Why I Vote Again

'Someone marched for you, someone sang for you, someone suffered for you to have the right to vote... That's why we should vote, if nothing else.'—Tarana Burke.

Countless suffragists and activists from Alice Paul to Fannie Lou Hamer to Dolores Huerta have fought for voting rights since the early 20th century. In acknowledgment of the continued fight for voter equity, the Women's Caucus for Art of Greater Washington, DC (WCADC) presents our second 'Why I Vote' exhibition. WCADC invites all women artists in DC, Maryland, and Virginia to address the issues that compel us to visit the polls. As artists, we capture the essence of our times and this exhibition seeks your visual expression of why voting matters now, in the past, and for the future. We acknowledge the ongoing challenges to our democracy, yet we strive for a more perfect union, embracing diverse perspectives. Join us in making history for the 2024 election and submit your artwork addressing issues crucial to women voters.

Depictions of important women leaders; images of justice, action, and activism; topics such as gun safety, immigration, and health care; paintings of people voting; and images of resistance are welcome. Art depicting current political figures (current presidential candidates, senators, representatives, etc.) will not be accepted.

ELIGIBILITY
All women and non-binary artists based in DC, Maryland, or Virginia are eligible to submit.

CATEGORIES ACCEPTED
Painting, drawing, photography, printmaking, hangable assemblage, collage, mixed media, and fiber art.

This exhibition cannot accept commercially produced prints, giclées, sculpture or artwork requiring a pedestal, jewelry, video, film, performance art, or works requiring an external electrical source and installation.

ARTWORK MAXIMUM SIZE
2-Dimensional / Hangable artwork: including its frame, artwork must be no larger than 60 inches in any direction and weigh no more than 40 pounds.

ARTWORK PRESENTATION
Artwork must arrive exhibition-ready and suitable for professional presentation, including matting and framing, as appropriate to the individual work of art. All wall-displayed artwork will be hung from a cable and hook hanging system. Hangable art should be ready to hang with wire, D-rings or screw eyes; canvas pieces should have edges finished. Sawtooth frame hangers are unacceptable.

KEY DATES
DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION
August 16, 2024

EXHIBITION DATES
September 13 to December 1, 2024 (11 weeks)

NOTIFICATION TO ARTISTS
All artists who have submitted artwork will be notified by email on/around August 25, 2024. The email will come from [email protected] with a follow up email from the WCADC Exhibitions Committee. You will receive notification even if no artwork has been selected. If you do not receive notice, please check your email spam or trash folder and contact WCADC.

ARTWORK DELIVERY
Artwork must be hand-delivered on Monday, September 9, 2024, between 10 am and noon. Shipped work is not accepted.

ARTIST RECEPTION
To be determined

ARTWORK PICK-UP
Monday, December 2, 10 am to noon

VENUE
City of Gaithersburg
Bohrer Park
506 S. Frederick Ave.
Gaithersburg, MD 20877

JUROR
Sara Khambalia is a visual artist, curator, educator, and gallery professional. Based in Washington, DC, she is the Art Gallery Manager for the Joan Hisaoka Healing Arts Gallery at the Smith Center for Healing and the Arts. In this role Sara led the Gallery from the pandemic to its current state, with rebounded attendance and novel exhibition themes. Sara is very passionate about collaboration and engagement with the gallery's local communities and under-represented artists.

Born and raised in South Florida, Sara has worked in multiple galleries and art fairs from Palm Beach to Miami, Florida. While working in the art gallery world, Sara has taught art classes through the Boca Raton Museum of Art, the Norton Museum of Art, and the Boys and Girls Clubs of South Florida. She holds a B.A. in Art History with a minor in Studio Art from Florida Atlantic University. Select curatorial and exhibition highlights include Red, White, and Blood: The Land of the Fallen, and Home of Rapacity (2020); Teaching The Object: Selections From The Florida Atlantic University Art Collection (2022); Not Limited to the Human Condition (2023); Disposition (2023); Divine Woman (2024).

IMAGE SPECIFICATIONS
Each JPG/PNG image file must be named with the artist's first_lastname_title (example: Vincent_Vangogh_Starrynight.jpg). Image file should not be larger than 5MB and 1400px wide. Images should be clear, good quality, and taken without frames or additional text added.

NON-REFUNDABLE ENTRY FEE
Payment of $25 (twenty-five dollars) for Women's Caucus for Art members and $35 (thirty-five dollars) for non-members per entry. An entry consists of one to three pieces of artwork submitted. Credit card payment through PayPal only. You do not need a PayPal account to pay through PayPal.

PLEASE READ - WCA MEMBERS
On the last page before finalizing your entry, there is a field to the right of the screen, above the SUBMIT THIS ENTRY button that reads - If you have a coupon code, enter it here before you submit your entry. Enter WCADC for the coupon and the $25 fee will be reflected in PayPal.

WHY IS THERE A FEE?
All entry fees for this exhibition will be donated to WCADC's Visual Arts Scholarship which recognizes artistic excellence among Black, Indigenous, or Persons of Color (BIPOC) pursuing arts education. To learn more about the scholarship program, please visit https://www.wcadc.org/scholarship.

INSURANCE AND LIABILITY
While precautions will be taken to protect all artwork in the gallery, it is the responsibility of the artist to insure their own work. The City of Gaithersburg does not assume liability for loss or damage to artwork exhibited in the gallery and Artist assumes the risk and waives any claim against the City in that regard.

COMMITMENT TO EXHIBIT
Submission of work to this exhibition constitutes an agreement to the conditions stated in this prospectus and a commitment to show accepted work for the duration of the exhibition.

SALES OF ART
The gallery staff will conduct all sales. Sales of artwork will go through the City of Gaithersburg. The City of Gaithersburg does not accept shipped work. All work must be available at drop off. The City of Gaithersburg will collect 30% of all sales and 70% goes directly to the artist.

QUESTIONS?
Email [email protected] with any questions.