WCA STANDARDS SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS AND SHOW GUIDELINES Please read through and familiarize yourself with this information. The Requirements are the standards by which all artwork will be considered for jurying in every WCA show. The Guidelines are offered as ways to help maintain a professional standard in the organization and production of WCA shows, and to help make this experience as enriching and pleasant as possible while reducing stress for all those involved. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR SUBMITTING ARTWORK TO A WCA SHOWS + Art must be completed within the last 3 years. (Many galleries require that artwork is only two years old. If this is the case for a particular show, you will be notified of this in the show prospectus.) + Art must be completely dry, clean, undamaged, professionally finished and ready to display. + Wall and suspended art must have suitable means for hanging. + No sawtooth hangers. + Standing art must be stable. + A detailed, legible set-up diagram with written instructions must accompany multiple pieces and installation art. + Art must remain in place for the duration of the show. + Art need not be for sale. + WCA and the gallery take reasonable precautions to protect the art. However, WCA and the gallery assume no responsibility for damage to or loss of art due to theft, vandalism, or accident. The artist is responsible for his or her own insurance. + Accepted art may be photographed for publicity or educational purposes. Submission of artwork implies acceptance of photographs being used in this way. + Drop-off and pick-up art at appointed times ONLY. If you cannot drop-off/pick-up your work yourself, arrange beforehand for someone else to do it for you. Art submitted late will not be considered for jurying, unless other arrangements are made with the WCA curators and gallery well beforehand. Art not picked up on time may become the property of the gallery and disposed of as they see fit. + These requirements are NOT suggestions! If you cannot follow these requirements, please do not submit your art. GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR PARTICIPATING IN WCA SHOWS ARTIST RESPONSIBILITIES: + It is the your responsibility to know and understand the requirements, guidelines, themes and timeframes for each show. If you do not understand something, ask before you start a piece for a specific show and/or drop off your work. + If you commit to an installation/piece for the show, please finish it; the group is counting on you! + If you commit to the show committee, follow through with it OR find a replacement. + Do not expect your curators to do all the work for the shows; Respect your curator / installation leader + If WCA is providing food and you are in the show, you MUST provide quality food OR money for it, even if you cannot attend the opening + You should send out at least a minimum amount of postcards (10-15) if you are in the show, so we all have an audience. Do not depend on the others in the show to do your advertising. + If you sign-up to be part of the gallery talk or panel discussion, you are expected to be there. Please arrive ahead of time and be prepared. If you must cancel, let the show curator know as soon as possible. + GROUP INSTALLATIONS require installation by a committee, not just curators. If you have submitted art for a group installation please volunteer to help with the on-site installation. + You are responsible for attending show meetings/workshops to keep updated on the progress of a show and to learn about upcoming shows. + You are responsible for making sure you are signed up correctly to receive WCA emails, as this is the main mode of communication in the organization. If you are not on-line, it is your responsibility to get on the mailing list to receive the occasional hard copies of correspondences. + You are responsible for responding PROMPTLY to the show curators' e-mail or phone call inquiries. You are responsible for providing any requested press release information, statements, resumes, photos, etc. ON TIME. JURORS/GALLERY DIRECTORS/CURATORS/STAFF: + Respect the juror and the gallery director/curators/staff; they are providing WCA and you with a service and an opportunity. You are expected to behave professionally at all times. + Please do not cry, complain, write nasty letters, or make phone calls to the gallery directors, curators, or staff if your work is not accepted. This behavior is unprofessional and has no part in this organization. + If you are accepted dependant upon certain criteria or requests for changes in your piece (i.e., fix the frame or hanging structure, paint the wall, help install the piece, make adjustments for the flow or accessibility of the show, etc.), you must decide for yourself if you can live with the criteria and/or changes. If you wish to discuss the matter, go through the WCA show curators in a respectful and professional manner. General complaining and insults will not help your cause. If the curators, juror and/or gallery director insist on the changes, it is up to you to follow thorough, or remove your piece from consideration with the utmost of professionalism. + Please do not complain to the WCA curators, juror or gallery director about the placement of your artwork in the show. Please be prompt with drop-off of artwork, or volunteering to help hang a show. The gallery staff usually has a short timeframe to install the show so please be respectful. JURYING: Jurying is a challenging and subjective responsibility. Below is a list of SOME of the reasons works of art may not be accepted into a show. Please read through the list and be aware of these issues when considering submitting your artwork and when viewing a show. It is your responsibility to behave professionally in all aspects of showing your art. + Quality of the piece; technical, aesthetic + Gallery/institution standards or desires + Doesn't fit theme (do not change title to fit theme) + Personal preferences; juror just doesn't like it (this quite often is the BIG ONE) + Doesn't work well with other art that is accepted, or in the space + Gallery space; juror/director wants tight, clean show, lots of space + Unfinished art; still wet, not properly painted, THINGS FALLING OFF... + Improper hanging equipment; no wires, hooks, requires staff intervention to hang + Improperly framed; glass falling out of frame, dents in frame, improper matt, cuts in matt, hair under glass, etc. + Dirty, dusty, cobwebs on piece + Age / date of art piece (Many galleries require that artwork is only two years old. Generally they like "new work" created for that particular show). + Restrictions such as "no nudes", "no sexual references", "child friendly", etc. + Unseen; can't see it well for jurying, art still in boxes, wrap, etc. + Space restrictions, some shows are juried to the bone, others not at all. + TOO... too big, too small, too heavy, too tall, too messy, too minimal, too abstract, too contemporary, too figurative, too realistic, too cute, too un-creative, too weird, too normal, too typical, too literal, TOO... Installation and 3-dimensional pieces: + Not set up enough to comprehend the piece... everything in boxes, wrapping, etc + Not enough, or incomprehensible instructions for set up + No diagram or photo with the piece + Expect too much from the installation crew (asking for them to paint, or type things for you) + Too difficult OR messy to assemble + Too space consuming Additional things to consider: + All gallery directors have the "right of refusal" of any artwork entered. + Being the show curator, a show committee member, a workshop leader, or an officer does not guarantee acceptance into any show. + Being a WCA member does not guarantee entrance into all shows. Some gallery directors will only allow only those WCA members whose artwork was in the initial proposal to participate, or they may have picked specific WCA members. (Therefore you should have slides to the show committee to guarantee more show possibilities) + A member accepted by the original proposal (slides) does not guarantee acceptance at delivery time. (unless a specific piece of artwork was accepted, and that means NO substitutions). Therefore you must still do your best artwork, and follow the guidelines for the show. + Number of hours put into your art does not guarantee acceptance, even if you did the specific piece for a show. + A particular medium does not guarantee acceptance. Example: photo for photo show. + Because you paid your dues does not guarantee acceptance into the show. + However, your dues must be paid for the year to be in the show. WCA calendar year is from January - December. MISCELLANEOUS: Please show respect to the WCA members who get in to a show and to those who do not. The Golden Rule applies here! You do NOT need to enter every WCA show. In other words, if you can't follow the theme, then wait for an appropriate show, or suggest curating one that will work for you. There will be some non-themed shows. WCA shows are designed for learning, improving, and expanding our creative skills, and for working cooperatively with other artists. They are NOT designed for any one particular artist, or one particular style in the group. The show goals are usually not to be "money makers". That is up to the individual artists and their art. We hope that that these requirements and guidelines help you to successfully participate in WCA Shows!

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