Chicago Artist's Coalition Gallery

Burn No. 21©2008

Tonight is the grand opening of the Chicago Artist Coalition Gallery. They have moved into a new space that beginning next month will be a cooperative gallery. Located in Wicker Park, this opening exhibit features 30 works with 10 each selected by 3 unnamed, unaffiliated jurors. Paul Klein reviewed it today in his Art Letter. The opening is from 5:30 - 8pm at 2010 W. Pierce - map.

Here is the information on submitting to become a member of the gallery. I think the deadline to submit has been changed to June 15th.

May 23, 2009
Coalition Gallery, located at 2010 W. Pierce Unit 101, showcases Chicago Artists' Coalition members through an application and jury process that takes place annually. Those accepted into the gallery become cooperative members for 12 months. The gallery seeks a good mix of sculpture, textiles, ceramics, printmaking, photography, painting, drawing and mixed media art. The gallery will also have a display cabinet for smaller items, which will be open for use by all CAC members, who create smaller works, and will be a separate structure than cooperative membership.
BECOME A MEMBER OF COALITION GALLERY!

Benefits
COALITION GALLERY gives CAC members the opportunity to finely focus and really steer the direction of their exhibiting career. As a cooperative member you demonstrate the importance of taking a stake in your own work. The ball is in your court. Here are the benefits:
1. Each member will be on exhibit in the group gallery consistently throughout the year.
2. Each member is entitled to be featured as part of a 2/3-person exhibition within their 12-month tenure.
3. Each member will be displayed on our Coalition Gallery webpage with a link to his/her own personal site.
4. Each member will be able to house a number of pieces, not on display, in the back room to share work samples with gallery clientele and others.
5. All members will have a strong voice in the structure and happenings within the gallery. The Executive Planning Committee, with feedback from all co-op members, will curate shows, select display case artists and consider other developments to diversify work and create an additional draw.
6. Members can take advantage of the inherent network of ideas, techniques and resources available at Coalition Gallery

Eligibility/Responsibility
To be eligible for cooperative membership in the gallery, you must meet the following criteria. You will:
1. Be a Chicago Artists' Coalition Member (Or become one upon invitation to the cooperative)
2. Show quality work that is switched out every month to keep exhibits fresh.
3. Show work that's been created within last 12 months
4. Only display work that has been quality finished and presented*
5. Exhibit work for purchase only (everything must be for sale-nothing NFS)
6. Proactively promote your work and the gallery to your community
7. Commit to one year as a co-op gallery member at $45 per month
8. Take an active role on at least one coop committee and complete required duties in a timely fashion
9. Commit to 2-3 four-hour gallery attendant/sales shifts per month
10. Take part in one 2/3-person feature show within your 12-month tenure.
11. Accept 60% artist / 40% CAC split of sales of your work.

Committees
1. Executive Planning - Responsible for communications with CAC staff, curation, selection of works for the display case**, insuring quality presentation of work, making sure work stays fresh, keeping members on task, evaluation of committees and cooperative structure, development of new ideas, decision-making, dealing with issues amongst the group, etc.
2. Hanging/Display - Responsible for measuring out the placement of pieces and using the proper tools and materials to hang work. Also choosing the best and safest way to display 3-D works. Finally, creating labels or info sheets with the content provided by members.
3. Events/Openings - Responsible for choosing best time for openings (with direction from Executive Planning Committee), sending out press releases, getting info to the CAN Editor a month prior to the show, creating flyers or other marketing materials, presenting snacks and refreshments, etc.
4. Maintenance - Responsible for patching holes, painting walls, building any additional display props, sweeping/mopping as needed, ensuring the bathroom is stocked (through CAC staff), etc.

Start Dates (committee dates approximate)
Executive Planning Committee: June 15, 2009
Events/Openings Committee June 15, 2009
Hang/Display Committee: June 28, 2009
Maintenance Committee July 3, 2009
Gallery Coop Opens: July 3, 2009

* Paintings on stretched canvas may be left unframed only under these conditions: 1) if the edges of the canvas are painted as an integral part of the work or 2) if the edges of the canvas have been neatly primed and do not contain staples. All other canvases, including those with unprimed edges, marks or staples, must be framed! Plexiglas or Glass (use at your own risk, as glass is not insured) must protect artwork if they have a fragile surface (pastel, charcoal, wet oil, etc). Warped or shoddily constructed frames, canvasses or board will not be exhibited.

**The display cabinet will be filled with smaller items selected by the Executive Planning Committee. These items can be from any CAC member and do not have to be from members of the cooperative gallery. The cost to users of the display cabinet, who are not already cooperative members, will be $15 per each month their pieces are on display. Sales commissions are a 60% artist / 40% CAC split.
APPLICATION PROCESS

Petitioning artists should submit a letter of intent with top two committee choices, curriculum vitae, artist statement, and a website link or minimum of 12 images of current work to coop@caconline.org. Images should include title (if any), medium, dimensions and year completed. We are only accepting digital applications. Please submit websites in place of images, if you have one.

The CAC will put together a membership committee made up of 4 art administrators, curators and gallerists to review applicants. The Membership Chair will review applications and present them to membership committee. If after review, the committee has chosen you for membership, the committee or a CAC staff member will notify you. The Executive Planning Committee of the previous year's gallery, will select the applicants for year two of the gallery with input from CAC staff, curators and gallerists. Membership in Coalition Gallery is based on excellence of work and personal commitment to the goals and mission of the gallery and its cooperative structure.

Application Deadline
June 8, 2009