6th Annual Art in the Loop 2023

Craft Shows and Fine Art Fairs Event 2023

Call to Artists

WHAT: 6th Annual Art in the Loop, Sponsored by the ArtWorks Foundation

WHERE:  Memphis, Tennessee

WHEN: April 14-16, 2023

Fri. 1pm – 6pm | Sat. 10am – 6pm | Sun. 11am – 4pm

NOTEWORTHY:

  • Limited to 75 Fine Art and Fine Craft Artists 
  • Every Booth is a CORNER
  • Cash Prizes
  • 24 Hour Security
  • Booth Sitters
  • Easy Load in
  • Free Parking
  • Storage behind every booth
  • Extensive PR & Marketing
  • Sponsorships with NPR, PBS & Memphis Magazine
  • Jury Fee $30
  • Booth Fee $325 (10’x10′ Corner with back storage)

Art in The Loop will celebrate its sixth year in east Memphis, near Poplar & I-240, on Ridgeway Loop Road. This unique site is situated in between 1.5 million square feet of high level offices and one of Memphis’ most exclusive residential areas.
Our Sponsors include: WKNO TV & FM, the local PBS & NPR Affiliates & Memphis Magazine. Promotional efforts also include: outdoor advertising and an extensive direct mail effort (more than 11K on our list), as well as a vigorous campaigns involving press placements and social media.

NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS on ZAPP

Application Deadline: January 5, 2023Artist Notification: January 17, 2023Booth Fee Due: February 28, 2023 IIf you have any questions, please contact Greg Belz at gregbelz@hotmail.com or call 901-327-4019
For more about ArtWorks Foundation go to – https://www.artworks.foundation

EVENT INFORMATION

Art Works Foundation announces its sixth annual edition of Art in The Loop, an Art Festival in Memphis, TN, Friday, April 14th – Sunday, April 16, 2023.
Art in The Loop will be staged in east Memphis, near Poplar & I-240, on Ridgeway Loop Road. This unique site is situated in between 1.5 million square feet of high level offices and one of Memphis’ most exclusive residential areas (the founders of FedEx & AutoZone live right around the corner).  In addition to offices, the area boasts several hotels (including the Memphis Hilton) and a 4 screen Cinema dedicated to films attractive to the over 45 audiences; there are also two Mega-Churches in view of our festival site, which bring additional traffic on Sunday.  Our Sponsors include: WKNO TV & FM, the local PBS & NPR Affiliates & Memphis Magazine.

“Art in The Loop was one of the best to participate in for being the most thoughtful, and on top of that, one of the most profitable! This is a magic unicorn show!”  Yvonne Miller, Mixed Media Artist Atlanta GA.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Art Works Foundation announces its fifth annual edition of Art in The Loop, an Art Festival in Memphis, TN, Friday, April 14th – Sunday, April 16, 2023.
Art in The Loop will feature – and focus on the sale of – stellar works of art in metal, glass, clay, wood, fiber, jewelry, sculpture, paintings & photography, and more.  We limit the number of artists by category, and are more concerned about the quality of work presented than the number of spaces we sell: from 60 to 75 artists will be admitted in 2022. The Booth Fee is $325.

We cannot know what we cannot know, but if our show should be cancelled all booth fees will be fully refunded.  We hope it will not come to that, and it will be another great show. So, if you are comfortable resuming shows, please consider applying to Art in The Loop, April 14 – April 16, 2023, in Memphis TN.

Art in The Loop invites artists working in glass, metal, fiber, clay, wood, as well as found objects, and 2-D media to apply for acceptance.

Art in The Loop offers easy move-in, and lots of free parking (for both artists and festival-goers), as well as proximity to high-income households.  Art in The Loop also offers visitors FREE Admission and amenities including cash bars, specialty food trucks, and – if health directives then permit – performances of Classical Music by area youth ensembles.

Up to 75 positions will be available for artists to participate. The show will be heavily advertised; public attendance will be encouraged via: direct mail; outdoor advertising; print and broadcast media; as well as through social media outlets. There will be also vigorous Public Relations support for the show.

Fine Craft and Fine Art are the focus of this event. Categories include the various disciplines for working in glass, metal, wood, clay & fiber, as well as Jewelry (NO stringers!!). Art in The Loop also invites artists working 2-D media including print-making, painting & photography to apply.  

The show will be a juried selection with four judges. Standards of high quality and skill will be strictly maintained.  Artists who wish to be considered should submit five (5) photos of representative work (including one booth shot), and complete the Zapplication entry module, according to the instructions therein.

The jury process will take place between January 8 & 14, 2023. Final Notification of application status will be sent out via email by January 17, 2023.

The Wait-List will not be used to fill space randomly; rather, those on the wait list will be called upon to fill spaces by category (i.e., if cancellations leave 5 spaces open, and everyone on the waitlist is a photographer, no one on the list will be added, unless we have openings in that category: we will not sell space for the sake of selling space).

There will be cash prizes awarded. 

Artists will staff their own display throughout the show, handling all sales of their work. ArtWorks Foundation will provide Tennessee State Sales Tax remittance Forms to all artists who do not have a Tennessee tax account. (Credentials for up to two assistants will provided: but the artist must also be present.) Booth Sitters will be available as demand permits.

NO price reductions will be permitted during the run of the show; no show “specials;” no “sales.” The show is intended to be perceived as an exhibition of fine craft, NOT as a bargain-basement!
Artists are required to make sure a full supply of merchandise is always on hand through the last minutes of the show, and are responsible for restocking their own displays.

Any packaging is the responsibility of the artist.

There is convenient, and plentiful, free onsite parking for guests, as well as LIMITED onsite RV parking (with no-hookups); artists desiring RV space must submit a request via email, these limited spots will be awarded on a first come first served basis).

Numerous hotels, in a variety of price ranges are located nearby.   

Art in The Loop is staged by ArtWorks Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to “helping artists grow in their business and their work,” as well as to encouraging public interest in collecting the work of fine-craft artists. We are obsessed with the quality of what we present and how we present it.

If you have any questions, please contact, Greg Belz: phone (901.327.4019), or email gregbelz@hotmail.com
Thanks for your interest in Art in The Loop.
For more about this show, see -http://www.artintheloop.org/
ArtWorks Foundation is a non-profit {501(c)3} dedicated to help artists grow in their business and their work. For more see www.artworks.foundation


RULES/REGULATIONS

Exhibiting artists must be 18 years or older and must be present during show hours. Exhibition is limited to invited artists, selected by our jury.  Assistants are welcome, but agents or representatives of the artist do not replace the requirement of the artist to be present during show hours.  Booth sitters will be provided as demand permits.

 All items offered for sale must be created by the hand of the artist to whom the display space is registered: NO work created by parties other than the artist whose work has been accepted for the show may be displayed.

All designs offered must be original.  Work made from commercial molds, kits, patterns or copyrighted designs not owned by the Artist are not permitted. Any commercially made embellishments must be subordinate to the handcrafted work. All work must be for sale. No reproductions may be displayed, except as follows: 2-D artists may offer reproductions of their work {if no more than 20% of their inventory!}; also 3-D artists may offer T-Shirts, or note cards/calendars, etc., embellished with reproductions of their work {if no more than 10% of inventory!}.

No (other) embellished manufactured articles are acceptable; nor may items such as antiques and collectibles be offered for sale.

Jurors will circulate during the show to ensure that all work is in compliance.  We reserve the right to remove any items which were not submitted in the jury process, or are found otherwise objectionable.  

Violation of any of these directives will result in immediate expulsion from the show. No fees will be refunded.

Additionally, any artist leaving prior to the end of the show, without the authorization of the show’s director, will be unable to exhibit in any ArtWorks Foundation show for at least two (2) years.

Sales:
The exhibitor is responsible for remitting Tennessee state sales taxes (9.75%).  ArtWorks Foundation will provide “one time only “ tax forms to any artists who do not have a Tennessee Tax account (there is no requirement for artists to have an account).   

Conflicts:
Artists accepted for Art in The Loop may not participate in any other show or sale in Shelby, Tipton or Fayette counties in Tennessee, or DeSoto County Mississippi, or Crittenden County Arkansas, during the run of the show (this includes, but is not limited to, private house shows).

Security:
Armed security will be provided 24 hours a day from the beginning of set up on Friday morning, until breakdown is completed on Sunday evening.  However, all exhibitors will display their work at their own risk. It is understood that neither Art in The Loop, nor ArtWorks Foundation, nor the venue, nor our sponsors, shall carry insurance to cover personal property of any exhibitor. Exhibitors are considered to be independent contractors, and it is suggested that exhibitors obtain their own insurance.

Images:
Please note that in addition to providing a means to assess your work, any photographs submitted may (upon our acceptance of the artist) be used to promote the show (posters, postcards, etc.).


BOOTH INFORMATION

I. Overview:
This three-day show sets up *starting at 9:00am, on Friday, April 14, 2023; the show will open to the public that day at 1:00pm, and run until 6:00pm that evening. Saturday’s hours will run 10:00am to 6:00pm; Sunday’s hours are 11am to 4pm.  (Displays may not be removed before 4:05pm on Sunday, April 16).

II. Fees & Space Information:
The cost of Exhibition Space is $325 (10’x10’). (Double booth = booth fee x2) All spaces are corners. No extensions may exceed the parameters of the allocated space by more than 2’, and must be removed if found objectionable by the promoter.

Individual display areas are 10’x10’ (with 3’ of storage at rear) and another 15’ to 20’ of open space to the next nearest booth).
Artists’ displays will be located on pavement (asphalt roadway).

III. Set up & Standards:
Artists selected for the show will be *assigned vehicle access times during set up on Friday, April 14th;   artists will off-load immediately and return to install their displays. This same procedure will be followed in reverse during load-out.

All tents must be suitably weighted: at least 50 pounds per corner, suspended from the top of the tent: not sitting on the base). Tents will be on pavement, but may be staked into grass at the rear.

Each artist should display a sign identifying themselves, as well as any business name, & their medium; exhibitors will also receive a sign from the show identifying your name and city of residence.

Electricity must be battery powered.

No sound-amplification of any type will be permitted.

Move-out will begin at 4:05pm, Sunday, April 16.  NO exhibitors may begin packing before that time (unless the promoters deem that conditions constitute an emergency which may affect life or property).
 
IV. Access & Hours
On Friday parking is limited to the lots designated by the promoter; any artist who parks in any other lot will be towed and removed from the show.   On Saturday and Sunday, however, there is plentiful, free parking surrounding the festival site, and artists will have multiple options for parking.

Limited reserved parking for trailers & RV’s is available (no hook-ups, though); artists must apply for these spaces via email: space will be awarded on a first come, first served basis (on street parking is also available).   

The show opens to the public at 1:00pm, Friday (Open Hours: FR 1p to 6p; SA 10a-6p; SU 11a -4p).
Move-out will not begin until 4:05pm, Sunday.  NO exhibitors may begin packing before that time.
 
If you are accepted for inclusion in the show, and prefer to pay by check, checks may be mailed and made payable to:
ArtWorks Foundation / 60 North Century / Memphis, TN 38111.

JURY DETAILS

Average number of applications submitted each year:

180

Average number of artists selected from the jury to participate in the event:

70

Average number of exempt from jury artists who are invited to participate in the event:

4

How returning artists are selected:

Received an award

Vendors that are excluded/ineligible:

No stringers, or anyone using kits should apply. Our standards are very high. All artists must be present.

How images are viewed by jurors:

Computer monitor

Comments for “Select the method in which images are reviewed at the jury.”

The jury reviews applications seperately and later confers to review scores.

Within a medium category, applications are sorted and viewed by:

Random Order

Jurors score applications using the following scale:

1 – 5

Comments for Scoring System.

1 is lowest 5 is highest

Number of jurors scoring applications:

5

The show organizes the jurors for a:

Single jury panel that scores applications for all medium categories

Jurors score

Separately from various locations

Am I allowed to observe the jury process?

Jury process is closed

The Role We Play

ArtWorks Foundation is a 501{c}3 non-profit focused on helping artists grow, in their business and their work, through programs including exhibitions and education initiatives.

             ArtWorks Foundation stages juried shows, ranging from intimate Art Gallery experiences to large Art Festivals  featuring the work of Fine-Craft Artists

Promoting public appreciation for skillfully made utilitarian and decorative objects created by Artists working in 3-D Disciplines, such as glass, metal, clay, fiber, wood, & other media,  is our primary focus, but we do from time to time offer programs that include painters, photographers, 

and other visual artists.

In addition to providing artists with exhibition opportunities, our programs include scholarship awards to established artists for advanced study workshops at schools for Fine-Craft. We are also working to build a regional center for Fine Craft, as well as an endowment to fund Emergency Relief Grants to help area artists resume careers derailed by disasters or catastrophic illness.    

ArtWorks Foundation

Mail: 60 North Century, Memphis TN 38111

Phone: 901.327.4019

Event Agreement

Art in The Loop 2023

ArtWorks Foundation, the show’s sponsors, and the venue, assume no liability for any Exhibitor’s loss through fire, theft or other causes.  All exhibitors will display their work at their own risk. It is understood that neither Art in The Loop, nor ArtWorks Foundation, nor the venue, nor event sponsors, carry insurance to cover personal property of any exhibitor. Exhibitors are considered to be independent contractors, and it is strongly suggested that exhibitors obtain their own insurance.
 
Unless the show is cancelled by the promoters (or government). No refund of fees will be made except in the case of a death in the artists’ immediate family within the two weeks prior to the show (subject to verification suitable to ArtWorks Foundation), or in extreme cases of illness (subject to verification suitable to ArtWorks Foundation),  at the sole discretion of Art Works Foundation’s Board of Directors. If refunds are offered, some portion of the fees involved may be retained.
 
No person will be excluded from participation in or otherwise subjected to discrimination in regard to services, programs and employment provided by ArtWorks Foundation based on color, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, age or religion: we only discriminate against lack of talent and skill.

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