Arts at the Port: Anacortes Arts Festival Juried Fine Art Show 2016

Arts at the Port is the annual juried fine art exhibition and crown jewel of the Anacortes Arts Festival (August 5-7, 2016). The exhibition showcases fine art to an estimated audience of 90,000 and features work from both 2D and 3D artists. The juror will select approximately 30 to 40 artists, each displaying 2 to 5 works. The exhibition is housed in the Port of Anacortes Transit Shed Event Center, a rustic waterfront setting at the north end of the Festival. Arts at the Port also includes the Allen Family Invitational Gallery and a K-12 youth art exhibition.

Juror Barbara Shaiman worked for 24 years as Director and Curator of the Seattle Art Museum's SAM Gallery and is currently focused on personal curatorial projects, art consulting, and her own ceramic art. She serves as Curator of Revolving Exhibitions at the Alexis Hotel and participates in jurying community art exhibits and public art panels.

Artists are eligible for up to $10,500 in awards: $3,000 Best of Show, $2,000 Excellence Award (2 @ $1,000 each), $1,000 Festival Choice Award, $3,000 "Anacortes Collects" Festival Public Art Purchase Award, $1,000 People's Choice Award, and $500 T Bailey Corporate Award. Entry fee is $35. Artists must submit 3-5 images of their work. Both 2D work (drawing, painting, mixed media, photography, digitally generated art, video) and 3D work (sculpture, fine crafts, installation) are invited. Installation and video artists must submit a separate one-page written or drawn proposal and 5 images documenting past work.

Accepted work must be ready for display upon arrival. Wall-mounted pieces must have adequate hangers and/or wire. Three-dimensional work needs adequate installation instruction if it requires more than a standard pedestal. Installation artists must install their own work and make prior arrangements with festival staff. Artwork must be available from July 24 through August 7, 2016. Mailed work must arrive before July 21 and use Plexiglas with a return postage label. All accepted and hung work must be for sale; the Festival retains a 50% commission (40% for bronze sculpture) and pays artists within two weeks after the Festival. The Festival will insure accepted work up to $2,500 per piece; additional insurance must be covered by the artist. No reproduced work (except photography or digitally created), work displayed elsewhere in the Festival, or work previously entered in the Anacortes Arts Festival will be accepted. Artists may not substitute, alter, change the price, or withdraw work after acceptance. The Festival reserves the right to refuse any work deemed unsuitable or misrepresented. Notification of acceptance will be by May 3, 2016.