Call for Artists:

84th Annual Student Art Show: Call for Artists

WUD Art is seeking applicants for the 84th Annual Student Art Show. Not only is this a great opportunity to have work featured in a competitive juried show, but there are also a number of cash and purchase prizes that are awarded each year.

Pieces may be dropped off on Wednesday or Thursday, March 21 and 22 from 3 to 7pm at the Porter Butts Gallery (2nd Floor, Memorial Union).

For more information, please consult the submission guidelines.

Click here for the submission guidelines. (.PDF)

Click here for the insurance form. (.PDF)

Click here for the labels needed for each piece upon submission. (.PDF)

How to Submit Art for Exhibition

The submissions deadline for the 2013-2014 exhibition cycle is November 9th, 2012.

The Wisconsin Union Directorate Art Committee manages exhibitions in the three spaces of the Wisconsin Union Galleries and Gallery 1308 in Union South. We accept exhibition proposal submissions on a rolling basis. We are currently booked through the 2012-2013 academic year. We traditionally make our first evaluation of proposals in mid- to late-November for the following academic year. For example, in mid- to late- November of 2012, we will evaluate proposals for possible exhibition in the 2013-2014 academic year, which runs June 2013-May 2014. Artists selected for exhibition can expect to be contacted by mid-January 2013. Artists not selected for exhibition can expect notification and return of submissions materials by the end of January, after the submission booking process has been fully completed.

Submissions packets are evaluated through a competitive criteria-based process by active members of the Art Committee. Due to the volume of proposals received, not all submissions will be offered an exhibition slot. Note that depending upon quality of submissions received and their appropriateness to the exhibition spaces available, additional calls for submissions may be held as needed to fill available exhibition slots.

If you have specific questions regarding the submissions process or dates, please call 608-262-7592 or email: art@union.wisc.edu

Preparing A Submissions Packet:

The Wisconsin Union Galleries now accept both electronic and physical submissions packets for consideration. Incomplete packets will not be considered for selection, so please make sure you include all requested information. The following items must be included in your proposal packet:

A completed Exhibit Proposal Form. Click here to download form as a .doc
An artist resume or biography. For group shows, a brief biography/resume/CV should be included for each artist in the proposed exhibition. (May be attached as a Word Document or pdf if submitting an email proposal.)
Up to 10 digital images of recent work. Images should be submitted in jpeg format on a CD-ROM for physical submissions packets or as jpeg attachments for emailed proposals. Please do not submit slides or photo prints in lieu of digital images. Images do not have to be of works that will definitely be included in the final show, but must be representative of the works to be displayed. Please do not send us images of your photography work if you are proposing an exhibition of sculpture or oil paintings.
A list of captions for each image submitted that includes dimensions (with units), title and medium of each work. (May be attached as a Word Document or pdf only if submitting an email proposal.)
A SASE (self addressed stamped envelope), if you are submitting a physical proposal packet. If a SASE with adequate postage is not included, submission materials will not be returned and will be disposed/recycled after the submissions process.

Electronic submissions are preferred.

Please email electronic submissions packets to:
wudartsubmissions@gmail.com

Please send physical submissions packets to:

WUD Art Committee
Attn: Submissions Coordinator
800 Langdon St, Room 5210
Madison, WI 53706

General Information

Exhibitions typically last up to 6 weeks, except for certain student or MFA shows.
Artists are encouraged to present a gallery talk.
Artist works with the Art Committee to design and install exhibits, but the Art Committee reserves the right to change exhibition layouts for risk management or aesthetic reasons.
Artist is responsible for expenses and logistics of transporting artwork to and from galleries, including insurance during transportation and all packing materials.
Work is insured only while the work is in our physical possession and secured to risk management standards.
All artworks must be removed from the galleries by the artist within 48 hours of the exhibition closing.
Fourteen pedestals of various sizes, eight with locking glass tops, are available. Please consult the Art Committee in advance if your exhibition will need pedestals, as they may be needed in more than one gallery.
Gallery is able to provide basic installation hardware and equipment. Specialized hardware and equipment are the responsibility of the artist (including cost of said hardware and equipment).
Absolutely no drilling, nailing, or gluing to the floors, ceilings or molding is allowed.
Absolutely no painting, mudding, plastering or use of adhesives/markers/paint/other damaging substances on the walls, pedestals, windows, floor or ceiling is allowed.
2D works appearing in any gallery MUST be framed and pre-wired (with sturdy picture wire only) for hanging PRIOR to arrival at the gallery. Artwork appearing in the Lakefront on Langdon Gallery MUST be framed, prewired AND behind glass or plexiglass.
For exhibitions that require AV equipment, the artist is responsible for providing all necessary equipment and instructions for simple operation. Our galleries are not staffed, so operation must be limited to starting the system at gallery opening each day of the exhibition (DVDs/CDs must loop.) Equipment must be installed to our risk management standards, or it will not be covered by insurance against theft, fire or damages in excess of normal handling.
Any programmatic or financial sponsorships, grants, funds, etc must be approved for inclusion by the Art Committee prior to the start of the exhibition and are subject to all Wisconsin Union Directorate policies and procedures for co-sponsorships.
If the proposing party does not physically own/manage the artwork included in the proposal, adequate documentation of the availability of the artwork must be provided with the proposal. All rental, shipping, and transit insurance costs will be the responsibility of the proposing organization. The WUD Art Committee advisor must review and approve all contracts related to exhibitions of this nature prior to their final execution.

Publicity

The Art Committee oversees the design of electronic exhibition announcements with collaborative input from all artists exhibiting. The Art Committee reserves the right to edit artist statements as needed due to limited space in announcements.

The Art Committee distributes announcements to a sizeable electronic mailing list, but the artist is responsible for all costs associated with his/her own mailing list.
The Art Committee provides typing and printing of exhibition labels, wall text and price information.
The Art Committee sends press releases to local media and art organizations.
The Art Committee will also select one of the artist's images for inclusion on this web page.
The artist is expected to provide up to 6 electronic images of work in advance of exhibition, for publicity purposes. Images should be in jpg format and be at least 200 dpi resolution for use by local media.
Any other publicity materials provided/produced by the artist must be approved by an Art Committee Representative prior to production. The venue should be listed as “The Wisconsin Union Galleries” and the presenter should be listed as the “Wisconsin Union Directorate Art Committee” in all materials. The Wisconsin Union Directorate logo must be used on any and all materials that feature other institutional or sponsorship logos. Click here to download the logo (.JPG).

Artist Reception

The Art Committee provides a modest reception of non-alcoholic beverages and hors d'oeuvres for one shared reception per exhibit cycle. Artist may purchase alcoholic beverages and additional food or beverages through Union Catering at their own expense. The Opening Reception is usually held from 7pm - 9pm the first Friday of the exhibition. Please hold this date on your calendar. Carry-in food and/or beverages are not permitted in the Wisconsin Union Galleries.

Sales of Work

The Wisconsin Union Galleries must act as an intermediary for all sales of artwork during an exhibition. The Wisconsin Union Galleries takes a 20% commission on all sales during or resulting from an exhibition. Please price your works accordingly. The Wisconsin Union Galleries will collect 5.5% Wisconsin Sales Tax and will remit sales tax directly to the Wisconsin Department of Revenue.