Entry Period through October 31, 2023

Artists and creatives residing in Alaska are invited to submit digital images and/or videos of artwork for possible solo, group, or curated exhibitions in the Bear Gallery for the year 2025. The Bear Gallery is open year-round and attracts many visitors, both local and international. Each month, the Bear Gallery shows two exhibitions by Alaskan artists/groups working in a variety of media. 

Exhibition types include:

• Solo Exhibition: One artist; 
• Group Exhibition: Separate works of two or more artists;
• Curated Exhibition: Curator selects theme/conceptual focus and selects included artwork. 

Curated and group exhibitions must have an organizing representative who will operate as the point-of-contact for any and all communication with Fairbanks Arts surrounding the exhibition. Submissions are reviewed by a panel of professional Alaskan artists through a blind jury process. Applications for exhibition are selected on the merit of the work samples and content of the submitted artist statement. Work samples should be cohesive and illustrate the artist/group’s ability to create a strong body of work. Applicants will be notified of their application status in early 2024.Fairbanks Arts’ goals for the exhibition year include:

• Showcasing contemporary artwork created by Alaskan artists. 
• A diverse range of exhibitions in media, subject matter, and artists’ backgrounds.
• Exhibitions that facilitate community engagement and dialogue. Fairbanks Arts strives to create connections among our community through the arts, and exhibitions that bring together individuals, groups, organizations, or various parts of the Fairbanks/statewide community further this goal. 

Application Notes: Artists may submit only one solo application per review period. Group or curated exhibitions that call for an entry fee, or that require a public call for art to be facilitated by Fairbanks Arts cannot be submitted for review. 

The submission deadline is October 31, 2023, 9:59 p.m. AKST.

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Eligibility & Terms of Application

This call is open to residents of Alaska ages 18 or older. To be considered a resident for the purposes of this application, applicants must reside in Alaska for at least six months out of the year. An artist/group may have an exhibition in the Bear Gallery once every four years; thus, any artist/group who has had an exhibition in 2021 or prior are eligible for consideration this year. Curated exhibitions are not subject to this policy.

Artwork must be original works of art by the submitting applicant, except for curated exhibitions. If selected for an exhibition, artwork in the exhibition must be completed within the last two years; however, work samples used for the purposes of this application can be up to five years old. Information contained in this application, including all attachments and supporting material must be true and correct. 

Submission of an application for exhibition constitutes agreement to meet the Bear Gallery’s scheduling needs for the exhibition year 2025, beginning in February 2025. Any selected artist unable to meet the Bear Gallery’s schedule may have to resubmit for review in the following year. 

An artist/group selected for exhibition will be provided an exhibition contract with details and timeline that must be adhered to. If awarded an exhibition, information contained in this application, such as the submitted work samples and artist website, may be used for educational and promotional purposes by Fairbanks Arts Association.

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Application Components

Up to 10 images/videos of work completed within the last five years:

• Between 7-10 work samples must be uploaded in the “My Portfolio” section of CaFE. Samples should reflect high-quality work completed within the last five years. Up to three video files may be uploaded (this is included in the maximum of 10 uploads).
• Work samples should be cohesive and illustrate the artist’s ability to create a strong body of work. Samples submitted do not need to include any specific artworks that artists/groups hope to exhibit in the Bear Gallery.
• For applications for group shows, please submit at least one image/video of an artwork by each participating artist.

Artist statement: The blind jury will review artist statements. The inclusion of any names or studio names will result in Fairbanks Arts discarding the statement. See the artist statement section for more information.

Artist resume: Applicable for solo, curated, and small group exhibitions only. Not to exceed two pages and must be submitted as a PDF. Resumes should include relevant education, training, and gallery exhibitions. The artist resume is not visible to the review panel.

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Submitting a Portfolio for Review

The application process is through the CaFÉ (Call for Entry.org) website. CaFÉ has become an industry-standard, pulling together thousands of calls for art into one location. Once you have your artist profile and portfolio set up on CaFÉ, applying to multiple calls for art is simple and efficient.

If you are new to using CaFÉ, visit this help page for artists for tips and instructions, including tutorial videos.

Media Specifications: See a list of acceptable file formats at https://www.callforentry.org/artist-help-cafe/uploading-media/

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Entry Fee

Current Fairbanks Arts Association Members: $30*

Non-member: $35. Become a Fairbanks Arts Association Member here.

*FAA Members must contact gallery@fairbanksarts.org to receive the coupon code.

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Submit your portfolio for a 2025 exhibition in the Bear Gallery here!  

For questions, email gallery@fairbanksarts.org or call (907) 251-8386 ext. 3

Fairbanks Arts programs are made possible by individual and corporate contributions, the City of Fairbanks Hotel/Motel Bed Tax, Fairbanks North Star Borough, and the Alaska State Council on the Arts.