Belmont Gallery of Art

A community gallery showcasing regional visual arts

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Open Call for Proposals

The Belmont Gallery of Art invites all visual artists, from Belmont and the region, to propose original solo, joint or group exhibitions for our Gallery.

Artist Eligibility

All Artists must be at least 18 years of age.

No exhibition proposal for a solo exhibition will be accepted, if the artist has had a solo exhibition at the BGA in the preceding 24 months.

Artwork Acceptability

The BGA cannot accept for exhibit graphic, realistic or explicit depictions of nudity This is a matter of courtesy, not censorship.  While it is BGA’s ambition to present thought-provoking and challenging artwork, the BGA is a Town of Belmont agency, operating in a municipal building. Since the Gallery is, in effect, borrowing space from the town, it is simply good manners not to use it, without officials’ knowledge or consent, in a way that might embarrass the town or drag its officials into controversy.

Exhibition Proposal

The Proposal should consist of the following items, presented in the following order:

  1. A completed Exhibition Proposal Cover Sheet (download here)
  2. Description of Exhibit: A well presented, focused and clearly written description, explication, motive and rationale of the proposed exhibit, not to exceed one typewritten page. In the case of a joint or group proposal, this statement should address why the artists wish to show together – contrasts, harmony, etc., what you are trying to convey as a group, how each artist’s work relates to the others, etc. A file of this document should be included on the CD/flashdrive mentioned below, with file name of ArtistLastName_Proposal
  3. Artist(s) Biography/Resume (concerning work in the arts, not other professional fields) not exceeding one typewritten page. A file of this document should be included on the CD/flashdrive mentioned below, with file name of ArtistLastName_Biography
  4. Artist’s Statement concerning the exhibit and the artwork included not exceeding one typewritten page. A file of this document should be included on the CD/flashdrive mentioned below, with file name of ArtistLastName_Artist Statement
  5. Flash drive or CD labeled with the artist’s name containing images of all, or a representative sample of at least 12, artworks proposed to be included in the exhibit. If the Proposal is accepted, additional works may be added but the exhibit must include the works in the proposal.
    • Images must be formatted as jpgs at 72 pixels per inch and a maximum image size of 8” (H) x 10”(W)
    • Each jpg file should be named as follows: ArtistLastName_Title_Year _Media_H”xW”(xD”)_Price
    • Please note that the CD/flash drive will not be returned.
    • It is understood that, if the proposal is accepted, any and all of these images may be used by the BGA in publicity and press releases, without further permission.
  6. Check in the amount of $25 made payable to the Town of Belmont. Please enter BGA Application Fee on the memo line. This Application Fee is not refundable.
  7. Any press clippings, awards, promotional materials (optional)

Note that all typewritten documents should be prepared in Microsoft Word or Apple iWork software.

Submission of Exhibition Proposals

Proposals should be submitted by US mail to:
Belmont Gallery of Art
P.O. Box 66
Belmont, MA 02478

Proposals may be submitted at any time. However, to be assured of consideration for the following season (September – June) a proposal must be postmarked no later than 5:00 p.m., June 1st. Proposals postmarked after that time may, nonetheless, in the Curatorial Committee’s sole discretion, be considered for the forthcoming season but, in all events, will be considered for the next succeeding season.

Submitting a proposal for the Curatorial Committee’s consideration constitutes an agreement to abide by the BGA’s Exhibition Terms and Specifications, which is included as an attachment to this Open Call for Artists

Selection of Exhibition Proposals

At least once a year, exhibition proposals for the following season are reviewed by the BGA Curatorial Committee or by a guest juror designated by the BGA Curatorial Committee. The Committee reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to accept or reject exhibition proposals or to modify exhibition proposals as a condition of selection, for example, by asking the artist to partner with other artists or that a particular artwork be removed from the exhibit.

Notification – Exhibition Proposals

The proposing artist(s) will be notified of the Committee’s decision at the address provided on the Exhibition Proposal Cover Sheet.

More Info.

Here are all of the forms and helpful documents you’ll need when planning for an exhibit at the BGA:

For further information, artists may the BGA at admin@belmontgallery.org

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