ADVICE AND INFO FOR YOUR SUBMISSION .

Suggestions for Choosing Work to Submit:

First, we always have themes to our show. There are no hard and fast rules for what we expect, and often we are surprised at what the collections of submissions contain. It’s one of our favorite things about working with creatives — we never know what to expect, so it’s often incredibly delightful . All this being said, since we have a variety of themes throughout each year (and throughout all the years), we suggest that you choose work you think will fit that specific “Call for Artists” best.

Second, we suggest you submit 3 works, but know that might not always be practical. If you cannot submit 3 works, we suggest you try to do at least two. It will give you better chances of acceptance because it gives us a variety to consider along with other submissions. We are always trying to make a cohesive show, so the more you submit, the more we can potentially integrate. Our aim is to share a diverse body of work by a multitude of unique artists in many different materialities and styles.

Third, It is our expectation that the work we show is for sale. We are a boutique, first and foremost, so if accepted, we will expect your piece to be on offer in that show’s collection of available works. We prioritize sales, so if someone buys your piece, they have the option to take it with them or schedule a pick-up. Or if purchased online, they can either schedule a pick-up or select shipping. In practice, this means when a piece sells, it is often taken from the wall in that exact moment, and it goes with the buyer or out to ship. We know this isn’t exactly a suggestion, but understanding our model will likely inform the work you choose to show with us.

 Here’s the specific guidance for work shown at Powell Lane Arts:

• Works should be no larger than 45” on any side (inclusive of any framing), and may weigh no more than 50 lbs.

• Paintings on stretched canvas may have the edges neatly painted in lieu of a frame or may be framed.  Please no unfinished edges.

• Graphics, photographs, watercolors, and prints must be under glass.  Any frames that leave edges of glass exposed will not be acceptable.

• If accepted, all wall-hung pieces must be appropriately wired with braided stainless steel wire (or similar braided multi-filament material).

  Here is a handy tutorial of our expectation:
  https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/hanging-a-painting-wire-d-rings-2578378
  

  And a video of an alternative approach:
  https://youtu.be/LBnqLeEiI2k
  

• Our selections will be made on specific artwork.  Any acceptance in a show is based on the works you originally submitted.  Because we curate the shows to work cohesively, we do not accept substitutions for unavailable work.  Please know we will do our best to notify you of your acceptance or rejection in a timely fashion so as not to tie up your work; however, we expect to have exclusive rights to any accepted works from the date of the show’s opening through the close of the show.  Knowing this, please bear this in mind when submitting.

• Also—unless it is negotiated otherwise—Powell Lane Arts receives a commission of 40% for any work sold in conjunction with each exhibition.

Finally — The Actual Submission:

We try to give plenty of time for artists to answer our open calls, so that every artist has time to research us as a business through our website, social media and through other artists you may know. But this also means, we really value submissions that are well-put together. This doesn’t mean hiring someone to brand and market you to us — we just focus on the essentials.

With that in mind, a little pre-work to make sure you have a complete submission is always recommended.

Here’s What We’ll Ask For:

• ABOUT YOU: Name, Address, Phone, Email.

• ABOUT YOU AS AN ARTIST: Social Media, Website, Etc.

• YOUR FIRST PERSON ARTIST STATEMENT (About 100 words): Besides a non-watermarked, high-resolution (i.e. 300 dpi) images of the work, the single most important thing you can do for an effective submission is give us a strong first-person artist statement. We read every single one. We want to know what you are trying to communicate through your work. It doesn’t have to be flower-y or a whole lecture on your work and your professional background. It should definitely not be a biography or a list of jobs and awards. Just give us the nuts and bolts of what you want us to see, and what your process is in making the work.
  
  You can find other examples of this on our pages, but here are a couple that we think are particularly strong…

  https://www.powelllanearts.com/2022-winter-invitational/ruth-wolf
  
  https://www.powelllanearts.com/2023-portray-it/luke-weichmann
  
  https://www.powelllanearts.com/2023-portray-it/jonathan-greenberg

• ARTWORKS FOR CONSIDERATION:

  • IMAGES: As mentioned above, we need non-watermarked, high-resolution (330 dpi) images of the work. We need to see materiality, and the best way to ensure this is to give us a good image. (Maximum File Size is 10 MB.)

  • MEDIUM: Be specific please, and list the medium and the surface.

  • OTHER MATERIALITY DETAILS: You can use this area for a detailed description of the materiality. Sure, some things will not need overly long descriptives; but, (for example) if you are doing mixed media, be specific about what makes it mixed media by telling us about the media. :)

  • EDITION STATUS: Is it singular? Or is it in multiples? If it’s in editions, it must be numbered. Make sure you tell us the number of the print that you are offering, and the total number of editions in the set (i.e. # assigned/total editions).

  • DIMENSIONS: We’ll ask for this without framing (if applicable) and with framing (if applicable).

  • PRICE: Of course. And the only time we set a limit on price is during our holiday show which runs in November through December. We typically set a max price of $450 for the holiday show only.

  • We know for some of you, you need the visual of what the pages look like. With that in mind, here’s some images of what you’ll be putting together.