INTRODUCTION TO GALLERY 49 ARTIST CO-OP
Who are we? We are a member driven co-op headed by a Board & aided by Committees. All artists share the responsibility of the gallery, paying dues and jurying in new members. We have developed several membership levels to choose from in order to meet the needs of a variety of artists. All members pay a rental fee and collect full price for items sold in the gift shop and the gallery. All items must be handmade by the artist. No kits or manufactured items allowed. Member dedication to making the co-op a success is of the utmost importance.
Who we're looking for: Talented Artists. Driven Personalities. Inspirational Visionaries. Respectful Humans. People with a love of art, creativity, and common sense. Most of all, artists that want to work in conjunction with other artists to succeed.
History: In early 2006 members of ArtWorks of Hillsdale, Inc. began their
search for a building for artists to show and sell their work and to teach
classes. In 2008 a building was found in
THE JURY PROCESS
Interested in becoming a member? We have a simple jury process where we vote as a group on who will be accepted into the co-op. If you would like to apply, please contact the gallery to set up a jury time. Schedule an appointment to jury by contacting us at 517-283-2000.
What you need to bring & jury details:
· Completed application with non-refundable $10 jury fee.
Please fill out the application form and bring your jury fee with
you. Juries are held at the beginning of any general meeting held on the third
Tuesday of each month at
· Samples of work to be sold.
You must bring at least 3 pieces of artwork you plan to sell in the gallery or gift shop. In addition to your artwork you may also bring a portfolio of other work. Presentation of your art (ie. mats, frames, packaging, etc.) is as important as the quality of your work. Please refer to our Artist Guidelines information before presenting your work.
· Be prepared to do a short, casual presentation of your work.
Usually around 5-10 minutes is good. Tell us about yourself, and if you have any other skills you can bring to the co-op. The remainder of the meeting will then be closed to members only.
· The Verdict
We will vote and have someone contact you within seven days to let you know the results. If accepted we will then give you further information about getting started.
BASIC INFORMATION & ARTIST GUIDELINES
GUIDELINES: All work presented in the gallery/gift shop must be entirely the work of the artist. Displays used to showcase your work must be approved by the visual committee. Members will decide by a majority vote whether or not the art presented falls within the guidelines we have drafted below. All sales tax is collected and paid by Gallery 49. Artists are responsible for paying any State or Federal income taxes.
· Gallery Artists: All 2D art for the gallery must be mounted or framed. Unframed canvas must be museum mounted (no staples on edges and not left unpainted). All framed or museum mounted art must have hangers. All artists must provide an artist statement and bio. We will type and provide a frame for the statement and bio. We provide title cards for you to fill in title and price. These will be uniform throughout the gallery. All artwork must be hung on the grid system. No nails or screws allowed without permission!
· Jewelry Artists: All jewelry must be designed and assembled by the artist. Purchased chains and cords for pendants are acceptable.
· Gift Shop Artists: Only original artwork such as, but not limited to, pottery, hand-made jewelry, hand-blown glass, wood carvings, handmade tiles, sculpture, mini paintings ( no larger than 6”X8”), small hand-painted furniture, unique Christmas ornaments, cellophane sleeved prints(no larger than(16”X20”), etc. will be accepted in the gift shop. Each artist will be assigned a number which must be on each price tag. All price tags will be provided by Gallery 49.
· Refused Artwork: The gallery artists and the visual committee reserve the right to refuse artwork that does not meet their expectations of quality or conduciveness to sales. Artwork may be refused in order to maintain a variety of types of art.
EXPOSURE: As a member you will be included on our website with a link to your own website. We encourage our artists to link back to the Gallery 49 website. Events at the gallery, art walks, open houses and featured artists will be advertised by Gallery 49.
General Rules & Regulations:
1. Artists/Members are expected to maintain professionalism individually, and as a group.
2. Be courteous and respectful to other members and our gallery/gift shop. Do not leave personal items in the shop. Take care of trash and keep the cashier area free of clutter.
3. You may not disturb or rearrange another artist’s display. Contact the visual committee if artwork needs to be re-arranged.
4. Keep music and noise to a respectable level that won’t disturb neighbors and customers.
5. No alcoholic beverages while on shift, or when hanging out in the gallery. Alcohol may be served at events but if you are working a shift you will not be allowed to drink.
6. When on register shift, during an event or party, you cannot leave the register area without leaving another member in charge.
7. No signs are to be taped to the front windows or doors.
8. Absolutely NO borrowing money from the till. See Membership Agreement regarding a short till.
9. Supervised & well-behaved pets are allowed in the gallery/gift shop (members & customers).
10. Any member can be voted out by a majority vote by all members, at any time.
11. Any member who chooses to leave the gallery and later wants to return must be juried in again and pay the $10.00 non-refundable jury fee.
MEMBERSHIP AGREEMENT
Welcome to our group of artists! One thing that makes us so unique is the support that a co-operative offers. We honor creativity, integrity, and camaraderie. Please read and consider the following rules & regulations of the Co-Op carefully before signing below.
DUES:
You agree to pay the required fee for the level you choose no later than the 1st of each month for the following month
SHIFTS:
$1.00 per hour deducted from the following month’s rental fee will be paid to members working the gallery during established business hours. Only one worker will be paid at a time. Volunteers, friends and artists may spend time at the gallery during established business hours with a paid member. You are not required to work; however, workers are needed to cover hours in order for us to be successful. Sign up calendars will be posted each month and workers may choose hours on a first come/first served basis. You must make every effort to find a replacement artist in the event you cannot complete the shifts you have signed up for. If you can’t find a replacement contact the Shift Scheduler.
LIABILITY:
In the event of a fire, flood, theft or other disaster, your work is not insured by the Co-op. As a collective we cannot be held responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged artwork or merchandise. We recommend that you carry your own insurance for your art, and keep track of personal belongings left in the gallery.
MEMBERSHIP:
Membership into our co-op requires a minimum of one year commitment. Following the signing of a contract for membership, there is a 30 day grace period in which either party may terminate the contract. Membership dues may be refunded at the discretion of the Board. Application and Administrative fees remain non-refundable. The collective members of the Co-op have the right to vote any member out for any reason. The vote must take place at a General Meeting, passed by a majority vote. Problems should be discussed at the general meetings. No contact, unfulfilled shifts, and unpaid dues extending beyond 45 days will result in membership termination.
PRESENTATION:
Title cards, price tags, signage, and website representation will be provided for you. Artist bio/statement must be displayed with your artwork within 30 days of acceptance date. Approved business and/or rack card displays are allowed in your rented area in the gallery. Gift shop artist info is located all together in one location.
DISPLAY SPACE:
The gallery is comprised of 5’ spaces. You may rent up to 3 spaces as permitted. All gallery artwork must be hung within the permitted grid area and only on the grid. Gallery artists are allowed two rack holders each for cards. Small tables will be allowed in gallery spaces as long as they do not infringe on the areas belonging to adjacent artists. Gift shop space is approximately 14 square feet (what you can fit on the top of a classroom table). All gift shop items are intermingled and staged by visual committee.
MEETINGS:
We encourage all of our members to attend General meetings at the Gallery. They
are held on the third Tuesday of each month at
REGISTER PROCEDURES:
Each artist is responsible for the register money on their own shift. This is why you must balance the money in the register at the beginning AND end of your shift. If the register is short for any reason, the artist on duty is required to pay that amount to the register by the end of that week.
DEPARTURE:
If for any reason you leave the co-op and do not collect your art within 30 days, your art will become property of the
gallery. Unclaimed sales checks after 60 days will be void and considered a donation to the Co-op. Thanks!
Primary Artist Signature: ________________________________________________________________________
Print Name:
_____________________________________________________________ Date:_____/_____/_____
Phone ____________________________ Email ____________________________________________________
Spaces may be shared by two artists but only one artist will be the primary artist. Primary gallery artists will have the one vote on the board. All artists must be juried prior to acceptance.
Space Options:
$25.00 per foot
– Minimum of 5’ ($25.00) - 5’ increments only. Gallery artists are allowed free
gift shop space.
_________ Number of feet
requested in gallery
_________ Check for Gift Shop
only
Thanks for applying, and if you have any talented friends, feel free to make copies of this application or direct them to our website!