Call for Artists for 2023 Celebration of the Arts 

The Kentucky Museum invites professional and amateur artists to submit one artwork for display and judging in the 2022 Celebration of the Arts sponsored by Abound Credit Union. The show will begin with an opening reception and awards ceremony on March 3 and remain on view through April 14, 2023.

Criteria for Artists:

•Age 18 and above

•Reside in Kentucky within a 65-mile radius of Bowling Green, Kentucky.

•All work will be exhibited at the Kentucky Museum from March 4-April 14. (Note: the Museum is closed for WKU’s Spring Break, March 15-18).

•Works are judged and awards given in ten categories: Ceramics and Glass, Drawing/Illustration, Fiber Art, Graphic Design/Digital Art, Mixed Media, Painting, Photography, Printmaking, Sculpture and Watercolor. The final decision to give any award is at the discretion of the judge.

Entry forms and entry fee must be submitted by February 10, 2023. For more information and the form, visit https://wku.edu/go/celebration.

Artwork Guidelines

All entries must be original and completed during the past two years.

Artwork substantially based on existing imagery such as movies, television, literature and all other forms of media will not be accepted. No copies of other artists’ work.

Greenware, utilitarian kits and over-the-counter craft items are not eligible.

All works created from natural materials must be stable, well-seasoned and insect- and contaminant-free.

No installations accepted.

No substitutions, changes in title or changes in eligibility status for Purchase Award accepted after entry is received.

Exhibit organizers reserve the right to determine appropriate categories and to disqualify work from consideration that does not meet acceptable standards, poses installation issues or is deemed unsafe for the museum environment.

No promotional materials accepted.

No packaging or transportation containers may be left at the museum.

Hanging Specifications

No works requiring access to electricity will be accepted.

All framed entries must be prepared for hanging with properly-sized eyelets and wire. Other works intended to hang must have appropriate hanging devices.

All entries must be accompanied by a completed label (available on website) and affixed to the work.

Entries not properly prepared or those presenting handling or installation issues will not be accepted.

Please inquire for works with special installation requirements.

*NOTE: Plexiglass is strongly recommended for works larger than 24 inches.

Judging

An experienced art professional from outside the region will judge the works in all categories listed above. All awards are made at the discretion of the judge.

The following individuals are ineligible for awards: Kentucky Museum employees and board members and Celebration of the Arts Committee members.

Delivery and Return

All works must be hand-delivered and picked up by the artist on the dates listed on the Celebration of the Arts Calendar. No early drop-offs or pick-ups allowed. No work will be released to anyone other than the artist without permission from the artist.

Agreement

Accepted work must remain on exhibition between March 3-April 14, 2023. The exhibition committee reserves the right to reject any work that does not meet the criteria set forth in the brochure. Organizers reserve the right to reproduce any work submitted for educational or promotional purposes. Submission of any entry to the 2023 Celebration of the Arts Exhibit will be understood to indicate agreement on the part of the artist with all conditions set forth on this page.

Entries must be received no later than Friday, February 10, 2023.

ABSOLUTELY NO CORRECTIONS OR SUBSTITUTIONS.

-submitted by Kentucky Museum