Artist Exhibitors Committee

This committee processes artist applications, selects the jurors, and organizes jurying to identify the American Indian artists who will exhibit at the Fair. The jurying is based on images that the artists submit. The Artist Database is kept current, acceptances are received, booth assignments made, and fees collected. All issues related to the artists are handled by this Committee all year through the Fair weekend.

The Artist Exhibitors Committee Chair is appointed by the Fair Chair.  The Chair of this committee expends over 1,200 hours and must be reachable by cell phone 7 days a week during critical periods. The Chair selects and trains a committee of experienced volunteers with one of them being the future Chair.  The Chair is a member of the Steering Committee and is the Coordinator for the following Chairs: Demonstrators/Non-Profits, Booth Relief, Monitors, Artist Hospitality, Business Classes and Artists Panel. The Fair Chair assists with the Demonstrator/Non-Profits and Artists Panel Chairs.

The Chair

  • Reports progress and problems to Fair Chair.
  • Attends all Fair Committee Chair meetings.
  • Prepares and submits a line item budget to the Fair Chair.
  • Coordinates with Fair Chair and Staging Chair to understand and accommodate any changes for the upcoming Fair.
  • Invites the Fair Chair to strategic committee meetings including wrap-up and initial planning meetings.
  • Recruits, schedules and trains volunteers.
  • Submits the list of volunteers to the Volunteer Placement Chair for badges to be made.
  • Acknowledges, by thank you note, or other means, appreciation for the work done by volunteers working on this committee.
  • Submits vendor invoices to the Guild Treasurer for payment.
  • Submits vouchers with receipts to the Guild Treasurer for reimbursement of Committee expenses.
  • At the end of the year, reviews the committee job description posted on the Guild website and in the Committee Notebook. They should both be the same. Updates and sends it to the Fair Chair who will review and forward it to the President Elect and to webmaster@heardguild.org.
  • Attends the Wrap-Up Meeting after the Fair. At least a week prior to the meeting, emails the Committee Report to the Fair Chair. The sections of the report are:       Committee Purpose, What Worked Well, What Needs Improvement, Recommendations for Improvement.       Appropriate attachments would be sales spreadsheets, tallies, and other information that would be useful for decision making. One report is given to the Fair Chair and the duplicate is kept in the Committee Notebook. The report is the basis for the individual Committee planning meetings for the following year.

Tasks

  • Prepare and submit a line item budget to the Fair Chair.
  • Prepare and mail invitations and applications to the artists using the previous year’s mailing list.
    • Artists who won ribbons at the previous Fair are invited to the next Fair.
    • Artists recommended by the Museum Curators or Shop staff may be invited.
    • Artists who served as judges for the prior year’s juried competition are invited.
    • All other artists are asked to submit applications with digital images (CDs or by email) of their artwork to be juried.
    • A $25 application fee is required and a $75 late fee is imposed if applications are not received by the established deadline.
    • The returned applications are used to update the mailing list.
  • Update the mailing list and the files that are kept on each artist.
    • Materials in the artists’ folders are updated as new material is received from the artists.
    • Prior year’s materials are removed from the files and transferred to the library.
    • Digital images are organized in a digital file on the Guild’s computer for viewing by the jurors.
    • A file of artist documentation in hard copy is maintained to ensure that each artist attending the Fair is either enrolled in a federally or state recognized tribe or has an artisan letter from a tribe in which they have ancestry.  Oversee communication with the Indian Arts and Crafts Board and other parties who may question an artist’s documentation.
  • Recruit panels of jurors to evaluate and score the artwork in the submitted images.
    • Professional artists, collectors, gallery owners, and curators (including Museum staff members) are asked to bej urors.
    • Three jurors are recruited for each of the eight categories
  • Select those allowed to exhibit at the Fair based upon the jurors’ scores.
    • To achieve a balanced representation of all the artistic categories, score selection levels vary by category.
  • Send second mailing to all applicants notifying them of the jurying results.
    • Artists invited to exhibit will be sent a contract to sign.
    • Artists on the wait list and those rejected are advised of their status.
    • Include the Business Class and Artist Panel registration form.
  • Works with a committee member designated as Demonstrator/Non-Profit Chair in selecting about 35 artists to demonstrate and about 8 non-profits. An artist may demonstrate for only two years (exceptions are determined by the Artist Exhibitors Chair). That individual also works with museum staff to select non-profit organizations to participate in the Fair. Demonstrators pay $150 (+$50 for each additional artist) for booth space. Non-profits, TOCA, and Pee Posh may not be charged a fee.
    • The Demonstrator Chair contacts each of the demonstration artists to determine their needs during the Fair and is responsible for setting up the demonstration area.
    • The Demonstrator Chair works with the Fair Chair in selecting demonstrators for the Fair theme.
    • Artist Exhibitor Chair is responsible for mailing out Demonstrator contracts and collecting fees.
  • Receive the contracts and fees from the selected exhibitors.
    • If the artist requests a 6′ x 6′ booth, the fee is $300.00, with additional fees for sharing artists.
    • If the artist requests a 10′ x 10′ booth, the fee is $500.00, with additional fees for sharing artists.
    • A $75 late fee is imposed if contracts are not received by an established deadline.
    • If the contract is not received or is returned extremely late, the booth will be awarded to an artist on the wait list.  The original exhibitor moves to the wait list.
    • Respond to the many phone and email queries from artists seeking information and/or explanations.
  • Submit monies received to the Guild Treasurer for deposit.
  • Record, in the Artists Database (MSAccess), the status of each artist, i.e., application received, contract received, booth size, shared booth, fees received, etc.
  • Assign exhibitors to booths.
  • Send third mailing telling exhibitors their booth placement, a map showing booth location, licensing information from the City of Phoenix, Juried Competition information, etc.
  • Select a committee of volunteers to assist during the Fair including artist arrival on Saturday and Sunday morning.
  • Attend the Fair Committee Chair meetings.
  • Provide a list of exhibitors and their tent locations to the Guild webmaster for placement on the Guild website and to the Museum’s Director of Marketing for the preparation of the printed program.
  • Consult with Fair Chair, Staging Chair, and Signage Chair about booth location and signs.
  • Confirm volunteers’ commitments and verify their schedules.
  • Submit the list of volunteers to the Volunteer Placement Chair for badges to be made.
  • Prepare information packets to be taped to the artists’ tables.
  • Set up the Exhibitor booth on Friday prior to the Fair and clean out the booth at the end of the Fair on Sunday.
  • Oversee the team of volunteers as the artists arrive, tape information packets to tables, monitor booths, etc. during the Fair.
  • Submit expense vouchers (with receipts) to the Guild Treasurer for payment.

Time Line

March/April/May

  • Meet with the Museum curators to determine the list of invited artists.
  • Begin recruiting and continue through the beginning of February
  • Begin planning for the next Fair. Invite the Fair Chair.

May/June      

  • Prepare and mail the invitations and applications.
  • Begin recruiting jurors.
  • As applications come in, check to make sure that each artist submits appropriate tribal documentation. If not, follow up with the artist.  This is ongoing until the Fair occurs the following March.

July

  • Prepare and submit line item budget to Fair Chair

Summer

  • Update the mailing list.
  • Organize and update artists’ files.
  • Prepare artwork images for jurying.
  • Make first contact with potential theme demonstrators.

September

  • Judge the artwork and select artists based on jurors’ scores.
  • Review lists with curators and Museum Shop.

October

  • Send second mailing with jurors’ results and contracts.
  • Begin inviting demonstrators.

October through December

  • Attend Fair Committee Chair meeting.
  • Consult with the Fair Chair, Staging Chair, and Signage Chair about set up requirements, booth location and signage needs. Consult will all other Chairs as needed to ensure the success of the Committee and Fair.
  • Receive contracts and fees.
  • Respond to phone and email queries.
  • Assign booths.
  • Recruit volunteers for Fair weekend including Saturday and Sunday early morning artist arrival.

January

  • Provide list of exhibitors and locations to the Guild webmaster for placement on the Guild website.
  • Mail booth assignments to artists.

February

  • Confirm volunteers’ commitments and verify their schedules.
  • Submit list of volunteers to the Volunteer Placement Chair for badges to be made.
  • Prepare information packets to be taped to artists’ tables.
  • Provide list of exhibitors and locations to Marketing for preparation of the printed Artists List & Map.

End of February/Beginning of March

  • Provide the following lists:
    • Alphabetical list of artists and by categories, for the website.
    • Alphabetical list of artists and by categories for Juried Competition.
    • Alphabetical list of artists and by categories for the Ask Me booths.
    • Alphabetical list of artists for the Monitors Report.
    • Alphabetical list of artists for artist check in at Best of Show.
    • 2 alphabetical lists of artists (larger spacing) for early morning check in.
    • Complete list of artists that are accepted, wait-listed, or not accepted for use by Exhibitors Committee on Fair days.
    • Send list of artists and their addresses to AZ State Gov. (email) when requested.
    • Send list of artists and their addresses to City of Phoenix (email) when requested.
  • Set up booth prior to the Fair and clean out booth at the end of the Fair.
  • Oversee volunteer activities at the Fair.

March/April

  • Submit vendor invoices and expense vouchers to the Guild Treasurer if not already done so.
  • Acknowledge the work done by the volunteers.
  • Meet with Committee to debrief. Invite the Fair Chair and next year’s Committee Chair if there is a new Chair.
  • Write the Committee report (see Chair section above)
  • Review the job description (see Chair section above).
  • Attend the Fair Committee Chair Wrap-Up Meeting.
  • If not continuing as Chair, ensure a smooth transition to the new Committee Chair.

 

7/13/2014