25th Northwest Annual Exhibition Juried by Ginny Ruffner
Call for Art from the Pacific Northwest
From December 7, 2024 – February 22, 2025, CoCA will present the latest incarnation of its storied series exploring contemporary art in the region, the Northwest Annual, a juried group exhibition seeking work from emerging as well as established artists in a wide variety of visual media. As we are surveying the Pacific Northwest, we seek submissions from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, British Columbia, and Alaska. For this year’s 25th anniversary of the Annual, CoCA is proud to announce Ginny Ruffner as juror.
Internationally recognized for her pioneering role in the glass art community, Ruffner has also expanded into public art and explored new media technology in using augmented reality. Her interest in the natural world, especially flora and gardens, anticipated the recognition of climate change in the 21st century and the need for sustainability, sequestration, and conservation. She is the recipient of numerous awards, including The Glass Art Society’s Lifetime Award in 2019.
We seek artistic responses (pre-existing work) that explores nature in new and surprising ways, particularly in underrepresented forms of media such as sound art, installation, performance, social practice, video, and new media (AR, AI, webcam). Naturally, craft-based work is welcome too. CoCA’s gallery has high ceilings and can likely accommodate installations overhead. While nature is a well-established topic of interest in the Pacific Northwest, abstraction and wry humor are less common than the literal and the bleak. We are curious about hybridity, parthenogenesis, commensalism, flora bursting with color, how beauty evolves and adapts. We anticipate about 15 artists, with 1-2 objects per artists in most cases. A catalog will be produced with remarks by Ruffner and CoCA curators. The title will be announced following the jury session.
The deadline for submissions is midnight on Saturday, October 19; There will be an opening reception on Thursday, November 7, at CoCA’s Pioneer Square location located inside the Tashiro Kaplan Building at 114 Third Ave. South, Seattle, 98104.
Artists in any region and any country are welcome to submit. To help CoCA recover costs related to the exhibition, there is a $30 submission fee ($20 for CoCA Members). Two-dimensional, three-dimensional and multi-media work will be considered (see above). A $500 first prize, $250 second prize, and $150 third prize will be awarded by the juror, as well as up to two $50 “honorable mentions” featured on CoCA’s website. A catalog of the show and map will feature artists’ statements, biographies, and images, as well as an introductory essay by the juror.
To apply:
Full details at: https://www.cocaseattle.org/calls-for-art
Deadline: electronic submission completed as of midnight on October 19, 2024. The online system will ask you to:
- Submit up to 8 images of the artwork for consideration. Format is jpg file, max. dimension of 2400 pixels in either direction. The system will ask you to include a description of the artwork (artwork title, dimensions, edition, medium and year of creation).
- Enter a Work Description (max. 200 words): Indicate whether new work or old, part of a series or not, previously exhibited, result of a collaboration, etc. If there are special requirements associated with the display of your work (special exhibition hardware, space/time constraints, vitrines), please discuss. Artwork is for sale at 60% Artist, 40% CoCA (70% Artist, 30% CoCA for members) and can also be “NFS.”
- Upload an Artist’s statement specific to the theme of nature (200 words): This will appear in the catalog. Optional: include one or two bibliographic references, including quotes, from a favorite or an inspirational source.
- Upload an Artist’s biography (200 words), including year of birth, city of origin, awards, honors, shows, degrees. This will also appear in the catalog.
- Submission Fee of $30 or $20 (CoCA Members) (payable via PayPal). Make sure to note the artist’s name in the payment.
Offers will be made through email, accompanied by an Art Loan Agreement and additional information by October 22; artists must confirm by email by October 24.
COMPLETE EXHIBITION TIMELINE:
Call goes out: Sept. 27
Deadline for Artists: October 19
Jurying: week of October 20 – 22
Press announcement with artist names & sample images: October 24
Shipping and Drop-off: shipping beginning Oct. 29 and no later than Nov.3; Drop off Nov. 3 and 4, 11am – 4pm
Install: Nov. 4 – 6
Opening reception: Thursday Dec. 7
Regular Gallery Hours (volunteers needed): Thursday – Saturday, 11a – 4p.
CoCA Holiday Closure: December 15 – Jan. 2
De-install: TBA, week of Feb. 24 (exhibition may be on view for up to 3 months+)
Please note that selected work must be shipped or dropped off to the gallery by November 4. CoCA insures work during exhibition, but shipping to/from, as well as shipping insurance remain the responsibility of the artist.
Additional Questions: David Francis, Interim Curatorial Director, [email protected]
Ship to:
Center on Contemporary Art
114 Third Ave. South
Seattle WA