2024 RECLAIM UPCYCLE ART AUCTION EVENT DETAILS
EVENT DATES: April 18th - 27th, 2024
HOSTED BY:
Madison County Arts Council
90 S. Main St
Marshall, NC
OVERVIEW: In its 4th year, the 2024 ReClaim Madison Upcycle Art Auction is receiving some upgrades to improve and expand this event's community and financial impact! The event will continue to be a community-driven fundraiser directly benefiting the programs of Community Housing Coalition of Madison County (CHC), working to keep our neighbors safe and healthy in their homes. The vision of this event embodies ReClaim’s mission of bringing the people of Madison County, and beyond, together at the intersection of reuse, creativity and heart; to stimulate the way people think about and make art, and how reuse is such a paramount strategy for long term environmental impact.
This year we are making many exciting shifts in response to feedback solicited in 2023 from staff, board members, and auction participants, including:
- The auction being hosted outside of the store in a prominent arts-based location
- Switching auction platforms from Facebook Groups to a dedicated Auction app
- A smaller, intentionally curated exhibit of 35 professional artists/makers for the auction
- A collection of community contributed upcycled pieces from all skill levels, to sell at set prices at the entrance of the exhibit
For over 20 years, CHC has served over 150 neighbors annually with needs assessments, accessibility improvements, roofs, flooring, electrical, heating, well/septic systems, and other major repairs that impact their health and safety.
CHC operates ReClaim Madison Salvage & Thrift, a social enterprise offering used furniture and appliances and salvage building materials. By keeping dollars local, providing affordable building materials, and opportunities for community engagement through volunteer opportunities and community events, such as the annual Upcycle Art Auction, ReClaim Madison is a valued community resource.
Learn more at chcmadisoncountync.org. Community Housing Coalition of Madison County is a 510(c)(3) non-profit organization. EIN #11-3660564
PARTICIPATION:
- Fill out an application to submit an original artwork incorporating upcycled/recycled materials by Friday, 3/15. We invite anyone who would like to create an upcycled artwork piece, to do so regardless of skill level.
- Finished artworks must be dropped off at Madison County Arts Council between Wednesday, 4/3 and Friday, 4/5 between 10:00 and 5:00pm.
- Once all pieces are received, our creative selection committee will select 35 artworks to feature in the auction in a curated gallery exhibit. All other submitted artworks will be sold in the lobby at pre-set prices (in collaboration with artists suggested retail prices) for the duration of the auction from 4/18 - 4/27. Proceeds from both types of sales will benefit CHC home repair programs.
- Featured artists/makers will be notified of selection and announced on Monday, 4/8 by 8 pm.
Applications for the Artists/Makers for the juried auction will be evaluated by a local group of Artists/Makers, Gallery owners, and curators, and will be selected for the exhibit based on:
- Quality and craftsmanship
- Aesthetic appeal
- Originality of the artwork
- Variety and balance of materials used and forms of artwork for the entire show
- Professionalism of the artist/makers body of work
- Creative use of upcycled/recycled materials
The Creative Selection Committee is comprised of the following small local group of Madison County Artists/Makers, Gallery owners, and curators:
- Anne Rawson - Anne brings abundant experience to the Board of Directors of Trillium Arts, an artists’ residency center located in Mars Hill. She is a former Executive Director of the Madison County Arts Council and has served on non-profit boards in Western North Carolina including NC Stage Company, Southern Appalachian Repertory Theatre and NC Arts.
- Joe Bruneau - Joe has been making handwoven baskets for almost 40 years. He received a B.A. in Fine Arts from Warren Wilson College and brings experience as a seasoned studio artist and teacher. With 20 years of arts retail management experience with Number 7 Arts in Brevard before moving here, we are excited to have Joe be a part of this process.
- Miryam Rojas - Miryam is the founder/Gallery Director of Mars Landing Galleries in Mars Hill. She earned a B.A. with a Dual Major in Art History and in Fine Arts. Miryam is also a board member with the Madison County Arts Council.
- Phillip Solomon - Phillip, a resident of Hot Springs NC, is co-owner and curator of Artisun Gallery & Café (in Hot Springs). The Artisun Gallery strives to feature top quality local artists and creators in a wide variety of mediums. Phillip is proud to be a part of the vibrant Madison Co. Arts community and comes from a long career as performing artist and producer in the fields of theatre, music and circus arts.
APPLICATION TIMELINE:
FRIDAY, 3/15 by 5 pm: Deadline to register as an Artist/Maker
WEDNESDAY, 4/3 - FRIDAY, 4/5, between 10am - 5 pm: All artworks must be delivered to Madison County Arts Council at 90 S Main St in Marshall during this timeframe.
MONDAY, 4/8 by 8pm: Notification to Artist/Makers of which 35 pieces will be featured in the auction.
PROCEEDS: All original artworks will be donated to ReClaim Madison for the fundraiser. 100% of proceeds directly benefit the urgent home repair programs of CHC, working to keep our neighbors safe and healthy in their homes.
ACCEPTABLE MEDIA: Artworks can be made out of any materials and creativity is encouraged! While it is not required for selected artists/makers to have incorporated upcycled, salvaged, or recycled materials in their art/wares prior to the auction, the Upcycle Art Auction aims to highlight to the community how reuse of materials can be used in so many different and creative ways.
In the past, artists/makers have submitted a variety of forms including:
- Upcycled furniture (reupholstered, reconfigured, repurposed, reclaimed wood designs, etc.)
- 2D Wall mounted art (using repurposed materials as the canvas, i.e. windows, mirrors, previous artworks, etc.)
- Found object sculpture
- Recycled Textile use
- Repurposed items as jewelery
This is only a snapshot of the myriad of possibilities. To view past examples and get some inspiration, feel free to visit our Pinterest page: www.pinterest.com/reclaimmadison/.
*Note: As our gallery of finished works is open to the public we will not accept pieces that include imagery/symbols/wording that we qualify as vulgar, hateful, racist, or by some other means damaging or offensive to any group of people. We reserve the right to decline submissions for these reasons or any other reasons we deem appropriate.
SIZE REQUIREMENTS: Please keep pieces smaller than 5’ x 5’ regardless of whether your piece will be supported by the floor, a table, or mounted on the wall (outside dimensions, horizontal and vertical, including frame). As this is a curated gallery exhibit, we will have all necessary infrastructure to display your piece in an aesthetically pleasing and professional manner.
PRESENTATION: All work must be ready to display or hang upon receipt. If your piece will be wall mounted, please be sure safe and sturdy mounting hardware has already been installed on your piece.
ADVERTISING/PROMOTION: The Fund Development & Communications staff is working with advertising and promotions this year to help the event reach a wider audience. If you have ideas for promotion beyond what is listed below we welcome your feedback and networking connections! We will be promoting the event in the following ways:
- Advertisement and article in Asheville Made magazine
- Press Release with the News Record & Sentinel (many pieces get syndicated to the Asheville Citizen Times), and regionally via the online distribution service PR Web
- Entries in all the free local Asheville online/paper event calendars
- 11" x 17” posters flyered in Madison and Buncombe county at prominent arts related venues
- Cross promoted through all MCAC channels, including 95.5 wART event listings, newsletter and social media posts
- Madison County Chamber of Commerce Social Media post
- 5” x 7” Postcards distributed in Madison/Buncombe counties
- Frequent social media posts on Facebook/Instagram promoting artists involved as well as showcasing pieces once they are received
- CHC/ReClaim Newsletters
- Facebook event and boost
- Cross promotion with participating established artist/maker networks, newsletters, social media, etc.
- Cross promotion through local business sponsorships for the event
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:
- WEDNESDAY, 4/3 - FRIDAY, 4/5 (10AM - 5 PM): Submission of all artworks due and need to be dropped off at the Madison County Arts Council at 90 S Main St in Marshall.
***Please plan accordingly to have your finished project submitted on time by April 5th at 5pm. It's important to the success of our auction that our jurors, professional photographer, staff and volunteers have ample time to prepare for the auction launch.
- SATURDAY, 4/6: Community Workshop - Creative Reuse themed (TBD)
- SATURDAY, 4/13: 1st ReClaim Madison Community Yard Sale of the year
- WEDNESDAY, 4/17: Announcement of 35 Artists/Makers that will be featured in the juried auction.
- THURSDAY, 4/18: Auction Kickoff (Main Event) - We will hold an opening reception for the artists/makers in the auction from 5-8pm at the Madison County Arts Council with the big reveal of all 35 auction pieces to the public and upcycled pieces attendees can purchase on the spot. We will be offering light hors d'oeuvres, music, a live upcycled art creation, and the Arts Council will be selling wine. In person silent auction bidding will open up this day.
- MONDAY, 4/22: (Earth day) Potential 2nd Creative Reuse Workshop to be held at the venue
- WEDNESDAY, 4/24: Online auction begins on Givebutter.com and will run concurrently with the continued in person bidding option at the venue. Volunteers will run shifts at the Arts Council to help facilitate bids, sales and any questions.
- SATURDAY, 4/27: All bidding for the auction ends, with winners announced by 3pm on Social Media and through calling.
LIABILITY: ReClaim Madison will not assume any liability for loss or damage to works of art in this exhibition. Although utmost care will be taken to prevent damage, theft, or loss, there can be no guarantee as the exhibition will be in a venue open to the public. Entry in the show constitutes agreement with all conditions in this prospectus. Participating in the exhibit includes permission to auction the art entry and make digital images of exhibited artwork for social media and print promotion and ReClaim Madison archives.
We can't wait to showcase local creativity to help raise funds for CHC to keep our community safe in their homes! If you have any questions or concerns, please email Laura at laura@chcmadisoncountync.org.
Community Housing Coalition of Madison County, a 501(c)(3) non-profit agency that serves Madison County by facilitating home repair, rehabilitation, and the creation of new affordable housing through bridging people and resources, one home and one neighbor at a time.
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