VANL-CARFAC
Visual Artists Newfoundland & Labrador

Mary Pratt Returns as Patron, Excellence in Visual Art Awards

Deadline for EVA nominations: April 1, 2012

Well-known artist Mary Pratt is returning as the Patron of the Excellence in Visual Arts Awards (EVAs), which acknowledge the achievements of this province’s visual artists.

“It is easy to award prizes in sports. The winner is usually the first to cross the finish line, or the team that gets the most points. An athletic achievement is rewarded not only with medals and money. It is rewarded with popularity”, says Pratt. “We also have heroes in the movies and on stage. Almost none of this is enjoyed by visual artists. How valued is a prize given to a visual artist? Working for years in the proverbial garret – to be finally noticed? It is as much a blessing as a prize!”

Ms Pratt was the winner of the inaugural Long Haul Award for lifetime achievement in 2006, one of five EVA Awards, which will again be presented this spring.

All artists in the province are encouraged to apply for these awards. In addition to the Long Haul, categories are the Large Year Award (for an artist who has had an exceptional year), the Emerging Artist Award, the Kippy Goins Award, which recognizes an individual or organization who has helped the growth of the sector, and the Critical Eye Award which recognizes a visual arts writer for an exceptional piece of writing on an NL artist in any print or online publication worldwide.

Cash prizes of $1000 are attached to the awards, except the Kippy Goins, whose recipient receives an original artwork, this year by artist Michael Pittman.

The deadline is fast approaching for the seventh annual Excellence in Visual Arts Awards. Applications must be received or postmarked by 5 pm, April 1st. Application forms and full rules can be found here.

As the only awards program dedicated to celebrating the achievements of this province’s visual artists, the EVA Awards have become an exciting part of the annual cultural activities in this province. With previous winners from Grand Falls-Windsor, St. John’s, Corner Brook, Pouch Cove and Robinsons, this awards program recognizes excellence province-wide.

For more information about the EVA Awards, and to arrange interviews, please contact Dave Andrews, Executive Director at 1-877-738-7303 or vanl-carfac@nf.aibn.com.

Visual Artists Newfoundland and Labrador is pleased to announce that we are bringing the newest installment of our Professional Development Workshops Series back to Corner Brook with two workshops for visual artists. Facilitated by Andrew Draskoy, these sessions will be a combination of presentation and hands-on workshop.

The workshops:

Artists’ Websites: A foundation in designing your own artists ’website, including an overview of different formats for artists’ sites and different frameworks with which to create your site, how to plan and organize your content, tips on selling your work on-line, ways to get your website noticed, and more.

Getting the Word Out: Publicity and Media for Artists: This workshop will help you to get the word out about your work. Learn about how to write a press release, how to pitch an article, how to properly document your work, about using Facebook, Twitter and other new media to help boost your profile, and more.

Artists’ Websites will take place on Saturday, January 21st noon – 3 pm, and Getting the Word Out: Publicity and Media will follow on Sunday, January 22^nd, noon – 3 pm. Both workshops will take place in room FA223 on the Grenfell Campus

Each workshop is $20 for members/$10 for student members, or $35/$15 for both workshops.

Non-members rates are $70 for one workshop/$85 for both, $25/$30 for students (includes 1-year membership in VANL-CARFAC).

Registration is limited so sign up quickly! Pre-register to save your spot in the workshop by using our secure Paypal links below or by contacting the VANL-CARFAC office at vanl-carfac@nf.aibn.com, or1 (877) 738-7303 for more information.

*Both of these workshops are supported by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA).

Important Notice:

Due to unforeseen circumstances the Professional Development Workshops scheduled for this weekend (Dec. 10th and the 11th) in Grand Falls-Windsor have been cancelled.  We apologize for the short notice and for any inconvenience.

For more information:
vanl-carfac@nf.aibn.com
1 (877) 738-7303
www.vanl-carfac.com

Deadline: October 21, 2011

Description:

VANL-CARFAC is looking to engage an artist to produce a series of 3 original works or a series of three (3) original fine art multiples (includes fine art prints, castings, photographs, etc.) for the purpose of giving a gift annually to one Kippy Goins Award winner. This award is one of five awards to be presented annually as part of the EVA Awards (Excellence in Visual Art Awards). The commissioned works will be given each year for the next three years of the EVA Awards program. Offset reproductions will not be considered.

Eligibility:

Artists submitting proposals must be paid-up members of VANL-CARFAC. Individuals may become members at the time of submission. Contact the VANL-CARFAC office for details.

Evaluation:

1. The artwork(s) must take into account the concept or purpose behind the award. The award, so named for the small pieces of      wood one throws on a fire to “keep it going”, is meant to honour an individual, group or organization whose efforts have helped to sustain and build the visual arts sector.

2. The artworks must be small in scale. As a rough guideline for applicants, we suggest that you keep proposed works within range of the following measurements:

·         two-dimensional and framed works, approx. 11” x 17”

·         three-dimensional works, approx. 1 ft. sq.

3. The visual artists currently sitting on the VANL-CARFAC EVA Committee will serve as the selection committee to evaluate all proposals and select the artist for this commission.

Submissions:

Submissions can be made electronically via email to vanl-carfac@nf.aibn.com (with ‘Kippy Goins Artwork submission’ in the subject line), or mailed or delivered by hand to VANL-CARFAC, 59 Duckworth St., St. John’s NL, A1C 1E6. All submissions must include the following materials:

·         a written project description, no more than one (1) page in length, stating visual art medium, materials, approximate size and concept of the proposed final artworks.

·         a sketch or some form of visual representation of the concept

·         the artist’s CV

·         up to 10 images, saved as JPEGs, on a PC-compatible CDR or sent via email, of past work (Original artwork will not be accepted.) This should be accompanied by a numbered image list with image title, size and medium, and the JPEG titles should include the artist name and image number  (i.e. Smith_01).

Selection of Artist: November 30^th, 2011

Final Project Delivery Date: April 6^th, 2012

Fee:      Artist fee of $1,500.00 (firm) to be paid for the group of three (3) completed artworks, payable once the artworks have been delivered. Any shipping costs are the responsibility of the artist.

Please note that VANL-CARFAC retains the right to photograph the artworks in the context of the EVA Awards

Ceremony, for the purposes of display in own website, newsletter and other organization materials, including newspaper

advertisements congratulating the winner of the award. The artist will be credited in all instances where the image may

appear. We will not sell or licence images of the artworks for use by any other organization.

For more information about the EVA Awards program, you can view program information online at www.vanl-carfac.comor contact the VANL-CARFAC office by phone at 1-877-738-7303 or email, at vanl-carfac@nf.aibn.com.