EVENT DESCRIPTION
Join Fenimore Art Museum in our annual celebration of the relationship between artists and the beauty of our Central New York region. The Art by the Lake artist’s fair will take place on Saturday, August 12, 2023, from 10am-5pm.
During this event, selected fine artists will receive a booth space under our large tent on the lawn behind Fenimore Art Museum, at which they can engage with an audience eager to view and purchase artwork from talented regional artists. Cash prizes for various media categories as well as Best in Show, Viewer's Choice, and special sponsored prizes will be awarded during the event.
The artist application deadline is 5:00pm on Wednesday, May 31st, 2023. No applications received after this date will be considered.
Art by the Lake is a juried event. Selected artists will be notified of their acceptance by mid-June, after which point they will receive detailed event information.
PLEASE READ ALL INFORMATION BELOW BEFORE SUBMITTING APPLICATION.
ARTIST PACKET
Eligibility Requirements
Art by the Lake is a juried event eligible to fine artists whose work is of exceptional quality. We are particularly interested in artists from the central New York region who are inspired by their surroundings.
All work must be original, made by individual artists, and executed by hand or with the use of appropriate tools. At the on-site event, artists may sell original work and reproductions (prints) of their own original work to the public the day of the show. Reproductions should be clearly labeled as such.
Art by the Lake is open to artists producing fine art created strictly for display purposes. Functional art such as clothing, jewelry, dining ware, etc. will not be considered.
Artists must be on hand to sell their own work, and on-site demonstrations of the art-making process at the event are highly encouraged. Please note on the application form any special requirements needed for on-site demonstrations (e.g., electricity, tables).
Media Categories
- Painting (oil, acrylic, watercolor)
- 2D/Mixed Media (drawing, printmaking, pastel, digital art, collage, etc)
- Photography
- 3D/sculpture
- Other (please specify)
Image Submission Standards
Artists should send three images of their artwork which is representative of the work they plan to bring to the event, to be considered by our selection panel. We recommend that you submit images online through our application form below, or they can be sent via US mail.
Online (preferred): please send jpeg files only. Files should be titled with the artist's name. Please include artwork title, medium, retail price, and size with each entry (use application below). Jpeg files should be of good quality; images that are very low resolution and lack detail will render jurying difficult and will reduce artist's chances of being accepted.
US Mail: Send a non-returnable form of storage such as a flash drive or CD. Images should be jpeg in format. Send to Fenimore Art Museum, c/o Kevin Gray, P.O. Box 800, Cooperstown, NY 13326.
If images are submitted on a CD, the CD should be labeled with the artist’s full name and the media category (categories for which the images are to be juried).
Images from accepted exhibitors may be retained for publicity purposes. Fenimore Art Museum reserves the right to reproduce images of the work of accepted artists for publicity purposes.
APPLICATION FEE
There is a non-refundable $15 application fee. After submitting your application form, you will receive a confirmation email from the museum with a link to the site where payment can be remitted. Submitted applications will not be considered if payment is not provided.
AWARDS
Cash/prize awards will be presented to artists based on a variety of categories during the event.
BOOTH SPACE AND SALES
Artists who are accepted to Art by the Lake will be required to pay a $100 booth fee. This will be collected on the day of the event.
All artists will be housed under a single large tent; artists may not bring personal canopies. Each artist will be allocated an approximately 10x10’ space within the tent. This space is limited to the area directly underneath the tent. Displays are not permitted on adjacent areas. The event will provide tables, chairs, and requests related to demonstrating, but any other materials for displaying artwork must be provided by the artist
Movable display walls are available upon request; you may rent one from the museum for a nominal fee (limited quantity – information on display walls will be provided to artists upon acceptance).
No commission on sales is retained by Fenimore Art Museum. Exhibitors who sell their work at the event are required by law to collect state and local sales taxes and to display a current NYS Sales Tax Certificate at all times with the proof of this certificate provided to the event.
Please note that we will try to meet any special requests regarding site requirements and locations, but we cannot guarantee full accommodation.
Liability and Insurance
Museum security will be present throughout the event. Artists agree to exhibit at their own risk. Fenimore Art Museum is not responsible for damage, theft, or loss of an individual’s work.
In the event of a natural disaster or other circumstances preventing this event, the decision to cancel the event either before it begins or during its course may be made by museum officials. In the event of cancellation, Fenimore Art Museum will not be held responsible for any cost(s) incurred or loss of potential earnings.
MARKETING & PUBLICITY
Fenimore Art Museum reserves the right to use images of artwork submitted in the application process to market the Art by the Lake event. Any images used in this manner will be credited with the artist’s name.
CANCELLATION
If for any reason artists must cancel their acceptance of space at an in-person version of the event, please notify museum staff as soon as possible so that we may attempt to fill the space.