ARTIST’S PROCEDURE FOR SUBMITTING WORK FOR REVIEW
The New Canaan Library is both privileged and fortunate to have the H. Pelham Curtis Gallery as a resource for “information, education and the enrichment of life.” It truly makes the Library a community cultural center.
Art exhibits in the Curtis Gallery are organized by the Art Committee of the Friends of New Canaan Library. This volunteer committee meets monthly, September to June, to view and review artwork that represents a broad spectrum of the visual arts. Juried meetings are held in December and May. At these two meetings artists are selected for the next group of shows to be scheduled. Approximately eight to ten high-quality exhibitions are mounted each year. Exhibits are generally scheduled a year out.
If you would like the Art Committee to consider your work for an exhibit, please submit a minimum of 12 slides, or a CD or DVD with images of your work to:
Friends Art Committee
New Canaan Library
151 Main Street
New Canaan, CT 06840
Submissions must be accompanied by a biography, an artist’s statement, and a stamped, self-addressed envelope for the eventual return of your submitted work to you.
Your work will be reviewed at the next scheduled committee meeting.
- If your artwork is of interest to the committee, a member will contact you to arrange a visit to your studio by two or more committee members prior to the next juried meeting. During this time the committee will retain the materials you submitted.
- After the juried meeting, you will be notified of the committee’s decision.
- If your work has the full support of the Art Committee at a juried meeting, but does not fit in to the group of upcoming shows, your slides may be retained until the next juried meeting. The committee will notify you if your work is on hold, or if it is not accepted.
- If the committee would like to schedule an exhibit of your work, a committee member will contact you about exhibit dates and ask you to sign an Artist’s Contract, which will commit you to the agreed upon dates and terms. Your submission will be returned to you at this time.
- After the contract is signed, the committee member serving as curator will contact you to make arrangements for choosing works for the show. Once works are selected, an artist cannot make substitutions without consulting the curator. The curator and Art Committee reserve to right to further edit the show during installation. An artist may not remove any works from the show without permission of the curator.
- The artist prices the work to be exhibited. The curator will direct prospective buyers to you to complete any sales. It is customary for an artist to make a tax-deductible donation of 15% of the proceeds of the sale of the artwork to the Friends of New Canaan Library.
- Artists arrange delivery and pick-up of their artwork. A member of the Art Committee will be present on pre-arranged delivery and pick-up dates, and complete Artist’s Loan and Release forms. While your work is in the Library it is insured for up to $175,000.
- Any conflicts or misunderstandings between the Art Committee and the artist will be referred to the Library Director.
- Questions can be addressed to Susan LaPerla, staff liaison to the Art Committee, at 203-594-5016 or slaperla@newcanaanlibrary.org; or to Susie Salomon, Chair of the Art Committee, at 203-838-3805 or wim.z@mac.com.