Cumberland Art Bank Annual Acquisition

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

Applications for 2024 are now closed.
The Call for Applications closed on July 1, 2024.

You MUST read the Eligibility & Submission Guidelines and Definition of a Professional Artist below before proceeding.

Appendix A: Cumberland County Art Bank Guidelines

MISSION STATEMENT:

The Cumberland County Art Bank (the Art Bank) encourages the development of artistic

excellence and stimulates awareness of, and interest in, visual arts and fine craft. This

is accomplished through the acquisition and maintenance of a working collection of

visual art by Cumberland County area artists and/or visual art reflecting, and inspired

by, the Cumberland County region of Nova Scotia.

PROGRAM GOALS:

The goals of the Art Bank and the Art Bank Purchase Program are as follows:

• To represent the best of visual expression in Cumberland County;

• To encourage and support artistic creation in Cumberland County;

• To stimulate public interest in Cumberland County visual arts and fine craft

   beyond Cumberland County;

• To enhance the presence of art in Cumberland County;

• To raise awareness of Cumberland County artists and their works; and

• Increase the value of the arts sector in Cumberland County communities. 

CUMBERLAND ART BANK POLICY:

The ultimate goal of the program will be to benefit both visual artists and the public.

Public display locations of the collection will be established by the Advisory Committee

with the commitment to keeping the collection together and accessible to the public.

Additionally, through the purchase and vigilant management of the artwork, the program

will demonstrate the value of the arts sector in Cumberland County.

The Art Bank program shall facilitate the acquisition of artwork that meets the Art Bank

submission requirements.

In addition to the annual Acquisition Program, the Art Bank will allow for scheduled

opportunity to include gifted work that has been juried. Gifted work will not replace

annual acquisitions. Gifted work will be evaluated on artistic merit alone. Gifted work is

seen as an opportunity to fulfill an expanded scope of visual arts that is meant to

inspire.

Property/artwork accumulated by the Art Bank will remain in the ownership of The

Municipality of the County of Cumberland to ensure this collection remains public

property to be displayed in a public viewing location as a complete collection.

It is understood that various communities in Cumberland County are and will be invited

to participate in the development of the Art Bank. Inclusion will be extended to advisory

committee, juries and travelling art show locations.

The Art Bank will be managed by an Advisory Committee that will be administrated

under the legal not for profit organization, Parrsboro Creative.

The Art Bank funds will be managed through a separate account, isolated from the

operational banking account of Parrsboro Creative.

Successful artists will be requested to sign an agreement that relinquishes all

reproduction rights of the work being purchased. Reproduction, authorized by Parrsboro

Creative, will be limited to fifty (50) artist signed prints. Any further reproduction must be

requested by the Advisory Committee and signed approval must be obtained from the

artist.

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: (Funding of Annual Art Purchase)

The funds for the annual purchase of each art piece will be supplied in part through the sale of

reproductions of the art piece(s) purchased in the previous year(s).

ADVISORY COMMITTEE:

The Advisory committee will be comprised of a minimum of five and a maximum of

eight persons. Persons sitting on the Advisory Committee will be requested to sit for a

three year term, with the exception of the previous successful awarded artist.

One committee position will be retained at all times from each of the following parties:

• Cumberland County Municipality

• Parrsboro Creative

• Cumberland County resident artist

The other positions will be filled through a call for application, posted in the appropriate

municipal and artistic sites within Cumberland County.

The previous successful awarded artist may be offered an automatic position on the

committee, for a one year term only.

Representation of surrounding communities within Cumberland County will be sought

out. Positions will not be restricted to Cumberland County only.

The existing committee will be responsible for choosing the replacement Advisory

Committee.

JURY:

• The Jury is composed of three to five established, knowledgeable, professional

individuals, who represent, over time, a balance of visual arts practice.

• Jury members for the Art Bank Program may be nominated by artists, individuals

in the sector and members of the Advisory Committee or the public at large.

• In selecting Jury members, the Art Bank Advisory Committee will consider names

submitted in response to the semi annual call for nominations as well as internal

lists maintained by the program.

• Jury members shall serve for a period of two years from the time of selection.

• The previous year’s successful acquisition artist is invited to sit on the jury for

one year

ARTISTS’ ELIGIBILITY FOR SUBMISSIONS:

• The Art Bank will only purchase work from living artists.

• Artists who are residents of Cumberland County and area are a priority.

• Any and all artists are eligible. Establishing a Cumberland County and area

connection will be significant to the jury.

• Artists with professional status and or merit will be eligible. *see footnote

• Members of the Jury or the Advisory Committee (or their immediate families) are

not eligible to submit a work for consideration while the individual is a member of

either committee.

ARTWORK ELIBILITY:

1. Only original artwork, owned by the artist will be eligible.

2. Artwork in various media will be eligible for selection: Ceramics, Drawing, Fibre,

Glass, Metal, Painting, Photography, Printmaking, Sculpture, Stone, Mixed Media.

The artwork must be suitable for installation in a public space and be

transportable for future exhibit locations.

3. Materials used in the creation of artworks should be of archival quality.

4. Reproductions or photographic reproductions of artwork will not be eligible for

submission or purchase.

5. Project proposals for future works are not eligible. Artwork submitted must be

complete and available for purchase, regardless of their artistic merit.

6. There will be no limit on the date of creation of artwork submitted to the Art Bank

purchase program.

7. Artwork (including abstract work) must reflect or be inspired by the Cumberland region of Nova Scotia.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

• A detailed submission form is required for each artwork submitted. The form is

available at parrsborocreative/cumberland-art-bank-submission-2024

• Artists may submit a maximum of two artworks for consideration annually.

• Images of the work must be submitted as JPEG files by email.  Image resolution should be no less than 300dpi.

• A maximum of four images of each work submitted by the artist, with

background information, if needed, may be provided on the application.

• An artist statement or short biography (maximum 200 words) must be included.

• A brief resume noting education and/or apprenticeship, experience, professional

and artistic achievements must be included.

• The requested price for artworks should reflect the current market value of the

artwork, including HST. Higher than market value prices may not be considered for purchase by

the jury.

• Applications must arrive at the stated location by the stated deadline date and time.

• The artist relinquishes limited reproduction rights if the submission is successful.

SELECTION PROCESS:

A peer Jury composed of three to five established, knowledgeable, professional individuals, who represent, over time, a balance of visual arts practice, will review all applications. A

purchase recommendation based on artistic merit will be decided and forwarded to the

Cumberland Art Bank Advisory Committee.

*Footnote

Definition of professional artist:

• You have an inventory of properly finished work. You have other completed works, already in final show form to be able to exhibit at any time. If a gallery owner or collector were to come to your studio, they would find a body of work to view and select from.

• You have received feedback that your art has an audience—not just friends and family. You have a history of shows and sales. Your work attracts media attention, interest and excitement.

• You develop business relationships. You are able to commit time and attention to building and nurturing relationships. You know how important it is to relate professionally and engage with those in the art world, and you are both ready and willing to do so.

• You have the resources to exhibit and market your work. You present your work professionally and meticulously.  You have professional marketing materials and web site.

• You understand how the art market works. This is a constantly changing environment, but you have taken the time and trouble to research and understand what you need to know about how to access your audience and market

• You have good photographs of your art, a one to two page resume, and an artist statement. You’ve put in the time, effort and resources to create professional materials to present your work and your credentials.

• You have consistent pricing and a pricing policy. You know how to price your work so that you are competitive in the market. There is logic to your pricing and that logic is obvious to prospective buyers. The consistent development of your signature contributes to the consistently rising value of your work