the complete duration of the in-gallery exhibit: October 29 through November 21, 2021. 

Artwork cannot be larger than 56 inches high and 44 inches wide 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, with the majority of the work created through the acceptable mediums.

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.

Entry Fees
Artists may submit up to 5 entries. For non-WAA members, the application entry fee, which includes the first image fee, is $35, 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 30% discount. The WAA member application entry fee, which includes the first image fee, is reduced to $24.50, and the fee for each subsequent image is $10.50.  All CAFE fees are non-refundable and must be paid by credit/debit card through the CAFE system.  Payment of those fees indicates the acknowledgement and acceptance of the terms and conditions of the exhibition.

To become a WAA Member
Membership dues help Wickford Art Association fulfill its mission to educate, encourage and inspire.  Over 475 members currently receive the benefits and opportunities of membership including a discount on all classes, reduced registration fees for exhibitions, 70% earnings on any sale of fine art, and the opportunity to exhibit in the Annual Members Exhibit as well as all scheduled Small Works: Shows & Sales.  Members can also volunteer in many areas of the association from help with our facility and garden to sharing time and artistic spirit with a number of committees that support our creative community.  To become a member, click HERE; more information is available 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- October 26, 2021 (noon-6pm) or Wednesday- October 27, 2021 (noon-3pm). 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.  The WAA Gallery is located at 36 Beach Street, North Kingstown, RI 02852.

Shipment of Accepted Work
Shipped deliveries must arrive at a designated UPS facility in Rhode Island by Monday- October 25, 2021. WAA will forward specific instructions via e-mail to those artists whose work is accepted.  Shipped work must be accompanied by a prepaid, return shipment label.  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 and paid via check/money order by the artist at the time of delivery.  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 may collect any un-sold work on Monday- November 22, 2021 (noon-4pm), Tuesday: November 23 (noon-6pm) or Wednesday: November 24 (noon-6pm).  All unsold work from out-of-state will be shipped back to artists the week of November 22, 2021. 

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
WAA will retain a 30% commission on works sold (for WAA members), 40% commission on works sold (for non-members). Artists will be issued their percentage of sales following the close of the fiscal quarter (December 31, 2021). Rhode Island does not tax the sale of fine art.  Wickford Art Association offers all exhibiting artists the opportunity to extend the sale period for 3-months through our online shop: https://shop.wickfordart.org; an agreement will be forwarded to all accepted artists for this optional extension to potential sales. All artists will reclaim physical custody of their work at the end of the in-gallery exhibit but those who opt-in for the online shop agree to withhold exhibition or sale of the work for three months following.

Application Requirements

Eligibility Criteria