The Guild of Artists & Artisans

Exhibiting Membership Standards Review for the

2013, 2014, 2015 Ann Arbor Summer Art Fairs

The Annual Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair

The Guild introduced the award-winning Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair in 1970. The Summer Art Fair is located in the heart of Ann Arbor stretching from its charming downtown to the campus of University Of Michigan. The fair has 375 artist booths, art demonstrations and lively entertainment. More than 600,000 people attend the fair each year.

Standards Review

In order to be eligible for the Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair, which is the Guild’s premiere event, an artist must pass the “Standards Review.” The purpose of the “Standards review” is to ensure that all work exhibited achieves the required level of quality, and that Guild rules are followed in the production of the work. Please review the following information to ensure that you are aware of the rules regarding eligibility.

Fees & Eligibility

Exhibiting Members in fine art and fine craft disciplines are invited to apply. There is no fee for Guild members to take part in the review. Exhibiting Members must take part in the Standards Review to maintain eligibility for the Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair.

Deadlines

• The Applications will be accepted online until midnight EST. September 04, 2012.

• If you are unable to submit an online application, please contact The Guild for additional options and fees, 734.662.3382, ext. 101.

Online Application Procedures for the Guild’s Standards Review

• Complete application form

• 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

• If you are applying in a non-jewelry category but wish to exhibit a small amount of jewelry in your medium (no more than 15 percent of booth), please submit a separate application for jewelry.

2012 Timeline

June 14: Notice sent to those scheduled for review

September 4: Online jury deadline

September 13: Jury

September 20: Email notifications go out

Background

The Guild of Artists & Artisans is a non-profit membership organization of professional artists. It has a unique membership structure designed by its founding artists. The Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair is reserved for members only and has a tenured component. That is, booths are set aside for members who have achieved exhibiting member status. Exhibiting member status requires several consecutive years of membership and passing the “Standards Review,” which is a peer jury evaluating creativity, design and technical skill. Exhibiting members must participate in the Standards Review every three years.

For more information or to determine if you are required to review, please contact the Guild, 734.662.3382 or info@theguild.org.

Scoring

Artists will be judged on Design, Technical Competence, and Booth Presentation:

• Design evaluates artistic vision, development of creativity and overall success in the final product.

• Technical Competence evaluates the skills required to execute the work, and includes the level of difficulty of the techniques used, and how accomplished the artist is in using the chosen methods.

• Booth Presentation is an assessment of the artist’s display and the overall visual impact of their booth.

Event Location, Days & Times

2013 Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair – July 17 – 20

2014 Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair – July 16 – 19

2015 Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair – July 15 – 18

Wed/Thurs/Fri 10 am – 9pm; Sat 10am – 6pm

The Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair is located in Downtown Ann Arbor on Main, Liberty & State streets.

Security

Overnight security will be provided on Tuesday through Friday.

Electricity

Electricity is available to almost all booth locations.

Important Information

By applying to Guild shows, artists verify that they are responsible for the design and execution of their artwork according to The Guild’s exhibition standards. In addition, artists understand that The Guild of Artists & Artisans is not liable for loss or damage to artwork or personal injury. Artists will not be part of any legal action against The Guild or its personnel. Artists understand and agree that The Guild may use images of their artwork in advertising and promotion.

Guild Show Features

• Extensive advertising and promotion

• Professional and respectful art fair staff

• Well-provisioned artist hospitality tents

• Negotiated special rates for artists in nearby hotels and motels

• Friendly booth sitters

• Professional, overnight security

• 100 free promotional postcards

The Guild of Artists & Artisans: 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 actually be done by the artist. The only exceptions allowed are defined in Rule #2.

2. The Guild reproduction policy, which applies to all media, is as follows: No more than 25 percent of the work in an exhibitor’s booth may be reproductions and each piece must be clearly marked with the word “reproduction.” The presentation of the reproductions must play a visually subordinate role to the entirety of the exhibitor’s display. Determination of what constitutes an original or a reproduction will ultimately be decided by The Guild of Artists and Artisans. The decision of The Guild is final.

3. All work must be safe, nontoxic, 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. Beads must be made by the artist. If the beads are not made by the artist, they must play a clearly subordinate role in the finished piece.

5. Artists should avoid a massproduced, cluttered or commercial appearance to their display.

6. The work exhibited by the artist must match the quality and balance of the digital images submitted to either the Standards Review or for the particular show into which the artist has been juried.

Cancellation Policy/Refunds

1. In the event you must cancel a show, please notify The Guild immediately, by calling 734.662.3382, ext. 105.

2. 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,

3. If the cancellation is made at least 45 days before the event, your booth fee will be refunded minus a $50 administration fee, unless otherwise noted.

4. There are no refunds on cancellations made less than 45 days before the event is scheduled to take place, unless otherwise noted.

5. There are no refunds of application or membership fees.

Exhibition Rules

RULE 1:  Exhibitors must comply with all local ordinances, regulations, and rules.

RULE 2:  Booth spaces may not be transferred or otherwise reassigned by the artist.

RULE 3:  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.

Rule 4:  Member artists must be present at the fair no less than 60 percent of each day.  Member artists (and/or their artwork) cannot take part in any other Ann Arbor Fair (official or otherwise) during the Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair.

RULE 5: Booth structure and display must not exceed the limits of the assigned space.  Artwork hanging from display panels will not obstruct, or block clear and free passage.  If your artwork is hazardous, or interferes with your neighbor you will be asked to remove it.  Booth substructure must not impede water flow.

RULE 6:  Booth holders may share their space with no more than one other membership holder.

RULE 7:  Picture I.D. is required for fair registration, and must be presented upon the request of Rules Committee members or Guild staff at any time during the fair.

RULE 8:  Unless artists are officially notified of a fair emergency, booths must be opened at the fair starting time and not closed before the fair closing time.  Artists concerned with their personal safety may close.  Artists are expected to reopen as soon as the dangerous situation has ended.

RULE 9:  All storage must be neatly concealed within the booth structure.

RULE 10:  Signs advertising sales or markdowns are prohibited.

RULE 11:  Pets are prohibited on the fair site.

RULE 12:  On-site consumption of alcoholic beverages during fair hours is prohibited.

RULE 13:  No debris may be left behind after tearing down.

Rule 14:  Rude, obscene or abusive language and/or threatened, actual physical restraint and/or abuse of another Guild member, Guild staff or general public are prohibited.

RULE 15:  Use of chairs and tables is limited as follows:  State Street:  Each booth is allowed two chairs and one table.  The table may not exceed 24” x 24”; no visible storage is allowed within or on the table.  Artists may not place personal belongings on the University of Michigan grounds.

RULE 16:  Overhangs are not permitted on the fire lane side of your booth (street side). Overhangs are permitted (1) on State Street booths on the sidewalk side, (2) in the rear of Main Street booths, so long as the overhang does not extend over the sidewalk, and (3) on corner booths on any street, the overhang to extend into the pedestrian aisle only.  Overhangs may not exceed 30”, must be at least 80” above the curb and may not interfere with any other exhibitor’s booth or the traffic flow, or be used for display, signs, etc. (Revised 5/12/06.)

RULE 17:  Main and Liberty Streets:  Use of sidewalks and planters is strictly prohibited.  Booths, chairs, tables and storage must be contained within the artist’s assigned street space.

RULE 18:  Demonstrations are allowed within the assigned booth space.  All other requests are decided on a case-by-case basis by the Rules Committee.

RULE 19: Sabbaticals may be taken every other year.  A sabbatical is available only to preserve a continuing space holder’s privilege to return to his or her space the following year.  Sabbaticals may not be taken in consecutive years; a sabbatical may not be taken to preserve a continuing space first assigned the year the sabbatical is requested.  (Revised 3/8/00.)

Rules Violations:  Decisions regarding rules compliance are determined by the Rules Committee members or designated staff.  Exhibitors found to be in violation of the rules may be issued a rules violation notice.  Exhibitors must comply immediately upon notification that they are in violation of the rules.  If continued non-compliance is observed, exhibitors may receive points for the rules violations.  Violations may be issued during or after a fair.  From one (1) to ten (10) points may be assessed per violation.  Accumulation of ten (10) points over a three-year period results in the suspension of exhibiting privileges for 13 months from the fair date of the violation resulting in the ten-point total.

Appeals:  Exhibitors have the right to an appeal in person or in writing to the Rules Committee, after violation points are given.  The appeal must be made within 60 days of the date of the rules violation notification letter, sent from the Guild office.

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
• Commercially made glassware, flatware or serving pieces no matter how embellished by the artist
• Jewelry made of manufactured components
• Jewelry made from flatware
• Commercial beads. Beads must be made by the artist. There are only two exemptions to this rule:

1. If the beads are not made by the artist, they must clearly play a subordinate role in the finished piece; and,
2. 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: Simple-strung or hand knotted-strung pearls are not eligible even if the pearls have been simple-strung or hand knotted-strung by the artist. Pearl necklaces and/or bracelets may be included if they have an ornament or fastener that is both intricate and a focal point of the piece, handmade by the artist and is of greater value than the piece from which it is hung or attached. Drilled pearls or pearls that have been altered, but not by the artist, are not eligible; such pearls are considered to be purchased beads and are subject to all purchased bead rules. Pearl earrings are permitted as long as the setting has been designed and 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

Violations of Exhibition Standards

Violations of the Exhibition Standards will be handled by the Standards Committee and designated Guild Staff. At all Guild fairs, every attempt will be made to inform artists as soon as possible of violations by issuing a Standards Warning. This warning gives the exhibiting artist a chance to correct the problem without penalty as long as the correction is immediate. If the problem is not corrected or if the violation is a continuing problem, the artist will be subject to stronger consequences that may include loss of exhibiting privileges and/or being required to close his or her booth immediately and vacate the booth space at the end of the event day. If the Committee is not able to resolve a problem during the fair, the Committee will review the situation and determine any necessary action following the event.

The Standards Committee will make a good faith effort to inform artists of any potential standards problems and what steps to take to correct the problems following the Standards Review or the event jury. However, it is the responsibility of the artists to comply with the Exhibition Standards. There are two rules 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 Guild exhibiting privileges immediately and permanently.

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.

Standards Review Information

Nicole McKay, Artist Relations Director
The Guild of Artists & Artisans
118 N. Fourth Avenue
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
734.662.3382, ext. 101
nicole@theguild.org
www.theguild.org