Prospectus

Show

Art Birmingham, originally known as the Birmingham Fine Art Festival, celebrates its 29th anniversary with a new and extraordinary location. The event moves from Shain Park to South Old Woodward, the celebrated gateway to downtown Birmingham.  Unique shopping and fabulous restaurants line the street, drawing upscale shoppers and residents from throughout Oakland County and beyond. More than 160 juried artists will be featured in this elegant setting.

The Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center is pleased to announce that it will be presenting this event in association with The Guild of Artists & Artisans. This new collaboration will help the BBAC continue to be a regional resource for the arts, artists and art education while ensuring the continuation of this highly respected fine art fair. The Guild of Artists & Artisans is a non-profit, membership association of independent artists best known for its award-winning Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair.  Guild events have a reputation for excellent advertising, fair attendance and artist amenities.

Important Show Information:  Please review the application procedures, the event calendar and the Exhibition Standards and Rules.  If you have any questions, please contact The Guild at 734.662.3382, ext. 101 or info@theguild.org.

Event Location, Days & Times

Art Birmingham

Saturday, May 15, 10 am - 6 pm & Sunday, May 16, 10 am - 5 pm

Art Birmingham is located on South Old Woodward between Maple Road and Daines Street in downtown Birmingham, MI.

Booth Fees

$345, 10' x 10' booth fee; $65 corner fee

$690, double booth fee; $65 corner fee

(Note:  A limited number of double booths are available.  Please contact The Guild if you require a double booth.)

Eligibility

Artists in fine art and fine craft disciplines are invited to apply. Please review the Exhibition Standards to help determine the eligibility of your specific artwork.

Security & Artist Parking

Professional, overnight security will be provided on Friday and Saturday.  There is ample artist parking available in close proximity to the fair site.

Electricity

Electricity will not be available at this event. Generators are not allowed.

Timeline

 Please review the event calendar.  If you cannot apply online, please contact The Guild for additional options and fees, 734.662.3382.

*Cancel up to and including deadline, fee is refunded to artist, less $50 administration fee.  Cancel after deadline, no refund is given.

Online Application Procedures for Art Birmingham

• Complete online application form at www.JuriedArtServices.com.
• Submit four (4) work images and one (1) booth image with work displayed
  • If you are applying in two or more categories, please submit an application for each medium.  There will be no additional jury fee.
  • If you are applying in a non-jewelry category but wish to exhibit a small amount of jewelry within your same medium (no more than 15 percent of booth), please submit a separate application for jewelry.  For example, you work in ceramics and wish to display your handmade ceramic jewelry within your booth.  Please note in your Artist Statement that you are applying in a non-jewelry category but wish to show a small amount of jewelry in your booth.  There will be no additional jury fee.
• Submit $30 jury fee.

Deadlines

Applications will be accepted online until midnight EST, February 15, 2010. Applications received after the deadline will be subject to a $25 late fee.  If you are unable to submit an online application, please contact The Guild for additional options and fees, 734.662.3382, ext. 101.

Important Information

By applying to this event, artists verify that they are responsible for the design and execution of their artwork according to event's Exhibition Standards.  In addition, artists understand that the BBAC and The Guild are not liable for loss or damage to artwork or personal injury.  Artists will not be part of any legal action against the BBAC or its personnel or The Guild or its personnel.  Artists understand and agree that the event may use images of their artwork in advertising and promotion.

Show Features

• Extensive advertising and promotion
• Professional and respectful art fair staff
• Well-provisioned artist hospitality tent
• Negotiated special rates for artists in nearby hotels and motels
• Friendly booth sitters
• Professional, overnight security
• 100 free promotional postcards

Exhibit Terms and Conditions

Exhibition Standards

1. All work must be the original design of the artist; the essential work required to make each finished piece must be done by the artist.  The artist is expected to be the major contributor of the time required in the essential production of the work. Helpers or assistants do not replace the artist in the production of a piece. They are permitted to assist in the non-essential and more mundane processes that go into the production of a finished piece. The only exceptions allowed are defined in Exhibition Standards #2. 

    

2. No more than 25 percent of the work in an exhibitor's booth may be reproductions; this policy applies to all media.  Each piece must be clearly marked with the word 'reproduction.'  Exhibitors must use the word 'reproduction'; other terms, including 'print,' may not be used to refer to a reproduction.  The presentation of the reproductions must play a visually subordinate role to the entirety of the exhibitor's display.  Reproductions of the artist's own original work are the only reproductions allowed within the artist's booth.  Determination of what constitutes an original or a reproduction is determined by The Guild of Artists & Artisans.  The decision of The Guild is final.

    

3. All work must be safe, non-toxic, and fit for its intended use.  If any work requires special or limited use, this will be fully disclosed and explained to the public.

    

4. Any commercially produced parts used in a work must play a subordinate role and may not be sold separately.  

    

5. A mass-produced, cluttered, or commercial appearance to an artist display is not permitted. Limited multiples of items may be displayed where color and size are varied and are required to show clearly the range of items available for sale to fair attendees.   However, if the display presents an overwhelming number of multiples resulting in a commercial appearance, as determined by the Standards Committee, on-site adjustments will be requested and compliance will be required.

    

6. The artwork exhibited by the artist at the event must match the quality and balance of the images submitted to the event jury.  The artwork exhibited at the event by the artist must also match the scope and volume of the images submitted for the event jury.  An artist is not permitted to submit images presenting complex and detailed artwork but come to the event with a large quantity (more than 15 percent of the work displayed) of simple work. If artists wish to display a large quantity of simple work, it must be presented in the same proportion as presented in the review or jury images.

    

Acceptability of Specific Work

In an effort to help artists determine whether their specific artwork complies with the event's Exhibition Standards, the event has prepared the following list of artwork that does not meet the requirements. This list is a guideline to help artists determine whether or not their artwork is eligible; it is neither exhaustive, nor is unacceptable work limited to the items listed.

Ineligible work includes but is not limited to:

Jewelry

• Cut coin jewelry
• Enamels on manufactured representational copper shapes
• Jewelry made of manufactured components
• Commercial beads.  Beads must be made by the artist.  There are only two exemptions to this rule:
  • If the beads are not made by the artist, they must clearly play a subordinate role in the finished piece; and,
  • The requirement that beads must be made by the artist does not apply in the technique known as bead weaving; however, commercial bead weaving kits are not permitted.
• Stud earrings in commercial settings
• Pearls whether in necklaces or bracelets.  Note:  Pearl necklaces and bracelets are permitted if they have an ornament and/or fastener that is intricate, a focal point of the piece and is handmade by the artist.

Clothing

• T-shirts, sweat shirts, hats, and other commercially manufactured clothes, no matter how embellished by the artist
• Manufactured belt buckles sold separately from the belts

Other

• Manufactured tiles with a design as a major component of the piece
• Enamels on manufactured representational copper shapes
• Bowls, plates, glasses, utensils and other commercially manufactured items,  no matter how embellished by the artist
• Dried flowers, in groups, arrangements, or bouquets
• Wreaths
• Anything made in a commercial mold, in any medium
• Anything made using a commercial kit, in any medium
• Tole painting
• Dough art
• Country crafts
• CDs and tapes
• Food

Exhibition Standards Violations

There are two exhibition standards that are considered to be inviolable under any circumstances:

1. Engaging in 'buy-sell' practices, that is, buying the work done by another and selling it as your own; or
2. Selling commercially produced reproductions of the work of another artist.

If it is discovered that an artist has engaged in either of these practices, that artist will lose event exhibiting privileges immediately and permanently.

Exhibition Rules

Exhibitors must comply with all local ordinances, regulations, and rules. These rules include but are not limited to:

• Fire lanes shall not contain storage or any other obstructions
• Walk-through sidewalk-street connections shall not contain storage or any other obstructions.
• Vehicles are not permitted within the barricades during fair hours. 
• All booth material, tarps and other coverings shall be fire-retardant or fire resistant.  Open flames are not allowed.
• No gasoline, kerosene or motor oils are permitted in the fair area.
• Booth spaces may not be transferred or otherwise reassigned by the artist.
• By one hour prior to fair opening on the fair's first day, artists must have claimed (by their presence, or, if necessary, by phone) their booth space; otherwise their space may be resold with no refund issued.
• The exhibiting artist(s) must be present at the fair no less than 60 percent of each day.
• Booth structure and display must not exceed the limits of the assigned space.  Art work hanging from display panels will not obstruct or block clear and free passage.  If your art work is hazardous or interferes with your neighbor you will be asked to remove it.  Booth substructure must not impede water flow.Booth holders may share their space with no more than one other juried and accepted artist.
• Picture I.D. is required for fair registration, and must be presented upon request by fair staff at any time during the fair.
• Unless artists are officially notified of a fair emergency, booths must be opened at the fair starting time and remain open until the published closing time.  Artists concerned with their personal safety may close.  Artists are expected to reopen as soon as the dangerous situation has ended.
• All storage must be neatly concealed within the booth structure or defined storage areas.
• Signs advertising sales or markdowns are prohibited.
• Pets are prohibited on the fair site.
• On-site consumption of alcoholic beverages during fair hours is prohibited.
• No debris may be left behind after tearing down.
• Obscene or abusive language and/or threatened or actual physical abuse of another artist, fair staff or fair attendees are prohibited.

Cancellation Policy/Refunds

• In the event you must cancel, please notify The Guild immediately, by calling Alan Bogl at 734.662.3382, ext. 105.
• You are also required to put your cancellation in writing and send or email it to The Guild's Art Fair Operations Director, Alan Bogl, alan@theguild.org or The Guild, 118 North Fourth Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48104-1402,
• If the cancellation is made on or before the last day to cancel with refund, your booth fee will be refunded minus a $50 administration fee, unless otherwise noted.
• There are no refunds on cancellations made after the refund deadline, unless otherwise noted.

The Partners

About The BBAC

The Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center, providing 'art for all' since 1957, is a regional non-profit art center committed to promoting the visual arts with classes for all skill levels. Each year more than 500 classes are offered for 4,000+ students from Pre-K to seniors. The BBAC campus features nine classroom studios, four galleries with free exhibits open to the public, art camps, and a retail gallery shop as well as a dynamic, growing outreach program.  For further information about BBAC programs and events, visit BBArtCenter.org or phone 248.644.0866.

About The Guild

The Guild of Artists & Artisans is a non-profit, membership organization of professional artists.  Established in 1970, The Guild's mission is to promote community awareness, understanding and appreciation of the visual arts and to maintain a support network for artists, which provides educational, mentoring and marketing opportunities.  The Guild is recognized and valued for its ability to showcase independent artists, bringing their artwork to the community via its juried fine art and fine craft fairs.  It is a trusted source for artist and fairgoer alike.  The Guild is best known for its award-winning Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair.  

For information:

Alan Bogl, Art Fair Operations Director

The Guild of Artists & Artisans

118 N. Fourth Avenue

Ann Arbor, MI 48104

734.662.3382, ex. 105

alan@theguild.org

www.theguild.org