Groundwork Gallery CALL FOR ART! Everything you need to know about how to submit

Calling all artists! The Groundwork Gallery is open for submissions for solo and group exhibitions. Read on to learn how to share your work in our community art space.

Since 2015, the Groundwork Gallery has offered a commission-free space for artists to show and sell their work. Previously, we’ve relied on the networking efforts of our Gallery Director to find artists. In order to make our gallery more accessible to a diverse community of artists and creatives, we’ve created our first call for art submission page! This blog will cover submission guidelines, how to submit your artwork, and what the process entails once you’ve been selected for an exhibition.

STEP ONE: Submit your artwork

You can submit your work here or by navigating to the Gallery page located in the “Community” drop-down menu of the Groundwork website. Guidelines and requirements are provided in the submission form but we’ll review some important details below.

An overview of our submission guidelines

• We accept art submissions year round and review submissions on a rolling basis. There is no deadline to submit.
• Themes and mediums are open. But please do not submit work that is derogatory, offensive, or sexual in nature.
• We encourage student and youth submissions. However, minors are required to have an adult present throughout the exhibition process (install, deinstall, art opening, art talks, etc.)
• Artwork images and bio must be uploaded directly to the submission form.
• Artists should submit examples of their work and ensure high quality of images.
• Your submissions must include an artist bio as well as brief statement about the submitted work.
• Group submission are encouraged. One representative should submit and include the names of all others artists in the specified section on the submission form. 
• The Groundwork Gallery is commission-free meaning that artists collect the full amount of any work they sell. This also means that Groundwork does not handle art sales. All sales are the responsibility of the artist. 
• Our current response time for submissions is around one month. If you haven’t heard from us after 30 days, or if you have any questions, feel free to reach out to gallery@groundwork.space.

Our gallery schedule is full for 2024. There may be circumstances where we seek art for this year; however, most artists will be considered for exhibitions starting in 2025.

STEP TWO: Connect with the Gallery Director

Once you’ve been accepted for an exhibition, our Gallery Director, Mark Gleicher will be your main point of contact. You will coordinate with Mark to install your work and set a date for your opening exhibition. Artists are expected to install and deinstall their own work but the Gallery Director will be available to assist with this process.

Most exhibitions run between 1-3 months. We provide a gallery contract that outlines the exhibition run time, a date for deinstallation, liability, and other important details. The gallery contract is reviewed and signed prior to installation.

Once selected, the Gallery Director will request the following information:

• Title & a brief description of your exhibition
• Date, time & duration of your opening exhibition
• Finalized artist bio and artist statement
• Artist headshot
• An event flyer, or provide a photo of your artwork for the Groundwork team to make the flyer.
• Price list and means of collecting payment (such as a QR code and/or an email address for buyers to contact directly)
• Any additional details about your exhibition: Are you hosting an artist talk? Providing snacks & refreshments? Entertainment? Vendors? These are all optional additions to your art opening.

Artist Stipend

Thanks to some funding we received from the Wicked Cool Places grant, we can provide a modest stipend to artists in need of financial assistance. Artists interested in applying for the stipend should email gallery@groundwork.space using the subject line “artist stipend” upon acceptance of their application. If you receive a stipend, Groundwork will reach out prior to deinstallation to request an invoice. Stipends will be distributed on the day of deinstallation.

STEP THREE: Complete an artist spotlight Q&A

Artists will have the option to complete a Meet the Artist spotlight which appears on the Groundwork blog. A Groundwork team member will send the spotlight questions a few weeks prior to the opening exhibition. We feature the spotlight in our monthly newsletter and share it across our social platforms. We also promote your exhibition on these channels and submit your art opening to public event calendars. Artists are encourage to share and promote their exhibition as well.

STEP FOUR: Attend your art opening

Creation is often a solitary endeavor, but opening night is a chance to celebrate your art and connect with the community of art lovers who attend your exhibition. You can host an artist talk. Answer questions. Share the thoughts and ideas behind your current body of work. Or just sit back and enjoy the experience of others experiencing your work. This is your day. The choice is yours to put as much or as little into it as you want.

Be sure to arrive early if you are setting up refreshments, music, or anything else that requires preparation.

Selling your art

Your art can remain on sale for the full length of the exhibition. Make sure you have a means of managing sales so interested buyers can contact you directly (you will have set this up prior to your art opening). The easiest way to do this is with a QR code to your PayPal or Venmo along with your contact information and price list displayed in the gallery. Any inquiries about your art will be directed to this display so be sure it is clear and accurate.

We welcome drop-in visitors to the gallery during our business hours Monday-Friday 9AM-2PM. Artwork will remain in the gallery until the exhibition ends, after which time the artist is responsible for distributing their sold work. We do not collect any commission. Artists keep the full amount of what they make and are solely responsible for all art transactions.

STEP FIVE: Pick up your artwork

When the day arrives to pick up your art, our Gallery Director will meet you at Groundwork to assist with the deinstallation. You are welcome to submit again in the future; however, we will prioritize artists who haven’t yet exhibited their work.

That covers everything you need to know about our open call for submissions. If you have any additional questions, feel free to email us at gallery@groundwork.space

This open call for submissions is supported in part by the Wicked Cool Places grants, funded by the City of New Bedford, through Rescue Plan awards, and its Arts, Culture and Tourism Fund, and is facilitated by New Bedford Creative at the NBEDC.