Saturday, February 4, 2017

Call for Entries

The Artist Circle presents “Threads of Resistance,” a juried exhibition of work created to protest the Trump administration’s actions and policies.

We invite you to consider the theme “Threads of Resistance,” and create work – fiber art, art quilts, modern quilts or traditional quilts – to convey your passion, anger, or sadness about an issue that concerns you. Your work can be either positive (encouraging and unifying), or negative (portraying anger, sadness or discouragement). Possible themes include:

Refugee crisis
Immigration
Environment
Climate change
Black Lives Matter/racism
Attack on science
Gag rules on federal employees
The Women’s March Jan. 21, 2017
Sexual violence/sexual assault
Equal rights/equal pay for women
Women’s reproductive rights
LGBT rights/gay marriage
Freedom of the press
Fake news and lies
Supreme Court nominees
Education
White nationalism/supremacy
Electoral college
Border wall
“America First” policy
Income disparity
Freedom of religion and worship/religious discrimination
Gun control/gun violence

General information
  • You may submit up to three pieces of work. Multiple works by a single artist may be accepted.
  • Entry will be through an online system.
  • The entry fee is $30 for up to 3 pieces.
  • Each entry must include an artist’s statement that will accompany the piece in the exhibition(s). Curators reserve the right to edit artist statements for clarity and length.
  • Submissions must be a minimum of 20" wide x 20" high, and a maximum of 48" wide x 60" high.
  • Nothing can hang off the bottom or sides of the piece.
  •  No sharp or fragile embellishments.
  • Each piece must have a 4" fabric hanging sleeve on the back. (Further instructions will accompany acceptance notifications.)
  • No mounted or framed work can be accepted.
  • No material in your piece may be copyrighted.
  • No work may include a call to violence. (But it may portray violence, or include profanity or nudity, as long as it supports the theme of the piece, and is not gratuitous).
  • International entries are welcome but artists located outside the U.S. will be responsible for shipping costs to the U.S. and back to them from the U.S.
  • Information about the exhibition is available at http://www.threadsofresistance.blogspot.com, which will eventually feature works and artists in the exhibition. 

Other issues still under consideration:
  • We are seeking venues, and do not know how many venues might be interested. Information about this will be announced on the blog. 
  • We are unsure about the size of the exhibition (the number or works that will be accepted) because this is dependent on the venue. 
  • Entry fees will be used to cover the online entry system, marketing, and as much of the return shipping costs as possible. Exhibitors will be responsible for covering the cost of shipping their entries to the exhibition venue. Any excess money will be split between the ACLU, Planned Parenthood, RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network), and IRC (International Rescue Committee).  
  • We are planning to publish an exhibition catalogue.

Important dates
Feb 14, 2017: Online entry opens
May 1, 2017: Online entry closes
On or before June 1, 2017: Acceptances/rejections will be sent out via e-mail.

Interested?
E-mail threadsofresistance.exhibition@gmail.com to put your name on the e-mail list to get news when the online entry system goes live.

The Artist Circle

24 comments:

  1. Is this open to residents outside of the US?

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    Replies
    1. Yes, Jody, but international artists will be required to pay both shipping to the first venue and from the final venue, as the fee to enter will not cover international shipping costs. We are adding this information to the Call for Entry and the online entry system.

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  2. If the sewist agrees, what about auctioning off the piece after the exhibit to raise even more money? Some might want their pieces back and that's fine. But others might want to help raise more money.

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    Replies
    1. We will probably leave that up to the individual artists, but it's a great idea!

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  3. Are you accepting 3D pieces?

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    Replies
    1. No, I'm sorry. It's because of issues with shipping the exhibition from one venue to another, and associated costs.

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  4. What a wonderful way!!! I will love to participate just because you girls are doing something awesome and using your voice to fight the injustice being done to you all! Kudos to you for being so brave!!! Hugs from India 1

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  5. Replies
    1. We are currently in discussions with two venues, and are contacting more. As soon as we have specific dates and venues, we will announce them here.

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  6. Are you considering hand-woven textiles or just quilts? I am a fiber artist with specialty in weaving/wall hangings, etc. thanks.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, Charlotte. Weavings would meet the guidelines, as long as they could have a fabric hanging sleeve sewn on the back.

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  7. Are you at all open to reconsidering the maximum size? I would so love to enter but my pieces are larger. Thanks in advance. Judy

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    Replies
    1. I'm sorry, but our size restrictions are set, and are based on space restrictions at the venues. (We are finalizing plans with several venues, and hope to announce them soon.)

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  8. I am so excited about this. I come from a mixed politics relationship, and my outlet was to create a quilt. Can't wait to enter it! Thank you so sew much.

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  9. Political commentary runs deep in art history and is a foundational element in free speech

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  10. Please let us know the venues so that we may decline to attend. I'll be looking for exhibits that look to unite rather than divide.

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    Replies
    1. This exhibition is not intended to divide. It is intended to promote free speech that is guaranteed us under the First Amendment. It is our sincere hope that this exhibition will promote civil discussion of important issues facing our country. Political art and protest art, whether visual art, or performing art like music, has always been a part of our democratic process. Without people taking a stand, we would still be a British colony paying taxes without representation, we would still have slavery, and women and people of color would not be permitted to vote.

      In the Call to Entries, it states: “Your work can be either positive (encouraging and unifying), or negative (portraying anger, sadness or discouragement).”

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    2. Thank you, Susan Brubaker Knapp!

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    3. Thank you Sue, excellent answer.

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  11. Are the minimum size requirements a strict 20" x 20"? Is a 17.5" square unacceptable?

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    Replies
    1. Yes, we will only consider submissions that meet the size restrictions listed.

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