PROSPECTUS
Introduction to the Orange County Artists Guild
The Orange County Artists Guild is an inclusive, non-profit organization of artists supporting each other in their professional development, as well as fostering public knowledge and appreciation of the work of Orange County artists. The Guild is composed of professional artists and artisans with considerable experience in their fields. The Guild does not restrict members as to art medium, content or style of work. All members are expected to contribute to the organization through voluntary committee work.
Activities of the Guild include:
· Hosting an annual Orange County Open Studio Tour, held the first two weekends in November;
· Hosting an information, education and demonstration booth each year at Festifall;
· Providing a website to promote OCAG members’ artwork with contact information for an artist liaison to respond to queries about the guild and its artists from members of the public. All members are entitled to a page in the Gallery on the website and may include a link to their personal website;
· Offering organizational Facebook and Instagram page and a blog publicizing members’ events and recent artwork, articles written by members about artistic process and inspiration, and a publicly accessible calendar of members’ events;
· Hosting quarterly meetings for members with educational programs and speakers;
· Coordinating forums and workshops on art related topics;
· Maintains a listserve with opportunities for exhibition, jobs, and cultural events;
· Seeking out and coordinating opportunities to show and sell members work throughout the year;
· Promoting and organizing self-led artist interest and learning groups.
Eligibility
Membership is open to any individual artist who maintains a studio in or lives in Orange County, NC and who has been juried into the Guild. The jury process takes place once a year to select new members. The jury’s decision is final. Neither the jury nor the Board of Directors of the Guild will provide explanations of jury findings or individual critiques for applying artists.
Fees
There is a $25 nonrefundable application fee. The application fee must be paid by the entry deadline.
Additionally, the annual membership dues are $100 per calendar year, January 1 - December 31. New members pay their dues after they have been juried into the Guild. Members may participate in any Guild show with payment of the appropriate event fee. The fee for Studio Tour participation is $500. This fee can be reduced to $250 by completing at least 8 hours of committee work. Please note that 8 hours are the minimum but, for an event to be successful, more than 8 hours may be expected. The Studio Tour is open only to members. All Studio Tour participants must maintain a page in the website Gallery. All members will be listed in the Guild Directory.
“Young Adult Emerging Artist” Opportunity
This year we are seeking 1 to 3 artists between the ages of 21 and 30 for our one year “Young Adult Emerging Artist” positions. If you fit this category, and live or maintain a studio within Orange County and are juried into the guild, the annual fee of $100 may be waived for one year, as will the $250 fee for participation in the Open Studio Tour, if you are chosen for one of the 3 Emerging Artist slots. (The $25 application fee will still apply.) If you intend to exhibit during the Open Studio Tour, responsibility to work at least 8 hours on a committee in the Guild will apply to you as it does to all Tour artists (see above). Should a “Young Adult Emerging Artist" not have a space in which to display during the Open Studio Tour, the Guild will actively explore options for a space in which you can display your work during the Tour. (This could be shared space with an established Guild member.) Please Note: Applicants for the Young Adult Emerging Artist positions should not plan to be enrolled in a degree program (with the exception of BFA or MFA) during the year of their OCAG membership (from February through the following January.)
Application Requirements
For consideration by the OCAG Jury, you must submit the following:
5 images of your work
1 image of Studio/ workspace (optional)
1 Resume (2 pages maximum)
1 Artists Statement (250 words maximum)
* guidance / guidelines below *
· Five to six digital images.
o Only five digital images should be of your art work. If you choose to submit it, the sixth image may be of your studio or working space (not including the artist).
o ENTERING YOUR IMAGES: Entry form must be filled out in its entirety. List sizes up to the nearest inch. Submitted images must not include matting or frame. Crop the photos to include only the artwork. Be sure your images are right-side-up. Title of each image should start with your Last Name.
o Before uploading your images, make sure they are smaller than 4MB, but at least 1920 pixels on the longest side at 72 dpi. Images should be in JPEG format, sRGB color space. Help in photographing your work and properly sizing your images can be found at: www.OnlineJuriedShows.com/help.aspx. If you need help entering your images or are unable to, please email Help@OnlineJuriedShows.com or call 949-287-8645.
o Please add Services@OnlineJuriedShows.com and Manager@OnlineJuriedShows.com to your safe senders list to ensure notifications are received.
· A one or two-page résumé which outlines “arts relevant” info: exhibitions, teaching, workshops attended, continuing professional development—all demonstrating your seriousness of purpose as an artist. It is not expected that you do your art full-time. Many members have other “day jobs.”
· To upload your résumé: After entering your images and paying, go to OnlineJuriedShows.com and log in using your email address and password. Right above where you just logged in, click “Your Artist Profile,” and then click “Personal Info.” Scroll down and follow the instructions to upload your resume.
· A short, 250 words or less, “artist’s statement,” wherein you write about your artistic/creative philosophy, processes, and your intentions with your work. Talk about your work, describing to the jury what you do, how you do it, and what is your hope for its outcome. (See instructions above on how “to upload your resume”. You will put your artist statement in the same area of your profile.)
· Incomplete applications will not be considered.
Calendar
1. A new applicants’ Q&A info session will be held on 7 January 2019. Please email Deborah Harris (dharris118@nc.rr.com) if you’d like to attend.
2. Application submission closes at 11:59 pm on 31 January 2019.
3. Notifications will be sent out in mid to late February.
4. A New Members Orientation Meeting will be scheduled in February once the new membership is determined. You will be contacted about this following the Jury’s decision.
5. An OCAG Members General Meeting is scheduled for 7 March 2019, at which new members are introduced and welcomed to the Guild. Please plan to attend if accepted.