What is a Juried Show? Should I enter?

The Minnetonka Center for the Arts offers two versions of its Members’ Show (as an example), in alternate years. The Salon Show, in which all entries are accepted for exhibition, and the Juried Show, in which a pair of guest jurors, drawn from the Twin Cities arts community, selects which of the submitted pieces will be included in the show.

A juried show is a competitive event, designed for artists who would like to see how their work stands up to that of other entrants. Many artists feel that getting into a juried show improves their resume, or satisfies their desire to win approval for their work.

Who should enter a juried show?

• Artists prepared for a competitive event in which not everyone will be chosen
• Artists who will use their participation as a tool for thinking critically and tactically about making and exhibiting their art:
  • How does my work represent me?
  • Is what I’m doing with my art right for me?
  • How does my work compare to that of other artists whose work deals with a similar interest/subject/medium?
  • What could I learn that would help me improve my work?

Who decides whether or not my entry is included?

• A pair of arts professionals selected from the Twin Cities’ vibrant arts community, usually consisting of a gallerist or museum professional, and a working studio artist

How will I know if my entry was selected?

• A list of selected pieces will be posted online. If your entry is not listed, it was not selected for the show and has been set aside for you to pick up during the indicated times. If you cannot access the online listing, you may call an MCFTA registrar after the posted notification date and time to find out if your work was selected

What does it mean if my entry is not selected?

• Resist thinking the worst! Being said “no” to is a basic part of showing and selling art. It’s not the result you’re hoping for, but you can learn from it. You might realize, as you look at similar pieces that were selected for the show, that your entry could have been improved upon, but often, the selection of one piece over another is a matter of balancing the show, or the juror’s opinion
• Some categories of work are more competitive than others due to the number of entries. For example, landscapes in oil will have more competition than life-sized equestrian bronzes.

Will I be told why my entry was or was not selected?

• It’s not viable to record jurors’ comments for each entrant. The jurors will provide a general written statement about their impressions of the entries, and some comments about what they looked for in making their selections, but specific information regarding individual entries will not be available

If my entry is not selected, will I receive a refund of my entry fee?

• You will have received the service for which the entry fee was charged: your work was set out among the other entries, considered for inclusion in the exhibit, and, if not selected, held for you to pick up. The fee is a jurying fee, not a showing fee