New Western Talent 2023
Open Call: February 06 – May 21, 2023
New Western Talent is the premier juried online exhibition and sale highlighting up-and-coming artists focusing on landscape, cowboy, Native and wildlife subjects, represented in styles varying from abstract to photorealistic and classic to contemporary. Artists are juried on a three-piece body of work.
Exhibition History
First held in 2020 as the first online exhibition in the western genre, New Western Talent has launched and supported the careers of numerous professional artists who are now regulars on the national show circuit, selling work through multiple reputable galleries and exhibiting in museums throughout the West. Are you next?
Entry Details
New, emerging and mid-career artists ages 18+ are invited to submit work for consideration for New Western Talent. International applicants and all mediums are welcome.
Categories include Drawing, Painting, Photography, Digital Media, Mixed-Media/Collage, Relief, Sculpture and Other Media.
Previous years’ artists and applicants are welcome and encouraged to apply!
Judging Criteria
- Artists are to present 3 pieces to be reviewed as a small body of work
- Attention will be paid to aesthetics, concept, subject and execution. All styles are welcome.
Awards/Prizes/Benefits
- Best in Show award based on jury scores, featured on the WG instagram feed and archived on the WG website.
- Best in Category awards based on jury scores for Drawing, Painting, Photography, Digital Media and Mixed-Media/Collage. Winners will be featured on the WG instagram feed and archived on the WG website.
- Curator’s Award to be chosen by gallery director, featured on the WG instagram feed and archived on the WG website.
- People’s Choice award featured on the WG instagram feed and archived on the WG website.
- Top 10 Finalists will be featured on the WG instagram feed and archived on the WG website.
- All exhibited works will be offered for sale by Western Gallery for the duration of the show.
- All submissions will be considered to be featured on social media and podcast interviews.
Additional prizes TBA
2023 Jury
Curator, writer, and strategist for artists and non-profits, Fredrick has produced decades of exhibitions that have raised considerable funds for scholarships and education while launching artists’ careers. Her writing has appeared in numerous publications and has been used in workshops, college courses, and museum exhibitions.
Caroline Frost is the Assistant Director at The Commerce Gallery, a contemporary art gallery in Lockhart, Texas, that features notable ‘Western’ artists among its wider contemporary art programming. Frost is an independent curator and art writer who regularly contributes to Glasstire.
One of the biggest voices in the American art world, Michael Clawson is the executive editor of International Artist Publishing, which publishes Western Art Collector, Native American Art and American Art Collector to name a few titles. Michael also hosts the American Art Collective podcast.
Application Requirements
WORKS PER ENTRY
3 works must be submitted per application. One application per artist.
MEDIUM
All wall-hangable mediums are welcome.
ACCEPTED SIZES
Since “wall space” isn’t an issue, any size is welcome. However, since shipping expenses should be included in the pricing, a size range from 8 x 8″ to 36 x 36″ is recommended. That said, larger sizes will not disqualify an application.
ACCEPTED FINISHES
All works must be ready to hang before the show opens.
APPLICATION PHOTO REQUIREMENTS
- One tightly-cropped image of the work (full image, no frame or background)
Technical Notes:
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- Photos must be at least 1200px on the short side
- Files must be 12 MB or less
- Files must be in JPG, JPEG or PNG format
- Files must be named using the pattern:
- lastname-title-of-work.jpg
EXHIBITION PHOTO REQUIREMENTS *
* Only requested if juried into the show—after acceptance notifications.
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- One head-on image of the work hung or displayed as finished (framed, gallery wrapped, wood cradle, etc.)
- One angled image of the work hung or displayed as finished
- One artist profile image
- One landscape-oriented VIDEO documenting the work — a smartphone video is perfect. The idea is to convey the sense of the work as an object, showing angles, texture and/or detail. It doesn’t have to be perfect.
- Please upload your video to YouTube or Vimeo.
- Example One, Example Two
* Special note for PHOTOGRAPHERS and/or DIGITAL ARTISTS: Unless you have physical framed prints on hand, you may send only your head-on image and a mock-up of what your work can look like once printed and framed. No video will be required.
PRICING
Each original work must be priced at no less than $250. Please include estimated framing and shipping expenses in the price, as works will be offered with “free shipping” or “shipping included.” Frame price should also be included.
SHIPPING
Works are to be shipped domestically at the artists’ expense, only upon sale. For international orders, shipping may be paid by the buyer.
SALE TERMS
- Standard terms are a 60/40 split (60% of sale funds going to the artist).
- Participating artists must sign a consignment contract upon acceptance to the show.
Application
February 06 – 28: $25 (Earlybird Discount)
March 01 – May 21: $35
Why is there an application fee?
Fees go entirely to the production of the exhibit, promotion and show administration. WG doesn’t believe in “pay to play” or vanity galleries; we’re here to support and promote artists, so our fees are set as low as possible while still allowing us to host a high quality exhibition. Kate Mothes of the contemporary venue Young Space has a great article about Open Calls and application fees that just about sums it up. Please check it out if you’re concerned about the fee.
Important Dates
Application Deadline: May 21, 2023
All application materials must be submitted by Sunday, May 21. Fees will not be refunded for incomplete applications.
Acceptance Notifications: June 09, 2023
Acceptance status will be sent to all applicants. Accepted entries will need to upload additional photos and info for each work.
Show and Sale: July 08 – August 07, 2023
The show will be live online, with work for sale beginning July 08, 2023. The sale will close on August 07, 2023, and the show will be archived.