[Side Arts Certified Sponsored Listing] The Visual Artists Association (VAA) announces a call for artists for the International Exhibition and Scholarship Prize, an exciting initiative designed to support and elevate emerging and re-emerging artists. Announced in Summer 2022, the Prize is a comprehensive programme worth £20,000. It aims to provide artists with crucial resources to develop their arts businesses and enhance their international exposure while contributing to the VAA artist education programmes.
Click here for the application / registration
Enter by: 19 September 2024
Artist Benefits
- Exhibition in Central London: Winners will exhibit their artwork in a London venue.
- Mentorship Package: The four-week Artists Momentum course features weekly online sessions with industry experts, offering personalized guidance to help artists unlock their potential.
- Art Portfolio Review: Winners will have an exclusive one-on-one session to discuss their current practice, gain insights, identify new opportunities, and overcome challenges.
- Monthly Online Group Support Sessions: These drop-in sessions offer a collaborative environment for artists to share experiences, knowledge, and receive support to fuel their artistic growth.
- Networking Opportunities: Winners can build lifelong connections with fellow artists through exclusive networking events and activities.
- Access to VAA Resources Vault: Unlimited access to a wealth of resources
Artfinder Benefits
For the VAA’s International Exhibition and Scholarship Prize, Artfinder would like to welcome the winner to their platform, with a prize comprising a free Homepage Placement and a free six month Professional Plan, which includes unlimited artworks upload, a reduced commission rate, and many other features such as in-depth reports.
Artfinder will contact selected participants who have entered the competition with an offer to join the platform to help them expand their sales potential to an international database of art collectors. They will provide help through a faster application process, support to get their shop live, and promotion on site and email.
About Visual Artists Association
The Visaul Artists Association champions artists at all stages of their careers to succeed in the business of art. VAA assists artists in building their businesses by generating sales via marketing and distribution channels (self-representation, galleries, publishers) as well as advising on personal brand creation, alongside the practicalities of managing your arts business.
The VAA offers members the right tools to succeed including access to a range of training, business advice services, online resources, events, and access to a supportive and progressive community.
For more information, contact hello@visual-artists.org
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[Side Arts Certified Sponsored Listing] Annmarie Sculpture Garden and Arts Center announces a call for artists to submit original artworks to the Holiday Gift Show and Sale exhibition to take place November 1, 2024, through January 1, 2025, in the Main Gallery of the Murray Arts Building.
Set your sights on holiday shoppers, as the exhibit will coincide with Annmarie’s annual Ornament Show, as well as everyone’s favorite festive event, Annmarie Garden in Lights! Attendance during the holiday season is more than 35,000 guests!
Click here for the application / registration
Enter by: 30 September 2024
All media will be considered, including painting, printmaking, ceramics, sculpture, jewelry, glass, fiber, digital, photography, and mixed media. Price of works cannot exceed $300. Artworks do not have to be holiday themed.
This is a show and sale style exhibit, meaning artworks will be removed as they sell. Artists will be contacted upon sale of work and invited to replace the sold piece with another artwork. Annmarie retains a 35% commission on all works sold.
Holiday Gift Show and Sale Artists will benefit heavily from reduced commission fees (35%), extended gallery hours (10am-9pm), as well as increased foot traffic. This show will be installed in a spacious main gallery and will run concurrently with the annual lights festival. The holiday season includes other small events such as a model train exhibition, a Lego exhibition, food trucks, and pictures with Santa. The timing for this exhibition is advantageous, seeing as it is during the holiday shopping season.
About Annmarie Sculpture Garden and Arts Center
Annmarie Sculpture Garden and Arts Center is located in scenic Solomons, Maryland, where the Patuxent River meets the Chesapeake Bay. The sculpture garden features a shady walking path that meanders through the woods past permanent and loaned sculpture, including over thirty works on loan from the Smithsonian Institution and the National Gallery of Art. Artists in the collection include Antonio Tobias Mendez, Barbara Hepworth, Cesar, Robert Engman, Jean Arp, Kenneth Snelson, and Fransisco Zuniga. Young guests can frolic in the Fairy Lolly Creative Play Space and explore the many trails, including the Tree-mendous Trail.
The award-winning Arts Building includes rotating exhibition space, the Nature Nook, the artLAB Creative Reuse Studio, the Annmarie Gift Shop, and lovely wrap around patios. Annmarie presents a variety of popular annual festivals, rotating exhibitions, family activities, and creative public programs. The Studio School offers classes for all ages and abilities – from pottery to dance – taught by professional artists and arts educators. Come explore this special place where art and nature meet!
For more information, contact exhibits@annmariegarden.org
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[Side Arts Certified Sponsored Listing] The Bristol Art Museum (BAM) announces a call for artists for Visions: BAM Members’ Biennial Exhibition, a dynamic showcase featuring the artistic talents of BAM’s members, ranging from emerging to established artists. Celebrate the vibrant arts community that surrounds us, as we come together to appreciate Bristol, Rhode Island, local and regional artworks and the creative minds behind them.
Click here for the application / registration
Enter by: 29 September 2024
The Visions exhibition offers artists the unique opportunity to gain visibility in a respected cultural institution, engage with a diverse audience, and connect with fellow artists and art lovers. By participating, you’ll have the chance to elevate your work through professional recognition and contribute to the vibrant arts community. The exhibition fosters artistic growth, offering a platform to share your personal vision and creative process.
Juror Statement
“The process of painting is much more than recording the obvious. Simply put, my work is my personal interaction with and visual interpretation of a person or thing. The goal of which is to push past the surface of materials and technique used in the process of creating, in an effort to convey a personal vision. More than technique, it is how we as artists, interpret our own personal vision through our medium that elevates an ordinary subject into a work of art, one that resonates long after. I feel strongly in the versatility and flexibility of the medium and go to great lengths to push the medium in directions that may not be considered characteristic to traditional watercolor.” – Nancy Gaucher-Thomas
About Bristol Art Museum
The Bristol Art Museum is a unique cultural hub that fosters a deep connection between the local community and the arts. It offers an engaging mix of contemporary and traditional art exhibitions, often featuring both regional and national artists. What makes BAM particularly compelling is its dedication to creating a space where artists and art lovers can connect, learn, and be inspired. The museum hosts thought-provoking exhibitions, interactive workshops, and artist talks, creating a dynamic environment for artistic dialogue. With its commitment to both emerging and established artists, the museum is a place of discovery and creative exploration.
For more information, contact info@bristolartmuseum.org
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Calling cards, takeaways, handouts, exclusives – no matter what you call them, they help your patrons understand your identity and keep them coming back. They are an important part of your strategy for marketing art. It’s all in the details, the signature things that your supporters find surprising and endearing. Whether you are preparing for a vendor event, exhibition, or an online storefront, try to think about the extras that would make it special for your supporters.
Ideas for Calling Cards
- Packaging: Consider how you can elevate your packaging and delivery – customize the box (something patrons can use in case they need to move or ship the item), add a personalized and signed thank you note, emboss, gold leaf, and detail the package.
- Business cards: If you are going to go the extra mile and spend more on business cards, make sure that the concept aligns with your art. Typically, a basic card size is all you need. Include your name, phone number, email address, and website. Remember to include white space to write additional details.
- Signage: Banners, flags, and table covers are always important. Consider the height, having things at eye-level can catch the patron’s eyes more frequently. Draw the attention to your art.
- Postcards: Believe it or not, some folks just don’t use the internet or email, use postcards to reach them. You want to be inclusive in your marketing. Even for those that are digital natives, receiving something of value in the snail mail can be a special occasion.
- Gift tags: Most art is purchased as a gift for others. Make it easy for them by not having to also have to purchase a gift tag, card, box, or bag.
- Return address labels: If you are mailing marketing or shipping artwork, add a unique identifier to the item. That way, the person doesn’t have to guess who or what they have received before needing to open it.
- Certificates of Authenticity: Your art is special. Show patrons how special it is with a letter of provenance. It elevates the art and provides another means for patrons to remember you. Remember to include the item’s description and story, your contact information, and personalized signature.
It is especially important to think about things that have value beyond one use items. For example, stamp a business card with a unique qualifier for an online storefront discount. Gift bags and totes can be re-used. Certificates of authenticity can be saved and framed with the artwork.
Vistaprint
You already have your artwork and know your details. Try incorporating them into your takeaways. Vistaprint has a range of products and services that can help you do just that. Business cards, banners, flyers, and printing services are available. All products have a wide possibility of standard formats to customization. Wizards take you through the process and you can save details for later use and second print runs. Often, there are discounts for return users and special sales throughout the year.
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![Anne Nye [Certified Visual Artist – Florence, AZ]](https://sidearts.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/1-768x768.png "Anne Nye [Certified Visual Artist – Florence, AZ]")
Anne Nye is a Side Arts Certified Visual Artist from Florence, Arizona.
Anne Nye studied fine art at the University of Idaho, California College of the Arts, and University of Idaho in the 1970’s, completing course work for a BFA. She worked as a graphic designer for many years. In 1997, she became a full-time artist working primarily in kiln-formed glass, developing her signature painterly style and techniques.
Anne’s work has been featured in several national magazines including Art Connoisseur, Glass Art Magazine, and Western Art Collector. Over fifty galleries and shops throughout the United States and Canada have represented Anne’s work. Currently, she is represented by Artful Home. Numerous pieces are held in private collections across the globe.
Anne has been in high demand as an instructor. She has taught in Denver; Atlanta; Omaha; Tennessee; Phoenix; Winnipeg, British Columbia; and Denmark. She conducts select one-on-one mentoring and teaching workshops in her home studio each year.
Anne continues to paint and recently began collaborating with wood artist, Jerry Hauck. She makes her home in Florence, Arizona, with her dog, Ezra, who makes her smile!
See more work, visit annenye.com.
![Anne Nye [Certified Visual Artist - Florence, AZ]](https://sidearts.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/2.png)
![Anne Nye [Certified Visual Artist - Florence, AZ]](https://sidearts.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/3.png)
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[Exhibition Update]
Congratulations to the winners of New York Center for Photographi Art’s online photogrpahy Competition, Portals!
- Grand Prize: Nancy Gesimondo “Seeing”
- 1st Place: Steve Anderson “Knot Face”
- 1st Place: Liu Tao Free “Window on the Great Wall”
- 1st Place: Joan Tortorici Ruppert “Last Train”
See the exhibition and all winners online at https://www.nyc4pa.com/copy-of-got-the-shot-now
Side Arts Certified Sponsored Listing] The New York Center for Photographic Art (NYC4PA) announces a call for artists for Portals, an online photography competition.
Portals is one of NYC4PA’s favorite themes. It allows for so much creativity capturing things that are all around wherever we may be.
Doors, windows, arches, frames, and tunnels are so much a part of our lives. There are so many ways to think about them. We can look at or through them. We can poke our hand out the window to test the weather, or see a wonderful scene a little differently when framed by an arch or array of tree limbs in a park.
Click here for the application / registration (Closed)
Enter by: 19 May 2024
For this call, your images can focus on the portal itself like a half closed door, wonderful windowsill, or view through an archway to the other side. Does it frame the main subject of the photograph or does it add another dimension, such as the distortions of old glass or reflections in windowpanes. Be creative and have fun in the process.
As with all NYC4PA calls, all 2D photographic art is accepted. Images awarded an NYC4PA prize within the past 2 years are not eligible. Images submitted that were not selected for a prize may be submitted at any time.
NYC4PA offers opportunities to participate in themed calls for photographers. Each call has a different theme and 50 images win. The prizes total $4000. There is a grand prize, 3 first prizes, 3 second prizes, 3 third prizes, 20 juror’s selections, and 20 honorable mentions. All 50 winners are posted in a gallery on the NYC4PA website and included in an exhibition gallery. The call is open to any photographers worldwide and of any age, amateurs or professional. A professional photographer, gallery owner, or photography teacher is the juror.
About New York Center for Photographic Art
The mission of the New York Center for Photographic Art is to provide exhibition opportunities in the vibrant New York City gallery world to photographers around the globe. NYC4PA offers international, themed, open call competitions juried by recognized experts in the field of photography. Prizes include cash awards, online gallery, catalog, and New York City gallery exhibits.
For more information, contact nyc4pa@gmail.com
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[Exhibition Update]
Congratulations to the winners of LibertyTown Arts Workshops exhibition, Joy! A Celebration of Queer Happiness!
“In this month’s exhibition, we wanted to present an exhibition to coincide with Pride Month as we celebrate and support our LGBTQIA2S+ community. We wanted a show that felt bright and cheerful, but didn’t want to candy coat anything, or be toxically positive to us, Pride Month is about the basic right to be safe and happy and while that’s simple in concept, it’s not so simple to achieve with all the hate that still poisons the well. And that’s exactly what makes Pride so moving: It’s an expression of effervescent joy; the kind of joy that only comes from emerging or being released from oppression. Joy in the face of oppression is defiant. It is both protest and a basic right.” – LibertyTown
See the exhibition online at https://libertytownarts.com/2024/06/05/joy-a-celebration-of-queer-happiness-a-national-juried-exhibition/
[Side Arts Certified Sponsored Listing] Libertytown Arts Workshop announces a call for artists for Joy! A Celebration of Queer Happiness, a national juried art exhibition.
LibertyTown doesn’t want to candy coat anything, or be toxically positive, but it seems like everything that everyone is working toward with Pride is about the basic right to be safe and happy. While that is simple in concept, it’s not so simple to achieve with all the hate that still poisons the well. That’s what makes Pride so moving for LibertyTown. It’s an expression of effervescent joy; the kind of joy that only comes from emerging or being released from oppression. Joy in the face of oppression is defiant. It is a protest. LibertyTown feels like that is the core of contemporary Pride. Show them your art that celebrates defiant joy, be it in the smallest moments of domesticity or the larger expressions of breaking free.
Click here for the application / registration (Closed)
Enter by: 20 May 2024
Application Fees:
- 1st piece (Non-member): $25
- 1st piece (Libertytown Member): $15
- Each additional piece: $ 5
All artists age 16 and older, working in any media, may apply to this show. Work previously exhibited in LibertyTown’s gallery is not eligible. Work must be original, not from kits, and completed in the last 5 years.
Work accepted into the show must be for sale. Applications must be submitted electronically; no physical pieces will be accepted at the gallery for jurying. Work that will be displayed must be ready to show, with no unfired media, and no wet paint or other unfinished surfaces. LibertyTown will provide pedestals and shelving as needed. LibertyTown reserves the right to reject works accepted by the juror due to content, space constraints, or inability to properly install the work.
Calendar
- 5/22: Notifications sent via Submittable Only
- 6/3: Accepted work due at LibertyTown by 8PM
- 6/7: Opening reception
- 6/30: Show closes, unsold work may be picked up/will be shipped back
Joy! A Celebration of Queer Happiness Awards:
- 1st Place: $400
- 2nd Place: $200
- 3rd Place: $100
LibertyTown keeps a commission of 40% on all show sales. Artists are responsible for any costs related to transporting accepted work to the gallery and transporting unsold work away at the end of the show. Artists applying to this show grant LibertyTown Arts Workshop unlimited non-exclusive right to use images of accepted work to promote the exhibit and the gallery.
About LibertyTown Arts Workshop
LibertyTown Arts Workshop is a 13,000 square foot art facility located in downtown, Fredericksburg, Virginia. LibertyTown is home to over 80 artists, working artists’ studios, and a full spectrum of art classes offered to the public. Main gallery Shows rotate monthly. This ensures that LibertyTown is always presenting new items for local patrons to enjoy and experience. LibertyTown features show items for viewing and sale on their website and features show items on Facebook and Instagram pages. Located downtown, the location is walkable, and they have many visitors local and visiting. LibertyTown participates in First Friday art receptions, which is a well-attended event that happens monthly.
For more information, contact info@libertytownarts.com
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A majority of art is sold through a variety of online store platforms. You can choose any sales methodology you like based on you strategy for marketing art. It depends on where and how you best reach your audience. You may have to experiment with several platforms and strategies before landing on the one that works best for you. There are many details and options to consider as well as new opportunities and platforms launching regularly.
Sales strategies
A consistent way to connect with your followers is by building a targeted email list. Try sending announcements of new works available to your email lists and provide them a means to buy (either by reply to the email or a payment processing form). Inform your audience about upcoming exhibitions, vendor events, and pop-up galleries.
Social
There are many ways to sell art through social network platforms. The challenging part is keeping up with the platforms’ ever changing features and algorithms. What may work today may not work tomorrow. Staying on top of the trends is important and can make a big difference with acquiring new patrons.
Try promoting new artwork for sale on Instagram. Provide a rich description including title, process, size, price, and inspiration. Add instructions for buyers – the first to comment with their email address will be sent a payment processing invoice (PayPal / Venmo). They have 24 hours to purchase the art. First come, first served after that. Update the description if the item is sold.
Web
You may want to consider selling through a web platform, using your own website, or integrating a web platform into your website. The benefit of having an online store sales platform that you manage is that patrons can purchase at any time. This can often make a difference between an acquisition and someone’s lost interest. Keep in mind, just because your art is on a website or web platform doesn’t mean that it’s the platform’s job to promote it. Promotion is still up to you. Utilize your email and social networks.
Things to plan in advance
Sometimes with an online store, it is best to jump in and learn as you go. Other times, a little bit of preparation goes a long way. You will rarely know everything you need to in advance because situations change from person to person. Here are a few things to consider:
Photography: A good photo of your work can inspire patrons to purchase. Most mobile devices have above-average photo capability, but stand-alone cameras and photo editing software can make your work stand out. Setting up a dedicated area or having a set process is helpful.
Pricing: Research can help. Knowing your costs and time associated with creating your work is important. The most important aspect is always valuing your artwork for what it is truly worth.
Description: Each piece of artwork should have a unique and rich description including keywords and hashtags. This takes time to develop. The story behind the artwork is just as important as the artwork itself.
Shipping: Visit your local shipping center in advance. Determine what materials you should always have on hand and what needs to be purchased on a one-off basis. If you anticipate bulk shipping, explore what discounted pricing is available.
Taxes and bookkeeping: Consult a certified public accountant to help understand what taxes to account for and how to do so. Determine if you need bookkeeping software to help keep track.
Shopify Online Store
Check out Shopify as an online store. It has eCommerce and point-0f-sales features including card-readers for when you are online or on the go. Set up your shop as a standalone or integrate it securely with your website. Ready made templates help your store look like it was designed by a professional. Run social media campaigns. Manage orders, shipping, and payments.
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[Exhibition Update]
Congratulations to the winners of Mills Pond Gallery’s juried art exhibition, Imagination!
- 1st Place: Christopher Hanson “The Self-Made Man”
- 2nd Place: Matthew Manthe “16 Faces”
- 3rd Place: Arthur Poore “Long Awaited Return”
See the exhibition online at https://www.millspondgallery.org/past-exhibitions-1#/imagination
[Side Arts Certified Sponsored Listing] Mills Pond Gallery announces a call for artists for Imagination, a juried art exhibition. Dreams, humor, fantasy, and creativity are pursuits that keep the human spirit alive. Imagination makes possible our thinking about what is and what might be. Mills Pond Gallery is looking for art that ignites curiosity and delights the senses, encouraging us to take some time away from the world as we know it and enjoy the creative power of imagination.
Click here for the application / registration (Closed)
Enter by: 5 June 2024
Submit your art that offers a unique glimpse into your imagination and allows viewers to see today’s world through your eyes, inspiring meaningful dialogue, spur thinking or simply allow us to dream. Submit 2D paintings, drawings, or illustrations in any style created in acrylic, watercolor, oil, pencil, gouache, pastel, ink, charcoal, or mixed media. No photography or digital art.
The juror, David Reuss, is a proud New York City native with over thirty years’ experience in illustration and fine art. His work encompasses an array of subjects, mediums, and clients. He is an award-winning member of the Salmagundi Club where he teaches painting and drawing. An Executive member of the Society of Illustrators, he currently serves as Membership Chair and Treasurer. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the School of Visual Arts and earned his Master’s Degree in Arts and Cultural Management at Pratt Institute. “Strength is what appeals mostly to me in art. The work can be any medium, style, subject or size, however in the end the work must have power.”
Selected artists will have the opportunity to exhibit in an historic gallery facility that is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places. The gallery has 11 foot ceilings and five large exhibit rooms, holding up to sixty works.
About Mills Pond Gallery
Smithtown Township Arts Council operates Mills Pond Gallery in an historic Greek Revival building built in 1838. There are Five gallery rooms and the facility can display an average of 60-70 works of art. Adaptation of Mills Pond House for public use has introduced modern mechanical systems to the structure without impairing its historic integrity. Gallery lighting and handicapped access have been designed to complement the original building. Notable among the ca. 1838 Grecian details are the gold-veined marble mantelpieces, ornamental plater “centres” applied to the ceilings, and front and rear stoops supported by wooden Doric columns.
Mills Pond house preserves the locality’s name, but departs from tradition in other respects. Its high-style Grecian design is unusual on Long Island and the hand of an accomplished architect is nearly unique at this early date. Pollard’s influence is seen in the use of imported materials: Albany boards, Carolina yellow pine, English glass, Connecticut stone, and Santo Domingan mahogany. The silvered hardware, decorative plaster, and carpeting were bought in New York City shops. William Wickham Mills died in 1865. His home descended in the family until its gift to the Town of Smithtown in 1976. Today, it is preserved for use as an arts-related facility.
For more information, contact gallery@stacarts.org
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[Exhibition Update]
Congratulations to the winners of bj spoke gallery’s online art competition, Paperworks 2024!
- Karlyn Berg
- Charles Clary
- Maura Falfan
- Danielle Garza
- Marilyn Geary
- Yuji Hiratsuka
- Jesse Katz
- Amanda Lilleston
- Donna Litke
- Julia Martin
- Katya Neptune
- Jan Marie Sessler
- Lisa Wicka
- Voyo Woo
- Koichi Yamamoto
See the exhibition online at https://www.bjspokegallery.org/paperworks-2024/
[Side Arts Certified Sponsored Listing] bj spoke gallery announces a call for artists for Paperworks 2024, an online international juried competition.
The competition is for artists who use paper as their primary medium or create artworks made on, of, or about paper including cut paper, folded paper, woven paper, glued paper, drawings, paintings, pastels, printmaking, photographs, paper sculpture, 3D, bound books, collage, or as the subject of a video and installation.
Click here for the application / registration (Closed)
Enter by: 5 June 2024
The entry fee is $35.00 for up to 6 images and/or 2 videos. Artists will be judged on their body of work.
All entries to the Paperworks 2024 competition must be the original artwork of the artist.
The juror is Julián Sánchez González, an art historian and PhD Candidate in Art History at Columbia University in New York City, and a Research Fellow at the Museum of Modern Art’s Cisneros Institute.
Paperworks Artist Benefits
The bj spoke gallery will promote the virtual show and display the finalists work on the gallery’s website and social media platforms. The virtual show dates will be July 1 through August 31, 2024. A reception and awards presentation will be held on Thursday, July 11th at 7pm (EST), via Zoom for artists, their guests, and the public. At which time, the award winners will be announced. Cash prize for First Place is $300, Second Place is $200, and Third Place is $100.
About bj spoke gallery
bj spoke gallery is a member owned and run, not-for-profit 501(c)3 gallery of professional artists with a broad diversification of styles and media. Artists have won numerous awards; been featured in press and media; taken roles as teachers, mentors, and exhibit jurors; and are represented in public and private collections.
The gallery presents members’ shows monthly, offers solo exhibitions for artists, yearly invitational shows, two national juried art competitions, artist talks, the Artist’s Circle (open to all artists, gallery membership not required), workshops, live theater, and poetry readings. In an effort to bring under-served artists to the attention of the Long Island community, the gallery maintains an outreach program to individuals, such as young emerging artists. Use of gallery space is extended for benefits, lectures, readings, and exhibits by not-for-profit groups whose mission reflects the objectives of the gallery.
bj spoke gallery has maintained a reputation as a prestigious gallery and sustained an image of excellence in reviews in New York’s Newsday and The New York Times. After nearly 50 years, their reputation continues to be one of artistic expertise, resilience, empowerment, and community engagement.
For more information, contact competitions@bjspokegallery.org