First, please read the 2021 National Prospectus!
Overview: The Cooperstown Art Association’s Annual National Juried Art Exhibition is open to artists residing in the United States working in all media. We reserve the July / August timeframe for this exhibit every year, giving this exhibit plenty of public exposure during Cooperstown’s peak tourist season. Jurors are selected by the CAA based on their merits and experiences as acclaimed artists, academics or leaders in other creative fields. The application process is completed entirely online and can be accessed from our website. Questions can be directed to our Executive Director, Janet Erway, at (607) 547-9777 or gallery@cooperstownart.com.
2021 Important Dates and Deadlines:
May 16 – Deadline for entries, *online submissions only
June 1 – Jurying results sent
Thursday, June 24 – Delivery of accepted works 11-4pm
* There will be no Preview Party this year!
July 9 - August 13 – Exhibit on view at CAA Galleries
August 14 – Pick-up of hand-delivered works 11-4pm
September 15 – Works shipped back by this date
This Year’s Juror: Mary E. Murray, Head Curatorial and Exhibitions Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at Munson Williams Proctor Arts Institute
Mary E. Murray has been a curator at MWPAI since September 1991. Prior to her time in Utica, she was acting curator at the Weatherspoon Art Gallery, University of North Carolina-Greensboro, and had a one-year, National Endowment for the Arts-funded internship in Prints, Drawings, & Photographs at the Detroit Institute of Arts. She received a BA, with honors, in art history from the University of Maryland, College Park, and an MA in art history, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
At MWPAI, Murray has organized more than seventy-five exhibitions, including four collections-based touring shows with scholarly catalogs. Other projects include “Robert Huot Paintings,” (2019); “Tommy Brown: Upstate,” (2019); “Geometry in Motion: Leon Polk Smith Works on Paper,” (2017); “Rita Lombardi: On Libraries,” (2016); “Terry Slade: Earth Mantra,” (2016); “Elemental,” (2016); “Sam Van Aken: A Hole in the Sky,” (2013); “(M)other Natures,” (2013); “Look for Beauty: Philip Johnson and Art Museum Design,” (2010); “Ann Reichlin: Counterpoint,” (2010); “A Town So Great They Named It Twice,” (2010); “A Little Look at Dada,” (2009); “Substance and Light: Ten Sculptors Use Cameras,” (2006); “Dimensional Line: Recent Work by Sharon Louden and Creighton Michael,” (2004); “Resplendent: An Installation by Lynne Yamamoto,” (2003); and “Patrick Dougherty: Full Court Press,” (2001).
Murray has written numerous exhibition catalogs at MWPAI, and writes and lectures extensively about 20th- and 21st-century American art to the public and at professional conferences.
PROSPECTUS:
Eligibility: Open to any U.S. resident over the age of 18.
Artwork Specifications: In order to be eligible for submission in the National Show, your artwork must meet the following criteria:
- It must be an original work of art (no reproductions)
- It must be available for sale
- It must be suitably framed and wired
- It must have been completed in the last two years
- It must not have been shown previously at the CAA
- 2D work must not exceed 20 lbs
- 3D work must not exceed 200 lbs or 72” in dimension
Entry Procedures: All submissions are completed online. There is a non-refundable entry fee of $20, reduced to $18 for CAA Members. This fee entitles an artist to submit up to 2 pieces in a single category. The categories are:
(1) Painting
(2) Drawing, Printmaking, Mixed Media, Photography, Digital Art
(3) Sculpture
An artist may apply to each category once, for up to six total entries. The entry fee will be applied to each category entered.
One image of each entry will need be uploaded during the application process. Category 3 (Sculpture) is permitted to upload a second detail image. Please be sure to upload your images as JPEGs, using 300 dpi to ensure good quality. Do not include your name as part of the JPEG file name.
The CAA reserves the right reject entries whose photos are deemed misleading. We also reserve the right to photograph & publish accepted work for promotional purposes. Submission of your entry indicates your acceptance of the rules of this exhibit.
Notification: Once the jurying process is complete, all artists will be notified of their status via email by June 1.
Delivery & Return of Artwork: All accepted artwork must be delivered to the CAA on, or prior to, the designated delivery dates.
Hand-Delivery: If you plan to hand-deliver your work to the CAA, you must be able to come on one of the designated delivery dates. Work delivered by hand must also be picked up by hand at the end of the exhibit.
Shipping: If you plan to ship your work to the CAA, it must arrive before the designated delivery dates. Work must be properly packaged and must include return shipping instructions. To avoid delays in return shipping, we highly recommend including a prepaid return label for your work. FedEx Ground users are required to include this pre-paid return label (RTN), as Cooperstown has no drop off locations nearby. The CAA will make every effort to ship out all works by September 15.
Sales: The CAA will retain a 30% commission on all works sold. Please price your work accordingly. The CAA will make every attempt to pay artists within 30 days of the end of the exhibit.
Awards: Possible $3,000 in prizes will be awarded. Numerous specific awards will be selected by the juror. The Grand Prize winner will be featured on the front cover of the exhibition program.
Liability: The CAA cannot assume responsibility for damage or deterioration incurred before or after the exhibit, or for possible loss in transit. Additionally, the CAA will not be held responsible for any damage resulting from insufficient shipping materials or packaging. Entries will be handled with the greatest care while in our possession, however, the CAA assumes no liability for work on its premises.
About the CAA: The Cooperstown Art Association Galleries are located on two spacious floors at 22 Main Street. We are across the street from the National Baseball Hall of Fame which attracts thousands of tourists each summer. Admission to our galleries is free and open to the public. Open Tuesday – Saturday 11-4pm. Phone: (607) 547-9777
Email: www.cooperstownart.com