GET READY TO ENTER FIRST STREET GALLERY’S 2023 NATIONAL JURIED EXHIBITION!
This Checklist is NOT a substitute for the Prospectus. Read the Prospectus and print a copy for your reference if you can ,OR save it as a PDF – so you can refer to it if you need to while you are filling in the Entry Form and not leave the Form until you have SUBMITTED it (if you close the page or your browser, or the internet connection is interrupted, you will lose what you have put in). Please be sure to read the important information in the last section of this Checklist, about the Entry Form itself: Submitting your Entry, checking that you have answered all required questions, and error messages you will see if any required information is missing or incomplete.
THE SHOW’S THEME: For the first time in a long time there is a theme for the 2023 National Juried show, chosen by the juror, Susanna Coffey. It is “Nocturne” (Night). See the Prospectus for the range of imagery and emotion expressed on this theme and a selection of very different artists who have interpreted it.
ALL entries must be submitted electronically using the ENTRY FORM.
- Click the button at the bottom of this Checklist to go to the Prospectus
- At the bottom of the Prospectus, is the link to take you to the Entry Form
Gather the Information and Materials You Will Need.
- Choose the Artworks you want to enter for the show – They must be in one of these eligible categories:
Eligible Works/Media: ORIGINAL oils, acrylics, watercolors, pastels, drawings, prints, photography, mixed media, collage, assemblage, construction. and sculpture in any medium. No giclées or similar reproductions - Decide how many works you are entering (entry fee: $40 1-3 works/$5 ea. additional work, up to maximum of 6 works). You will need to provide the total number in the Entry Form, in order to generate the proper Entry Fee and open enough Artwork image & information fields for all your works.
- Note which works are 2D (two-dimensional) and which are 3D (three dimensional. If you are submitting any 3D works, you will need two images: a) an Installation image AND b) a Detail or Alternative View of the Work image for each 3D work. If you don’t have this second picture, take one before you begin the Entry Form Process.
- Make a note of the ‘Medium’ of each work. This is not the general Eligible Works media categories. This information is specific to each particular artwork. Examples: oil on canvas, charcoal on paper, etching, plaster with bronze patina, mixed media (wood, glass, ink, paper).
- Confirm that the Size and Weight of Your Artworks Are Within the Limits Specified in the Prospectus:
All Wall-hung work – 2D and 3D:
Maximum Height or Width is 38 inches (in either direction), including any frame.
Maximum depth out from wall is 10 inches.
Maximum weight is 30 lbs
2D work must be suitably framed (or sides cleanly finished or painted). You must estimate total framed dimensions if work will be framed (but has not been yet). NOTE that works on paper MUST be framed under plexi-glass or glass. If you can frame the work and stay within the 38-inch (both sides) limit, you can enter it. Please make note of total size estimate you submit, for later framing, if the work is accepted into the show.
Freestanding sculpture – 3D (includes work on a floor stand)
Maximum width is 30 inches.
NO height limit.
Maximum depth is 30 inches.
Maximum weight is 50 lbs.
Maximum allowed footprint of floor stand is 30 inches x 30 inches
If sculpture will require a stand, sculptor must provide it. The Gallery has a small number of stands which may be available for accepted sculpture.
In choosing works to submit, keep in mind that no work can be hung from pipes or ceiling.
IMPORTANT: Shipped or hand-delivered works accepted in the show which exceed dimension or weight limits for wall or floor will not be installed. Measure, weigh, be sure! - Measure each artwork if you do not already have all dimensions and weight information. When you measure your pieces, note their dimensions and weight in the order you will use in the entry form:
For 2D work, provide height (first)x (then) width in inches, regardless of the orientation of the work.
For 3D work, give height x width x depth in inches + weight in lbs, whether wall hung or free standing.
For 3D work, give height x width x depth in inches + weight in lbs, whether wall hung or free standing. - Price of each work. If a work you want to enter will be for sale, decide on its price (in US$), before you start the entry form. Note: The Gallery will take no commission on any work sold in the show. If the work is not for sale, you will be marking it N.F.S. in the entry form
Preparing Your Materials for the Entry Form:
Have the images and information you will need to complete the Entry Form ready, so you can do the Entry Form in one sitting if possible (Your Work Is Not Saved Until You click “SUBMIT” at the end of the Form). When you hit SUBMIT, don’t do anything until you are taken to PayPal to pay the Entry Fee – it can take a few minutes depending on your computer/other device speed). If you have all the information and images in hand before you start the Entry Form, you will have plenty of time to complete it, check that nothing has been left out, and SUBMIT it. If you get an error message when you hit SUBMIT, scroll to the top of the form and look for highlighted blocks that indicate missing or incomplete information.
Prepare your artwork IMAGES in advance of starting the Entry Form
ALL IMAGESMUST meet the following Technical Requirements
- Maximum File Sizefor any individual Image File – 2MB
- Resolution and File Type:Must be a 72 dpi JPEG file (.jpg)
- Image Density (pixels per inch): MUST be at least 600 pixels, but not greater than 1400 pixels in any direction
Accessing Your Image Files/Seeing Whether They Meet the Technical Specs Above/ Re-labeling Your Files
- Accessing Your Image Files: If you are using your PHONE to photograph your work, or selecting photos from your PHOTOS application in your Phone or Computer, you will need to move your image files to where you can view their technical specs to know if they meet the requirements and to re-label the image files before you upload them in the Entry Form.
- On the computer, it is recommended to download your images (or drag-drop them) to your Desktop in order to get information about them and to change their file names to conform to the file-naming rules for this competition (in the Prospectus).
- On a mobile Phone, iPAD or other device, if you do not have a photo editing application on that device, you might email the image to yourself so you can view it on your Computer. Be careful here! When you go to Download the image Mail Attachment TO your DESKTOP or another folder where you are collecting images for your submission, you will see that the Default Destination is an archive within the Mail Program itself for “Mail Attachments.” You must change the Destination in the Download window to the DESKTOP or other folder’s location. Mail Attachments cannot be readily accessed from that Mail program archive. (See below, in the Re-Naming/Re-Labeling Image Files section more information about Mail attachment and Photo program files names.
Determining if your Image Files Meet the Requirements (72dpi, JPEG format, not less than 600 pixels or more than 1400 pixels in image height or width, not more than 2MB file size)
- If you have photo-viewing software (ex. Photoshop or Preview), open the image in that Program
- Choose to VIEW the Image ‘Size’ – you will see its dpi and its pixel dimensions. If you need to make the pixel sizes smaller, you might look at the size of the image in ‘inches’ as well as pixels. IF the image information shows the image resolution is 72dpi but the pixel dimensions are much greater than 1400 in either direction, and the size (viewed in ‘inches’) is very large (ex. 36” x 24”), you might try reducing the size (in “inches”) of the image, let’s say to 9”x6”, and check the pixel dimensions again. You should choose to “constrain the proportions” (if not already checked), so that if you change either height or width dimension, the software will automatically plug in the proper other dimension to keep the proportions constant at any picture size. If the image you are looking at is NOT already 72 dpi (perhaps a high res 300 dpi image from your photographer,) don’t try to change the file. Ask your photographer to resize the image as a 72dpi, to fit the competition’s technical requirements if he/she sent the image to you. (You can find tutorials on YouTube on how to resize your digital image files in your computer, phone or other device and how to re-label them. The Gallery cannot vouch for the accuracy of any such instructions.) If you are unsure about doing this, we suggest you ask a digital graphics-savvy friend to resize your files. The Gallery cannot assist with this
Re-Naming/Re-Labeling Your Image Files for the Entry Form
- Let’s go back that image you emailed to yourself. In addition to the “Download Destination” defaulting to the Mail Program (it may say “Attach”, the name of the image file you are downloading will be an unintelligible auto-generated string of numbers and letters (the Mail program’s internal file labeling protocol). You should delete that name and change it in order to save it to your desktop. Follow the specific Instructions just below for labeling image files for 2D works, and for 3D works.
- If you are submitting an image that is in your Phone or Computer’s Photo program (‘Photos’, “Google Photos”, etc.), the default file name for image files in these applications is: “IMG” plus a picture number, e.g. “IMG_3200”. To change your image file’s name for submission to this Competition, once you have moved the image out of the photo application (either ‘saved’ it to the DESKTOP or folder elsewhere, or ‘dragged – dropped’ it to where you want it), click on the IMG default file name to highlight it, delete it, and then put in the proper labeling with your Name and the Artwork Number reflecting its placement on the Entry Form (Artwork 1,2,3…) as shown in the Next Section. Note that 3D work images require somewhat different labeling format than 2D work.
Specific File Labeling Instructions for Your Image Files
Please be careful to follow instructions – Files which do not follow the required Label Format will not be viewed by the Juror. Image Files labeled without the artist’s name and Artwork Number cannot be properly archived or identified once they are separated from your Entry Form.
- For 2D Works, you will UPLOAD ONE IMAGE FOR EACH WORK.
Label images as follows: your last name_first name_ the Artwork number that corresponds to that work’s placement on the Entry Form (i.e. 1, 2,3 etc.).
Example: for Artwork #1
smith_joe_1.jpg
Example: for Artwork #2
smith_joe_2.jpg etc. - For 3D Works (freestanding or wall-hung), you MUST UPLOAD TWO IMAGES for EACH work: an Installation view and a second Detail or Alternative View of the work.
Label the image files for EACH view (for each 3D work) as follows: your last name _first name_ the Artwork number that corresponds to that work’s placement on the Entry Form (1,2,3 etc.), followed by the letter ‘a’ for the first, installation, view/ and the letter ‘b’ for the second, detail or alternative view.
Example: for Artwork #1
smith_joe_1a.jpg (1st installation view)
smith_joe_1b.jpg (detail OR 2nd view)
Example: Artwork #2
smith_joe_2a.jpg (1st installation view)
smith_joe_2b.jpg (detail OR 2nd view) etc.
The Entry Form: What to Know About It – Some Things to Look Out For
IMPORTANT: If the internet cuts out, or if you refresh the form or close your browser before Submitting the Form, any information you have entered will be lost. ERROR MESSAGES: When you click Submit, if you have left any Required question(s) unanswered, the Form returns a highlighted error message in all required fields that are blank or are otherwise incomplete. Look from the start of the Form for these fields. Fill in missing info. If an Image Upload Field is highlighted – even if you see the image file name displayed – click the Remove File button to delete it, and then Choose File to upload it again. Don’t forget to Open the File, after you Choose it. Then click the Submit button again. This can happen if the internet was interrupted briefly during upload.
- ALL Fields with an * MUST be filled in (“Required”) in order to submit your entry successfully.
- Look for short Notes under several Fields that instruct you to use a specific style to provide the requested information – you will recognize most of them from this Check List (e.g., dimensions – h x w, in inches), or they give an example of the information asked for (e.g.Title of a Work: The Red Chair.
- Total Number of Works You Will Be Submitting – This field is critical. If you skip this question, the Form will not open any Artwork Fields to provide information about your works or Image Upload field(s) to submit your image file. The Form calculates the Entry Fee when you choose the number of works.
- How Did You Hear About This Competition? Select from a list of the most popular ways that people have learned about this exhibition. If no choice matches how you learned about it, just choose “Other”.
- Type of Artwork – This is where you will Choose 2D or 3D for each work you enter, as you get to each work for the Form. Choosing 2D will open ONE image upload field. 3D will open TWO image upload fields (“a” and “b”).
- ONLY FOR 3D artwork: After you upload TWO images for a 3D artwork, the Form opens a question that asks you to choose if the work is Freestanding (includes on a floor stand) or Wall Hung. You MUST choose one or the other or your submission will be read as incomplete.
