Like the Salon des Refusés of 1863 in Paris, the Argyle Zebra Gallery invites the ‘rejects’ of the Minnesota State Fair fine arts exhibition to display their rejected submission and put the authority of judgement back in the hands of their community.

Exhibition Dates:  8/22/26 thru 9/26/26

 
Key Dates:

• Submissions Open:  July 27, 2026
• Submissions Close:  August 5, 2026 @Midnight
• Submissions Reviewed (and Juried if necessary):  August 6-8, 2026
• Acceptance Notifications Sent:  August 9, 2026
• Drop Off:  Sunday, 8/16/26, 11am to 4pm
• Pick Up:  Sunday, 9/27/26, 11am to 4pm
   

*By completing this form, you agree to comply with the above mentioned dates and times.

Terms and Conditions

• Eligibility:  
  • Artists must have submitted to the 2026 Minnesota State Fair Arts Competition and been "rejected".
  • Artwork submitted to Rejected Show must be the same piece rejected by the State Fair.  No substitutions.  
  • Artists must upload image of "rejection" e-mail.  
  • It is our goal to include as many artists as possible; we would love to showcase everyone who applies. However, if submissions exceed available gallery space, a final jurying process may be necessary.
• No Submission Fee
• Commission: *see below
• 10% Lead Rate
  (If a patron contacts the gallery after exhibit close and is interested in purchasing your work, and a sale does occur outside the gallery, the gallery kindly asks for a 10% lead rate for facilitating contact between the artist and buyer.)
• Accepted works must be hand-delivered to the gallery. We do not accept shipped works.
• All artwork must remain in the gallery until the close of the exhibition unless otherwise arranged with a representative of the gallery.
• All artwork must be for sale. Retail Price is entirely up to the artist, though we are happy to offer guidance.
• Exclusive Sales Representation During Exhibition: Artists agree that Burl Gallery shall serve as the exclusive point of sale for all artwork accepted into and displayed in the exhibition for the duration of the exhibit. Artists may continue to display exhibited artwork on personal websites and social media; however, any inquiries or purchase requests received directly by the artist must be referred to Burl Gallery for processing. Artists are encouraged to clearly note on personal websites and online sales platforms that exhibited artwork is currently on display at Burl Gallery and that all purchase inquiries should be directed to the gallery until the exhibition concludes. Artwork accepted into an exhibition is selected and placed as part of the overall curatorial presentation. If an artist sells exhibited artwork outside of the gallery during the exhibition period, Burl Gallery is under no obligation to accept a replacement artwork. Requests to substitute artwork after installation may be denied at the gallery's sole discretion. Artwork sold outside of the gallery during the exhibition period may also affect eligibility for future exhibition opportunities.
• All sales are final and processed by Burl Gallery.
• Payouts to Artists for sold artwork are processed within 30 days after the end of month in which the sale(s) occurred.
• Artwork Pick-Up Policy: any artwork not collected during the designated pick-up window is subject to a $10 storage fee. 
• AI:  Burl Gallery is committed to presenting original artwork created by living artists. Our mission is to uplift local, independent voices and honor the labor of human creativity.  All submissions must be the result of the artist’s own hands, vision, and practice. Works generated by artificial intelligence or algorithmic image tools (e.g., Midjourney, DALL·E, Stable Diffusion, etc.) will not be accepted. We believe in cultivating a space where artists are recognized for their ideas, process, and lived experience. Thank you for respecting and supporting our human-centered, community model.

Installation Requirements:

• Wall Mounted Work: 
  • All wall-mounted artwork must be ready to hang—this means properly wired for hanging.  Please do not use string, plastic line, tape or other makeshift materials. While small sawtooth hangers will be accepted, they are not preferred, as they are unstable and often fail in a public gallery setting.
  • For unframed pieces (such as canvas or cradled boards), all edges must be clean or painted—unfinished edges will not be accepted.
  • Photo and tabletop frames with stand-up backs are not allowed, as the built-in stand prevents the artwork from hanging flush against the wall.
  • If you have questions, pls e-mail us @info@burlartgallery prior to submitting (along with an image of the back of your piece) to ensure it meets our requirements.
• If intended for pedestal display, pls note that under display requirmements.
• Burl Gallery reserves the right to refuse artwork that does not comply with presentation standards once artwork has been delivered and inspected. We will not accept work that is damaged, has unfinished edges, or artwork that is not properly prepared for installation.

 

*Art Sales Commission Change

Effective January 1, 2025 - BURL GALLERY is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization.
EIN: 56-2654340.  

Under IRS guidelines, as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, Burl Gallery is no longer able to collect a commission off art sales (prior to 1.1.25, our commission rate was 50%). We are, however, able to accept a donation from artists to help offset the loss of commission revenue. 

As a tax-exempt nonprofit, 100%-volunteer led organization, we will need to rely on donations from community members who benefit from our services. Without this support, and potential funds from grants we pursue, we would not be able to cover the operational expenses (i.e. rent, utilities, maintenance, marketing, entertainment, supplies, etc.) that allow us to continue to provide equitable and accessible exhibit opportunities for artists, free of typical gallery restrictions.

“Nonprofit” does not mean “free.”  Just like any other business, nonprofits need to bring in revenue to cover costs and grow their impact. They do this through fees for services, memberships, donations, grants and other fundraising activities. At Burl Gallery, we don’t want to resort to entrance fees for artists to offset the loss of commission revenue because that goes against our mission of providing unbridled access to exhibition opportunities for our community.   
 
As a result, we humbly and graciously ask that you consider contributing to this beautiful community by donating a percentage of your profit from sales facilitated by Burl Gallery.  This would be in lieu of what was historically commission and requires that you, the artist, indicate the donation % of your choosing.  We are unable to dictate a donation as a requirement of submitting your work for consideration and/or acceptance into an exhibition. 

As you contemplate whether you will contribute, we would respectfully ask that you consider:

• The standard commission rate for art galleries is between 30% and 60% of the sale price, with the average being 50%. 
• The services Burl Gallery offers are provided with no upfront costs to the artists.  We do not ask for submission fees and/or upfront flat fees to exhibit in our space & use our services.  
• Submissions are juried by a rotating group of local arts community members and ensure pure objectivity; regardless of the artists willingness to donate. 
• A donation vs. commission offers the artist the benefit of a Charitable Contribution Deduction.
• Artists are given full control of establishing their retails at Burl Gallery; which in turn gives them control over their earnings. Transparency ensures that artists receive fair compensation for their work and are able to consider all factors that might impact their earnings and adjust their retails accordingly.  
• A successful community relies on collective responsibility, inclusivity and shared ownership on the part of all its members. We all do BETTER when we ALL do better.  

We believe in our mission and this community so fiercely that 100% of our efforts are on a volunteer basis. There is no personal compensation for any of our work. All profits go back into the gallery to support our ability to provide opportunities to artists, in all stages of their careers, for growth, exploration and creative risk-taking.

With GRATITUDE for your SUPPORT,

Beth and Amy

By submitting, you are confirming that you—or someone you designate—will be available to deliver and retrieve your artwork during the scheduled drop-off and pick-up dates and times below.  

If you are unable to make these arrangements, please do not submit to this exhibition. As a volunteer-run gallery with limited storage space and operating hours, we are unable to accommodate alternate drop-off or pick-up times.

Artwork that is not delivered during the scheduled drop-off period will not be accepted. Artwork that is not picked up during the scheduled pick-up period will be considered a donation to our annual silent auction.

Drop Off:  Sunday, 8/16/26 from 11am-4pm
Pick-Up:  Sunday, 9/27/26 from 11am-4pm 

IMAGE SUBMISSION

Submitting a High-Quality Image Is Essential.  

To best represent your work and ensure it shines in all marketing and publicity efforts, please provide a high-resolution, well-lit image of your artwork. Blurry, poorly cropped, or low-resolution images may impact selection and cannot be used for promotion.

Image Submission Guidelines:

• Minimum resolution: 300 DPI
• Format: JPG or PNG
• File size: Under 10MB (unless otherwise noted)
• No watermarks, borders or text (i.e. artist name, title, etc.)
• Ensure accurate color representation
• If your work is framed, images should be of the ARTWORK ONLY (without frame), cropped to the edges.  

Your artwork deserves to be seen at its best. Help us
promote it beautifully and professionally!

Originality: In consideration of the opportunity to display my work to the public, and other good and valuable consideration, the adequacy and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, I, the undersigned artist, certify that the art that I am submitting is my original art and that I am the author and creator of such art. I acknowledge that Burl Gallery reserves the right to accept or deny any submission with or without cause.

Promotion and Publicity: I grant Burl Gallery permission to publish in all media my name, artwork, and location for use in promotion through print media, television, and the internet. I further allow Burl Gallery to release such information to other persons and entities. My name will be attributed to my pieces that are shown by Burl Gallery or other persons or entities.

Responsibility: I understand that Burl Gallery does not assume responsibility for loss or damage to my artwork(s) or the loss or damage to frames or glass, no matter how sustained. Reasonable safety and security precautions are in place to ensure added protection of my work. I also understand that Burl Gallery strongly recommends that I carry my own personal property insurance.

Artwork remains in the gallery until the end of the exhibit: I understand that if my artwork is accepted for the show the work may not be removed from the exhibition until the pickup date described in the Call for Art. It is my responsibility to notify Burl Gallery by email of a third-party pick-up of artwork at the conclusion of the exhibition. 

Sales of Artwork: the gallery is responsible for all sales transactions and the collection and filing of applicable sales tax.

I acknowledge that I have read and understood all terms contained in the description for this Call for Art and the Artist Agreement, and agree to be bound by the terms and stated expectations.

Waiver of Liability: Once I submit this form electronically, I (the artist), my heirs, successors, and assigns, shall indemnify and hold Burl Gallery and appointed officers, volunteers, and employees harmless from any and all claims, costs, and liabilities for any artwork damage, personal injury, death, or other property damage which is the result of handling and displaying the artwork at Burl Gallery. Our partners’ employees or contractors are likewise held harmless from any and all claims from the artist, heirs, successors, or assigns from any artwork damage, personal injury, death, or other property damage, and related costs and liabilities, which are the result of handling and displaying the artwork.

**Upon submission, you should receive a confirmation e-mail from Jotform (this is our submission software) with your submission details.  

We highly encourage you to file and/or print for your records.  

Our notifications of acceptance will not include artwork title, as we rely on the artists to track their submissions & inventory.  Of course, we are happy to provide that info if you are unable to locate.