DC ArtBank - Call to Artists

Art Bank

In support of visual artists and art galleries in the Washington metropolitan area, artwork is purchased each year to expand the District’s Art Bank Collection, a growing collection of moveable works funded through DC Creates Public Art! Works in this collection are owned by DCCAH under the District’s Art in Public Places Program and loaned to other District Government agencies for display in public areas of government buildings. A segment of the collection is devoted to works that visually document Washington, highlighting the beauty and charm of our residents, neighborhoods, parks, avenues, and local landmarks. Washington's collection helps preserve the city's past and is an important legacy for future generations.

Currently there are over 2,500 artworks in the Art Bank Collection, installed in more than 150 District Government agencies. An open call is initiated each year to invite local artists to submit artwork for consideration of purchase into the collection, providing the selected artists with financial and professional benefits. A selection committee is formed to review prospective works and to make final selections of all new acquisitions. Once purchased, the artwork is documented, framed and installed in public areas of District government agencies, improving the environment in public facilities for District employees and residents alike.

The DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities (DCCAH) is seeking to purchase two and three-dimensional works of art including, but not limited to, prints, drawings, mixed media compositions, paintings, photographs, ceramics, and moveable sculptures to be included in the Art Bank Collection. We also strongly encourage submissions by video artists and other technological innovators as we look to expand the Art Bank Collection to include more diverse and dynamic forms of contemporary art. Representational, conceptual, and abstract works will be equally considered.

This year, the Art Bank application process will be done entirely online. Please follow dcarts.slideroom.com to find the Art Bank II 2012 Call to Artists. In order to access the application, all applicants will first be prompted to create a SlideRoom account, at no cost. Once logged into their new account, each applicant artist will be allowed to submit up to ten labeled images to be considered for acquisition into the Art Bank. All artwork submitted must be available for purchase upon submission and must be created with archival materials. Work shall not exceed 96" in any direction or 100lbs in weight.

In addition to ten images of prospective artwork, a completed online application will include:

•An artist statement
• A current CV or resume
• An image list of all works submitted, in the order of submission

ARTIST ELIGIBILITY:
This call is open to all artists who reside or maintain studio space in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. However, preference will be given to District residents.

CALENDAR:
Tuesday, October 30: Deadline for submission. Entries must be received no later than 11:59PM.
Friday, November 9: Preliminary selections made from image entries.
Week of November 19-23: Artists required to drop off artwork for viewing per notification.
Tuesday, November 27: Final selections made
Week of December 3-7: Artists required to pick up works that are not accepted

For More Information, contact Zoma Wallace, Curator and Art Collections Manager
of DCCAH at Zoma.Wallace@dc.gov or 202.724.5613