Home
>
Representation
Representation
Representation (you are now here)
Misrepresentation represents the single biggest challenge facing the industry. The way you represent yourself to the consumer reflects on every artist and the show. To meet this challenge, the MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival has set policy as stated in your agreement, and further defined here:
The MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival expects all artists to comply with all regulations and respect artistry standards. We reserve the right and responsibility to ensure compliance of all regulations. Our position is disclosure. The festival requires that all artists be present in their booth, disclose their creative, technical and mechanical process to the consumer to make them aware of what they are buying, and display original works of art as per their specific juried medium. Failure to represent yourself and your work accurately can be grounds for fraud, which is a federal offense. It is also specific grounds for removal from the show.
The festival requires every participating artist to:
Show a valid photo ID at check-in and have it present with you throughout the Festival. This is applicable to both the artist and the collaborating partner, and it must match the information provided in your application. IDs will be checked on a daily basis each morning by our staff;
Only the Artist and the collaborating partner, if applicable, will have their name published on our website, in our program, on booth signs, programs, etc. Assistants will have badges made if this information is included on the Information Form; however, an assistant does not substitute for an artist.
An Artist Statement and headshot will be required as part of your submission to our office. We will publish the Statement and the headshot in our web materials, and we will also print a Festival Artist Statement for posting in the booth. This Artist Statement must be prominently displayed.
You and your partner must be present in your booth for the operating hours of the Festival unless specifically approved otherwise in advance by the Director in writing.
Only original works produced solely by the Artist, or by the Artist working with their collaborative partner may be sold (the use of assistants in this process must be clearly disclosed in the Artist Statement – see below).
Collaborative partners may NOT sell works of their own.
Artists are NOT allowed to sell any works not specifically defined within the medium under which the Artist was invited to show.
No dealers, agents or representatives are permitted.
The recourse for the violation of any of the rules as defined above is removal from the show without recourse, and a report to the US Justice Department hotline concerning fraud may also be made.
Peer Jurors
On your Information Form, we ask if you would like to serve as a Peer Juror. Peer Jurors will be contacted during the show and asked to assist the show to identify misrepresentations. That is to say, if a question comes up about the nature of an artist’s work, the Peer Juror in the category will be asked to assist the Director in making a determination of the authenticity of the artist’s work. We will not, under any circumstances, request or expect any artist to assume a role of enforcer. It is important to note, however, that you can assist the show in this regard. If you have questions or are aware of infractions, please bring them to the attention of the show producers. If you are not comfortable with these policies or the policies outlined in the prospectus, please call Jay Downie immediately at 513 615 1474 (cell).
Reproductions
If you are exhibiting in a category in which reproductions are part of your inventory, you must adhere to the following guidelines:
All reproductions must be clearly and individually labeled as “reproduction.” Each artist selling reproductions must place a sticker in the upper right hand corner of the reproduction identifying it as a reproduction;
Reproduction limited editions are to be clearly defined and must be signed and numbered in pencil;
Reproductions may not occupy wall space in the artist's booth;
Browsing bins are limited to those shown in jury slides and may be limited in number by the festival;
No postcards, note cards, posters, or any other offset prints are permitted.
Artist must define “reproduction” and the type reproduction they are selling in their Artist Statement.
For photographers: The above applies in spirit. However, all photographers must, in addition, disclose the edition sizes and numbers as well as the process by which the photos are made.
The Artist’s Statement
The intent of the Artist’s Statement is to “insure that the public understands what it is seeing, who made it and how.”*
(*NAIA Newsletter, Winter 1998, Volume 3, Number 1)
The MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival requires all exhibiting artists to prominently display an Artist Statement and we will be producing these for each of our Exhibiting Artists using the information you provide us in your materials. Please do not use excessive prose. Straight, to the point, with a creative presentation, is the best method. If you sell reproductions of any kind you must include the process and definition of “reproduction,” “limited edition” or “print.”
The purpose of the Artist Statement is to identify, inform and educate. All the pertinent information of how you produce your work should be disclosed.
Include:
Your juried medium and the process you use.
A head shot.
An optional image of your work environment or process.
If assistants are used, a concise description of their involvement must be included.
Where appropriate, identify materials and unique methods of handling the materials.*
(*NAIA Newsletter, Winter 1998, Volume 3, Number 1)