Artist Opportunities - scroll down to see all current opportunities for artist members
call for art
Impact
a members' exhibition in partnership with the Fitchburg Art Museum
Registration Deadline: February 8, 2023
Drop off period: February 16 - 19, 2023 (sign up for a drop-off time here)
Exhibition run: February 25 - April 8, 2023
Reception: March 3, 2023, 6-9 PM
Pick up period: April 13 - 16, 2023
For the eleventh annual Call and Response exhibition, ArtsWorcester and the Fitchburg Art Museum invite artist members to bring one artwork that explores any way humanity and nature impact one another.
The natural world has always inspired artists with its beauty, power, and the raw materials it offers for art-making. Today, in the face of our climate crisis, many artists bear witness to and represent environmental changes in their work–even as others draw from the beautiful ways humans have shaped and utilized the earth.
Artist members are asked to consider humanity’s complex relationship with our environment, along with one (or more) of ten artworks on loan from the Fitchburg Art Museum. These ten artworks explore a range of impacts on the natural world in their themes, subject matter, and materials. View the loan here.
The Fitchburg Art Museum’s curatorial staff will select ten works from Impact by ArtsWorcester artist members to be exhibited at FAM with the loaned works.
Submitted artworks must correlate in some way to 1-3 artworks from the FAM loan. You will be asked to identify the work(s) that inspired your piece when submitting. All media are welcome, including but not limited to fine craft, painting, photography, sculpture, digital, and video.
To make room for all, wall-hanging artworks must not exceed 36” in any direction including frame. Artworks that stand on the floor or on a pedestal are limited to 90” in height and 36” at the widest point.
Current ArtsWorcester membership is required for all artists at the time of registration. There is no geographic restriction on membership, but artists (or their proxy) must deliver and pick up all artwork.
Have a question about the call, or want to share what you’re thinking of submitting? Email alice@artsworcester.org or call the gallery at 508-755-5142.
We thank our friends and partners at the Fitchburg Art Museum for sharing their collection so generously with our artists.
ArtsWorcester exhibitions are sustained in part by the generous support of the C. Jean and Myles McDonough Charitable Foundation.
Ongoing support comes from Mass Cultural Council.
///// Evelyn Rydz (American, b.1979) Gulf Pile, colored pencil and graphite, 2012, 11 ¾” x 16 ¾”, 2013.24. Image courtesy of the Fitchburg Art Museum.
call for proposals
Material Needs Grants 2023-2024
open to artist members in Worcester County
Timeline:
Tuesday, November 29, 2022: Applications open
Tuesday, January 31, 2023: Deadline for proposals, 11:59 PM
Late February, 2023: Notifications
Fall, 2024: Material Needs Grant Exhibition
Click here for an informational packet about the Material Needs Grant.
| Submit your proposal here |
Grant Details
Material Needs Grants, funded by an anonymous donor, support the expenses of supplies and materials for the creation of new art in Worcester County. With this gift, ArtsWorcester is able to distribute grants to local artists between $500 and $1,500. Artists who receive the Material Needs Grant in 2023 will exhibit their work in a group show at ArtsWorcester in 2024.
All eligible proposals are reviewed by a committee of three individuals with experience in the arts. This year’s Material Needs Grants will be awarded by: Jennessa Burks, artist, educator, and activist; Eric Nichols, Assistant Professor, Worcester State University; and Kristina Wilson, Professor of Art History, Clark University.
Proposals are considered for their novelty, innovation, potential impact (on the viewer, your career, and on other artists in the area), and feasibility (can you do it, and can you do it in one calendar year?).
Eligibility
You must have been an artist member of ArtsWorcester for at least one calendar year prior to applying for a Material Needs Grant, and you must reside in Worcester County. We regret that members residing outside of Worcester County are not eligible.
If you have previously received a Material Needs Grant, you must wait three years from the previous application date before applying again.
If you are unsure of your eligibility, contact alice@artsworcester.org.
Expenses Covered
These grants are restricted to expenses for the supplies, materials, and equipment (purchased or rented) needed to make new art. Proposals for any and all kinds of visual art are welcome, including but not limited to painting, photography, fiber, ceramics, sculpture, video, and digital artwork.
Examples of expenses not covered would be studio rental, framing, publicity and promotional costs, insurance or transportation of artwork.
| Submit your proposal here |
You will receive a confirmation email once your submission has been made. If you do not see this email, please contact the gallery to confirm receipt of your submission: alice@artsworcester.org or (508) 755-5142.
Good luck!
Ongoing support comes from Mass Cultural Council.
///// (images clockwise from left) Jennifer Davis Carey, Kente Weavers, vitreous enamel on copper, 14" x 11", 2021; Lisa Foster, Lucy Stone on Yellow, reproduction quilting fabrics and acrylic on canvas, 24" x 30", 2022; Caitlyn Marsh, Broken Ring of Inclination, stoneware, cone 6 oxidation, resist, 11" x 13" x 8", 2021. Three of nine funded artists in the 2021-2022 Material Needs cohort.
call far art
Art On The Line
March 11, 2023
ArtsWorcester’s beloved Art On The Line fundraiser is back again! All artwork should be delivered by March 9, 2023.
How it works:
Artists donate small-scale, two dimensional artworks. We hang them from the ceiling with old fashioned binder clips and string. On March 11, attendees will line up at a ticketed event for their chance to grab artworks, all priced at $20. It’s fast-paced, fun, and a great way to add to your collection while also supporting ArtsWorcester.
How to participate:
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Membership to ArtsWorcester is not required. Any and all artists may contribute.
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Artworks must be no larger than 5” x 7”.
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Artworks must be flat and light enough to be suspended from a binder clip. We suggest works on paper.
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Artists may contribute up to four works.
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Clearly label your work on the back with your name, medium, and social media and/or website.
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Please do not frame your work(s).
Head to C.C. Lowell for pre-cut 5" x 7" sheets of high-quality paper to get started on your work. Don't forget that ArtsWorcester Artist Members receive 10% off supplies!
How to deliver your work(s):
All donated works must be delivered to ArtsWorcester by Thursday, March 9 at 5:00 PM. We will gratefully accept works in person or by mail.
Artist Drop Off Party: Wednesday, March 8, 5:30 - 8:00 PM
Come meet with your fellow artists and drop off your work at the same time.
If you can’t make it to the party, you may drop off your works at any point during gallery hours, Thursday through Sunday, 12:00 - 5:00 PM, or by appointment. Please check our website for holiday hours and closings.
You may mail your work(s) to ArtsWorcester, 44 Portland Street, Worcester MA, 01608. Please include a piece of cardboard or paperboard to keep your envelope from bending. If mailing your work, please include your email address so we can thank you!
Unsold donated works will be available for purchase in the galleries following the March 11 event. Artworks will not be returned to artists.
Art On The Line is presented with support from Bowditch.
call for art
The Twentieth ArtsWorcester Biennial
bring us your best
Submission Deadline: March 22, 2023
First Round of Notifications: by March 30, 2023
Drop off for in-person jurying: April 13 - 16, 2023
Final Round of Notifications: by April 20, 2023
Exhibition Dates: May 4 through July 9, 2023
The year 2023 marks the twentieth ArtsWorcester Biennial, an exhibition that has included a range of the region’s best visual art since 1985. This year’s Biennial will be juried by Conor Moynihan, Assistant Curator, Prints, Drawings and Photographs at the RISD Museum. Learn more about the juror here.
The ArtsWorcester Biennial has no theme. All media are welcome, including but not limited to painting, sculpture, photography, fiber, fine craft, digital art, and video.
The winner of the Sally Bishop Biennial Prize will receive a $1,000 award and a solo exhibition at the Worcester Art Museum during their 2023-24 season. Previous winners of the Sally Bishop Prize include James Dye (Exploring the Myths of James Dye), Susan Swinand (Nature Imagined by Susan Swinand), and Kat O’Connor (Fathom: The Art of Kat O’Connor).
Additional honors include the Evelyn Claywell Absher Award for Abstract Art and the Ruth Susan Westheimer Prize for Fine Craft, both of which come with $1,000 prizes. Another $2,000 in prizes will be given at the discretion of the juror. The first one hundred and fifty artists submitting work to the Biennial, regardless of its acceptance, will receive a complimentary, one-year individual membership to the Worcester Art Museum, courtesy of their Members’ Council.
All entries must be made online, and current ArtsWorcester membership is required to submit. A $15 fee applies to each work submitted, with a maximum of three works per artist. If you would like financial assistance with membership or Biennial fees through our Pay It Forward Fund, please contact alice@artsworcester.org.
There will be two rounds of jurying for the Twentieth ArtsWorcester Biennial: one online and one in-person. Artists will be notified of the status of their artwork(s) in the first round by March 30 and must bring their artwork to ArtsWorcester between April 13 and April 16. ArtsWorcester cannot accept or return work by shipping. Artists will be notified of final decisions by April 20. Any artwork not accepted must be picked up by May 1.
Have a question about the call, or want to share what you’re thinking of submitting? Email alice@artsworcester.org or call the gallery at 508-755-5142.
The Twentieth ArtsWorcester Biennial is in partnership with the Worcester Art Museum.
Ongoing support comes from Mass Cultural Council.
///// Pamela Redick, Enchanted, acrylic on wood, 30” x 24”, 2020. The Nineteenth ArtsWorcester Biennial, spring 2021.
Online availability of professional development resources for artists has exploded in the last few years. Our Artists' Resource Page is a curated guide to the best free advice and training available, with a specific eye to the needs of emerging artists.
For larger, more strategic questions that artists members have as their careers advance, Artists' Roundtable events will provide opportunities to hear from practitioners, experts, and fellow members, and to get answers to individual questions.
most recent:
Approaching Galleries
Saturday, May 21, 2022, 10:00 AM-12:00 PM
ArtsWorcester, 44 Portland Street
(Registration closed)
Gallery representation is a goal for many artists, but one clouded by mystery and intimidation. Three experienced gallerists familiar with ArtsWorcester will break down the benefits of gallery representation, how to identify the right galleries for your work, and what you need to approach them. This is an open discussion about galleries; it is not a portfolio review.
We will hear from:
Arlette Kayafas, Gallery Kayafas, Boston, MA
Kate Rasche, George Marshall Store Gallery, York, ME
Tamar Russell Brown, Gallery Sitka, Shirley, MA
and leave lots of time for your questions. Then we’ll adjourn to the galleries for refreshments and more conversation.
Artists' Roundtables are free to current ArtsWorcester members, but may be limited in number of participants. If you have questions about your membership status, please call the gallery at 508-755-5142.
We thank the Melvin S. Cutler Charitable Foundation for for their support of artists' professional development.
call for proposals
Member-Curated Exhibitions
Rolling deadline
ArtsWorcester invites proposals for Member-Curated Exhibitions. Proposals are reviewed on a rolling basis. Member-Curated shows offer experienced artists an opportunity for artists to use their curatorial skills and gain independent, hands-on experience producing an exhibition. Located in ArtsWorcester’s Central Corridor, these shows include at least 3-4 artist members’ work, chosen by one curator. The curator may include their own artwork in the proposal.
Curators are responsible for communicating with participating artists, collecting, delivering, and retrieving artwork, providing an exhibition statement, and installing the exhibition in the Central Corridor. ArtsWorcester staff will be available for input on layout and to train the curator on the Arakawa hanging system.
Successful proposals should clearly state a curatorial vision for the space and the artists to be included. Curators should have experience working with ArtsWorcester and must demonstrate 6 their capacity to fulfill this leadership role. Proposals are welcome on a rolling basis, and will be evaluated by ArtsWorcester staff and volunteers.
All work must be wall-hanging and may not extend more than 12” from the wall. Artworks are hung on a secured Arakawa hanging system (track and wire) and D-rings. This space cannot accommodate free-standing or pedestal artwork. Further questions about what type of artwork is feasible in this space may be directed to alice@artsworcester.org.