FAQ

Frequently asked questions about the 2022 Yarmouth Art Festival

For artists:

Q: What is a “juried show”?
A:
Unlike an open show, where any artist can exhibit any works, in a juried show, artists submit pieces for consideration, and the jury selects pieces for the show.

Q: What are the criteria for jurying?  
A: Jurors are primarily selecting artwork based on the quality of each piece.  Secondary considerations include the show’s overall mix of subject matter, media, prices and sizes. Jurors gather as a group (either in person or virtually) and strive for consensus on the selected pieces. The jurors typically pick no more than three pieces for any one artist.

Q: If my work isn’t chosen, can I get some feedback to improve my chances next year?
A: The jurying process is unique each year: different artists, different art, different subjects, different jurors. There’s no way to predict what a given jury will pick in a given year. It’s not unusual that an artist’s work is chosen one year and not the next, and vice versa. Submit your best work, celebrate if your work is chosen, and try again next year if not.

Q: Who decides the prices of artwork? 
A: Each artist decides the price as part of the submission process.

Q: Do I need to have a professional photographer make the digital image of my artwork entry?
A.
 No, but it is very important that the digital image captures the quality of your artwork. Most images submitted to the show are taken by the artists themselves and usually work very well for the jurors. Occasionally, the jurors have been frustrated that they had to pass over artworks because of a poor digital image, when a good image might have made the difference. Be sure the image is sharp, not tilted or angled, and well lit. Make a number of images and select the one that best represents your artwork.

Q:  Are there any criteria for the file size of the submitted digital image, or pixels or resolution? 
A:   Please use only JPEG or JPG file formats, 10mb or smaller. Our online submission system resizes images so they fit on the screen, so no worries about resolution or pixels.

Q:  Will my chances for selection increase if I enter the maximum 10 pieces?  
A. Not necessarily. The jurors are primarily choosing based on quality. However, they are also seeking a diversity of styles, media, genre, subject matter, size and price. In other words, offering some variety in your submissions may help, but the most important consideration is to submit your best work.

Q: Do I need to make up a label with the info about the painting such as title, dimensions, medium, price?  
A:  No, we create those labels from the information you submit when entering.

Q: I’ll be away during the artwork drop-off or pickup time. What should I do?
A: This is not unusual, and artists in this situation typically have been able to enlist a friend or fellow artist to help. (There are NO OTHER TIMES when artwork can be dropped off or picked up)

Q: I entered last year. Should I log in with the same account info? 
A: No, you’ll need to create a new account. The system is cleared of all entries and accounts from the prior year.  Click on “Enter Artwork” to create a new account and enter artwork.

Q: How do I change the image I uploaded?
A: To replace the image on an entry, go to the page to edit the entry. Mouse over the image and you’ll see an X appear at the upper right. Click the X and you’ll delete the image, and can upload another.

Q: Help! One of my artwork images is appearing upside down! I’ve tried flipping and re-uploading but it’s still upside-down.
A: Unfortunately, we’ve seen rare occasions where this happens. Email us at info@yarmouthartfestival.com and we can fix it on our end.

Q: Help! I’m trying to use my iPhone/iPad/tablet to enter, and it’s not working! 
A: Unfortunately, we’ve seen rare occasions where this happens. If you run into this issue, the only solution is to use a computer instead.

Q:  Help! When writing the description of my artwork, after a few sentences, the box stopped letting me type! 
A: You’ve hit the 300-character limit on the description for each piece. This is so it will fit on the display card at the show. Edit your description to fit.

Q: The rules say artwork must be “ready to hang.” Does that mean it has to be framed? If I bring my artwork and it doesn’t have hanging wire attached, what happens?  
A:    Artwork must be ready to hang, with an attached wire. This is because the hooks we use on our display panels only work with wire. Pieces do not need to be framed, however. For example, a canvas stretched on a wooden frame can have hanging wire attached.  If your artwork is not ready to hang when you deliver it, you will need to fix it and return. Hanging supplies are not available at the venue.

Q: I submitted 4 entries, but when the Show Catalog appeared after jurying, only one showed up as my entry. Does that mean that only one was selected for the show? 
A:  That’s correct. The “Show Catalog” is the official (and only) notification of which pieces have been juried into the show.

Q: I tried logging in (after the entries closed) and it wouldn’t let me log in, Why not?
A: The log-in function is only used during the entry process, when artists can enter and edit their submissions. After entries close, the log-in system is shut off and accounts are closed.

Q:  How will I be notified if a piece is sold? And then how do I get it to the buyer?  
A: If a piece is sold during the in-person show (Oct. 18-21), your notification is the Show Catalog, which will indicate “Sold” on every sold piece. Be sure to check the Show Catalog before coming to pick up unsold pieces at the end of the show. Buyers at the in-person show pick up their purchases on-location when the show ends Oct. 21.
If a piece is sold during the online show (Oct. 21-Nov.4) we will notify you and the buyer by email,  and you will arrange pickup or shipping.

Q: I have specified “Shipping Available” on my artwork. What are my responsibilities?
A:  You and the buyer will work out all arrangements, including the type of shipping, any insurance and packing criteria, and how you will receive payment for the shipping. Yarmouth Art Festival will handle the purchase transaction for the artwork, but is not responsible for any aspect of shipping, including payment.

Q: When can I expect payment for a sale?  
A:
We send checks within 30 days after the end of the show (or 30 days after an online sale is made). This year, our deadline for sending checks from the in-person show is Nov. 21. An  exception would be if there is a delay in delivering a purchase made in the online show. In that case, payment will be made after we confirm that the artwork has been delivered.

Q: What if I sell my artwork myself after the in-person show ends, but it is still in the online Oct. 21-Nov. 4  show/sale?
A: Please notify us ASAP so we can mark the item as “sold” in the catalog, to avoid another buyer purchasing a piece that is no longer available.

For buyers:

Q: How will sales happen this year? Will you have an in-person show and online sales?
A: For 2023, we will do in-person sales only during the physical show (Oct. 18-21),  and a two-week online show and sale of the Show Catalog after the physical show, from Oct. 21 to Nov. 4.  By not having online sales during the show, we avoid the risk of someone purchasing a piece online at the same time someone else is purchasing it in person.

Q: Will all pieces shown at the in-person show be part of the online sale after the show?
A: While all pieces juried into the in-person show are eligible for the online show, artists can opt out of the following online sale. For instance, they may have a commitment at another show.

Q: Can I purchase a piece before the show opens?
A: No. Sales begin when the show opens, at 10am Oct. 18. However, we do not prohibit artists from selling a piece on their own before the show. In that case, we will mark the piece “sold” and edit the description to include a note saying the artist sold the piece before the show opened. (Artists agree to share a reduced commission with the show if the buyer found the piece on the show website.)

Q:  If I purchase a piece during the online show, but I don’t like it when I see it in person, can I cancel my purchase? 
A: All sales are final. We recognize this policy may discourage some sales, but it would not be fair to all buyers if a piece is, in essence, “held for approval” until the end of the show. If you have any questions about a piece of art, we encourage you to contact the artist directly to discuss or ask for additional images.

Q: Is all the artwork framed?  What if a piece says it is framed, but the image online doesn’t show the frame?
A: Artists are asked to specify in the description if a piece is framed, and what the framed dimensions are. Some artists include the frame in their online image, and some don’t.  If you have any questions during the online show/sale, we strongly encourage you to contact the artist before purchasing; to get contact info, simply click on the artist’s name, which links to their info page including email address.

Q: What kinds of payment do you accept?
A: For the in-person show (Oct. 18-21), we accept cash, checks and credit cards. For the online-only sale (Oct. 21-Nov.4), we accept only major credit cards.

Q: How do I receive my purchase?
A: If you purchase during the in-person show, Oct. 18-21, you may pick up your purchase when the show ends, from 3-5:30 on Saturday, Oct. 21, or from noon-2pm Sunday Oct. 22 at the show location, St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church in Yarmouth. These are the only times for pickup. If you are not available, please arrange for someone to pick up for you.
If you purchase during the online sale, from Oct. 21-Nov. 4, you will arrange with the artist for pickup or shipping (if offered). Some artwork will mention “Shipping Available” in the description, which means the artist is willing to arrange packing and shipping. Shipping (and packing and handling) charges are not included in the purchase price. If you are interested in making a purchase that will involve shipping, we encourage you to contact the artist and discuss arrangements before making the purchase. Individual artists’ email addresses are displayed on their profile page.

Q: I live out of state. Is shipping available?  
A: In some cases, artists are willing to arrange packing and shipping. This will be indicated in the description of the artwork saying “Shipping Available.”  Shipping (and packing and handling) charges are not included in the purchase price. If you are interested in making a purchase that will involve shipping, we encourage you to contact the artist and discuss arrangements before making the purchase. Individual artists’ email addresses are displayed on the site with their other information.

Q: If I purchase a piece from an artist who lives near me, can we make our own arrangements for delivery?  
A: Certainly. Simply contact the artist and work out an arrangement that works for you both. Click on the artist’s name on the artwork to see their info and email address.