Alaska Contemporary Art Bank: 2023 Call for Art

The Alaska State Council on the Arts is requesting applications of visual artwork to purchase for the Alaska Contemporary Art Bank. Alaskan artists are invited to submit up to 6 recent works in any media. Purchased works become part of a lending collection displayed throughout state public areas. Only works priced at or under $4,000 will be considered. The submission deadline is 9:59 PM AKT, March 31, 2023.

The Alaska Contemporary Art Bank was founded in 1975 and has grown to more than 700 artworks in a wide variety of media, styles and subject matter. The collection is loaned out for display in public areas owned and operated by the state of Alaska, University of Alaska departments, the State Legislature, and offices of Alaskan members of U.S. Congress. Works submitted will be selected for purchase by ASCA's Visual Arts Advisory Committee, a statewide group of artists and arts administrators. Selected artworks are then recommended to and approved for purchase by ASCA's board of trustees. Artwork is purchased directly from the artist, not an intermediary entity such as a gallery or agent.

Applicants must be an Alaskan resident or have been an Alaskan resident at the time the work was created. Work must have been created in the last five years and be original, not a reproduction or copyright violation. All applications must be submitted through CaFE; no paper applications will be accepted. All 2-D work (including canvases) must be framed with museum quality materials. 3-D works must be self-supporting or provided with a hanging device. Imagery must be suitable for display in public buildings. Any form of cultural appropriation will not be accepted. Submissions that use or reference traditional Indigenous designs must be submitted by Indigenous artists or artists who have received tribal approval. Artists will be notified of acceptance approximately five to eight weeks after the call closes. For more information, visit arts.alaska.gov/artbank or contact [email protected].