The Rowayton Arts Center (RAC) is seeking original, handcrafted works for our annual Holiday Gift Show. We are accepting small ornaments and holiday-related gifts as well as jewelry, pottery and ceramics, candles, wooden toys and other objects, knitted/crocheted items, fiber art, plus original cards and small prints/paintings.
All items must be quality, original works by the artist. To keep within the spirit of the show, some embellishment of purchased items is allowed.
Items will be included at the discretion of our HGS Committee. The committee may refuse any entry on the grounds of unsuitability, poor condition, inferior quality, not adhering to the prospectus guidelines or oversized for gallery space.
For RAC Exhibiting Members: Entry fee is waived, membership dues must be current and a commission fee of 40% will be taken on your gross sales.
For RAC Non-Members: Entry fee of $30 and a commission fee of 40% will be taken on your gross sales.
Note: Participation in the HGS does not count towards the three shows needed to become a RAC Exhibiting Member.
Volunteer Hours: All participants are expected to volunteer for a two hour shift during the course of the gift show.
PREPARATION FOR RECEIVING:
If you have any questions on the following procedures, please call RAC for clarification in advance: 203-866-2744 or email: exhibitions@rowaytonarts.org
1. Fill out your Inventory Form before arriving at RAC and bring it with you to receiving.
See example of properly filled-out form below:
2. Label each item with your 3 initials (to identify it as your item) the item’s number (from your inventory sheet) and the price. PLEASE LABEL YOUR ITEMS BEFORE YOU ARRIVE AT RAC. IMPROPERLY LABELED OR UNLABELED ITEMS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. For uniformity, all tags must be white. Make sure tags are visible to shoppers. See examples of a properly tagged item below.
3. Fill out a Vendor Information Form. RAC non-members will pre pay a $30 vendor fee upon submission of the form. Members, please make sure your dues are up to date.
4. Use this button to sign up for a drop off time slot via SignUpGenius. Slots are available in half hour increments. DROP OFF DAYS ARE OVER…
5. Sign up for a volunteer shift. There will be a calendar at receiving where you can sign up for your preferred time slot.
ITEM CATEGORY AND QUANTITY GUIDELINES:
Ornaments: maximum of 5 designs, 20 pieces each
Small items: jewelry, small knits, table decor: 20 maximum
Large items: pottery, wreaths, sweaters: 5 maximum
Cards: 20 cards or 10 pre-packaged card sets
Small unframed art or prints: (size approximately 10” x 12”): maximum of 15
Small framed art or prints: (size approximately 10” x 12”): maximum of 10
Consider simplifying your inventory by keeping similar items at the same price point. For example, five assorted necklaces that have a price span of $30-$40 could all be priced at $35.
For cards and prints: please provide a display basket or box to hold your items. Label the container with your name.
For jewelry vendors: please provide forms for display of your items and label with your name.
If your inventory begins to run low, the HGS Committee will reach out and ask you to replenish. Please do not replenish items without speaking to an HGS Committee member who will amend your Inventory Form accordingly with stock received.
For RAC Exhibiting Members Only:
Framed traditional wall art: two works per Exhibiting Member, maximum frame size: 20”x 24” inches. Art must be dry, framed, wired and ready to hang (no sawtooth hangers). For plexi or metal-mounted art, picture hangers attached to the back side of the frame structure are acceptable. No renderings or copies of other artists’ works.
White price tags should hang from bottom right and include title of work and medium, as well as 3 initials, item number and price.
IMPORTANT DATES:
Drop off days: Please use the SignUpGenius button above to choose a half-hour window.
Friday, November 10 (10am-1pm)
Saturday, November 11 (10am-1pm)
Show Dates: November 24 – December 24
Opening Day: Friday, November 24 (12-5pm)
Special Opening Weekend Hours:
Saturday, November 25 (10am-5pm)
Sunday, November 26 (10am-7pm) **LIGHT UP ROWAYTON begins at 4:30pm
Regular Hours:
Tuesday- Friday (12pm-5pm)
Saturday (10am-5pm)
Sunday (12pm-5pm)
Closed on Mondays
Open Christmas Eve December 24 (10am-2pm)
Pick Up Unsold Work: a storage fee of $20 per day will be charged for failure to pick up your items on time.
Wednesday, December 27 and Thursday, December 28 (10am-1pm). You will receive a check for your net sales, if applicable, at this time.
LIABILITY & WAIVER:
Liability: Entries will be handled with all possible care, but artists submitting work agree to hold harmless the Rowayton Arts Center, their agents and employees from any claim of damage or theft that might arise from any cause whatsoever. Artists should arrange for proper insurance coverage for their work. Entry to the show constitutes agreement with all of the conditions stated above.
Waiver for Pictures Taken/Used: We document each RAC exhibition/show with photographs. Entry into an exhibition/show at the Rowayton Arts Center constitutes permission to photograph you and/or your items and to use an image of your items in the RAC newsletter, website and promotional materials for the show.