[last update: 03-03-2021]

General Submission Prospectus, Guidelines, and Instructions

Thank you for submitting your artwork in response to our Call for Submissions! Please carefully read and understand these guidelines and instructions.  

One of the most crucial requirements of this and all of our call for submissions is that you upload high-quality images with your submission. Submitted work is reviewed for its overall Design/Quality, Skill Level/Technique, Originality/Authenticity, and its potential Marketability.

1. Please carefully read and understand the following:

  • Your submission(s) image(s) must represent the actual artwork as closely as possible. Images of work that are misrepresented in any way or are not properly photographed are not acceptable.

  • This prospectus covers all calls for submissions for photography, paintings, drawings, digital, mixed media, fabric art, chalk, ink, pastels, wax, graphite, sculpture, and printmaking. It also covers craft and artisanry basketry, fiber/textiles, furniture, glasswork, jewelry, leatherwork, metalwork, papercraft, pottery/ceramics, and woodwork.

  • All submissions must be the original work of the submitting artist.

  • All submissions must not infringe the rights of any other party.

  • The submitting artist must:

    • Be the sole owner of the copyright in all photographs.

    • Have written permission of any people featured in the submitted images or of their parents/guardians if children under 18 are featured.

    • Artist is fully responsible to obtain all model or property releases.

2. To be accepted for consideration, all submissions:

  • Must be made online via the call for submission’s corresponding submission form.

  • Must adhere to these and any call-specific guidelines.

  • Must include online payment or will not be accepted.

3. All artwork images submitted for consideration must comply with the following:

  • Only jpeg files are accepted.

    • Images must be 300 PPI.

    • Longest side = 2000 px.

    • 2 MB size limit.

    • No watermarked images are allowed.

  • All submitted image files must be labeled as follows with the artist’s: 

    • last name_first name_title of work_date of completion_medium.jpg

    • Please make sure that you use underscores between your name, the title of the work, the date of completion, and the medium

      EXAMPLE: davinci_leonardo_monalisa_1506_oil.jpg

  • Images that require resizing for submission:

    • We suggest IrfanView FREEWARE graphic viewer.

4. Costs of submission and other considerations:

  • The submission fee is, AS STATED ON THE CORRESPONDING CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS, for up to 3 entries. You may submit only one or two images or all three per submission form.

  • The submission fee is non-refundable.

  • No changes to images or quantities may be made after you submit it.

  • No changes to the information may be made after you submit it.

  • You cannot resubmit without paying another entry fee.

  • PLEASE NOTE: Accepted submissions do not guarantee inclusion into the show work was submitted to.

  • The Dartmouth Cultural Center (gallery) maintains sole discretion in accepting/rejecting entries.

  • The Dartmouth Cultural Center (gallery) decision is final.

5. Accepted submissions:

  • If your submission is (or has been) accepted, a link from the show you have been accepted to will be provided to you for use on your website or for your social media sites.

  • Artists whose work(s) have been accepted will be notified by email.

  • Generally, artists are notified within two weeks after the call for submissions closes.

  • A list of accepted artists will be published on the Dartmouth Cultural Center website and our Facebook, and Instagram pages.

6. Representation, sales, and commissions:

  • The artist maintains sole copyright.

  • Accepted entries are exclusively represented by the Dartmouth Cultural Center (DCC) for the duration of the exhibit, as well as the week before and two weeks after.

  • Work exhibited and sold through Dartmouth Cultural Center:

    • The selling price provided by the artist MUST include their shipping and handling costs within the continental United States if it is a REQUIREMENT OF SUBMISSION or IF NOT, take into consideration the highest possible shipping and handling costs within the continental United States when calculating their selling price.

      • EXAMPLE: A artwork offered at $475 that will cost $250, in a worst-case scenario, to ship from the east coast to the west coast may affect the potential for a sale. The suggestion then is to increase the sales price accordingly.

    • The artist receives a sales commission based on the sale price AS STATED ON THE SHOW-SPECIFIC SUBMISSION FORM.

    • DCC retains a sales commission AS STATED ON THE SHOW-SPECIFIC SUBMISSION FORM.

    • DCC costs include promotional expenses and payment processing.

    • Commission calculation is based on the RETAIL SALES PRICE provided by the artist.

    • Calculating the shipping and handling costs and order fulfillment is the responsibility of the artist AS STATED ON THE SHOW-SPECIFIC SUBMISSION FORM.

    • All sold work must be shipped by the artist or, AS STATED ON THE SHOW-SPECIFIC SUBMISSION FORM.

7. Other considerations:

  • Accepted artists grant Dartmouth Cultural Center the right to free use and the right to publish provided images of their work, to promote the art exhibit, any future call for submissions, or the Dartmouth Cultural Center.

  • All accepted submissions will be uploaded on this website for potential sales.

8. Here is a suggested calculation formula for artists to help in formulating their retail sales price to assure that you make a reasonable profit on the sale of your work.

  • Cost of Shipping & Handling within the continental United States- CONSIDER IT IN YOUR STATED RETAIL PRICE

  • Gallery Commission - CONSIDER IT IN YOUR STATED RETAIL PRICE

    • EXAMPLE - If your artwork retails for $500.00 and the gallery commission is 50/50, your profit is $250.

  • STATED RETAIL PRICE - Should reflect your time and costs to prepare and bring your sold artwork to the shipper you select even if the buyer is paying for the shipping/handling costs.