The Smoky Hill River Festival Fine Art and Craft Show welcomes your application! The show presents an exceptional juried venue of original fine art and craft.
Here are just some of the things you can expect:
- Unmatched hospitality and dedication to meeting artists needs.
- Over 60,000 gate count each year.
- Interested, knowledgeable and enthusiastic patrons who purchase nearly half a million dollars in artwork every year.
- Artist Reception that includes Art Patrons.
- Onsite Parking.
- Professional show organization.
- Assistance with load in and load out.
- Over $50,000 spent every year on extensive statewide and regional marketing.
- A highly successful and growing Patron Program that includes the pre-purchase of art gift certificates for the show.
- Approximately 130 Artists.
- Art Gift Certificate Program.
- On-site weather tracking.
- 24 hour security.
- Hotel discounts with participating hotels.
Categories
Unlike other shows ours is split into two parts that are geographically separated. Both are part of one show on the north side of the park. Although there are often exceptions, we typically try to place the majority of Traditional/contemporary craft on the west side and the majority of traditional/contemporary fine art on the east side.
Due to this we have separate medium categories. Both sides of the show run for the same number of days and hours and both have the benefit of a successful and growing Art Patron Program that includes the pre-purchase of exclusive art gift certificates.
East Side
Fine Art - Ceramics: Only original clay and porcelain. No machine-made or mass produced work is allowed. If multiple pieces of the same design are displayed each piece must be signed.
Fine Art - Digital: Original image, or manipulation of other source material, created by the artist using a computer. Work must be in limited editions, signed and numbered on archival quality materials. Photography taking traditional photographs through a digital media should apply in the photography category.
Fine Art - Drawing: Works created using dry media including chalk, charcoal, pastels, pencil, wax crayon, etc. or from the fluid medium of inks and washes applied by pen or brush are to be entered in this category.
Fine Art - Fiber: All work crafted from fibers including embroidery, weaving, tapestry and papermaking. This can be wearable or non-wearable. No machine tooling, machine-screened patterns or other forms of mass production are permitted.
Fine Art - Glass: No forms of mass production are permitted. Work must be made primarily by the hands of applying artist.
Fine Art - Jewelry: Work produced from metal, glass, clay, fiber, paper, plastic or other materials. All parts of the work must be made by the artist. No commercial casts, molds or production studio work is allowed.
Fine Art - Metal: Includes all non-sculptural, non-jewelry works crafted from metals. No production studio work is allowed.
Fine Art - Mixed Media: This category includes works, both 2 and 3-dimensional, that incorporates more than one type of physical material to produce and includes non-sculptural work as determined by the artist.
Fine Art - Painting: Works created in oils, acrylics, watercolor, etc. are in this category. *See Reproduction Policy
Fine Art - Photography: Original traditional film, hand colored images, emulsion transfers and digitally captured images that have not been excessively manipulated. Photographs must be signed, numbered and printed by the photographer or under the photographer’s supervision. Photographers are required to disclose both their creative and printing processes.
Fine Art - Printmaking: Printed works for which the artist's hand manipulated the plates, stones or screens and which have been properly signed and numbered as a limited edition may be entered in this category. Printmakers are required to disclose both their creative and printmaking processes.
Fine Art - Sculpture: Three-dimensional original work done in any medium.
Fine Art - Wood: Original works in wood that are hand-tooled, machine-worked, turned or carved are accepted in the wood category.
West Side
Craft - Ceramics: Original clay and porcelain work that is primarily utilitarian. No machine-made or mass produced work is allowed. If multiple pieces of the same design are displayed each piece must be signed.
Craft - Fiber: All work crafted from fibers including basketry, embroidery, weaving, leatherwork, tapestry and papermaking. This can be wearable or non-wearable. No machine tooling, machine-screened patterns or other forms of mass production are permitted. No factory produced wearable items, regardless of additional modification or enhancement by the artist, may be exhibited.
Craft - Furniture: All furniture must be hand crafted by the applying artist.
Craft - Glass: No forms of mass production are permitted. Work must be made primarily by the hands of applying artist.
Craft - Jewelry: Work is produced from metal, glass, clay, fiber, paper, plastic or other materials. Commercial findings are acceptable.
Craft - Metal: All non-sculptural, non-jewelry works crafted from metals. No production studio work is allowed.
Craft - Mixed Media: Both 2 and 3-dimensional work that incorporates more than one type of physical material to produce and non-sculptural work as determined by the artist. All soaps/herbals should apply under this category.
Craft - Traditional: All works must be hand crafted by the applying artist, mediums may include scrimshaw, lace making, and candle making, etc.
Craft - Wood: Primarily utilitarian original works in wood that are hand-tooled, machine-worked, turned or carved are accepted in the wood category.
Reproduction Policy
Quality unframed reproductions of two dimensional originals, signed and numbered by the Artist are the only acceptable form of sales in addition to the original works. Artists must define “reproduction” or “limited edition” through their Artist Statement, and each piece must be clearly and individually labeled as “reproduction,” signed and numbered appropriately. Reproductions and limited editions may be shown in a portfolio and may not occupy wall space alongside originals in the artist’s booth.
Jury Selection Process
Jurors will review each artists work on site, with scores determining award winners and invited exhibitors for the next year’s Festival.
Images
Artists should submit six images total, including one detail and one outdoor booth shot.
Exhibit Space
Exhibitors are provided a 10’ x 10’ Ground Space (Double booths measure approximately 10’ x 20’, Double Booths are extremely limited and must be preapproved before purchase). Exhibitors set up on grass in beautiful Oakdale Park. Artist must provide display system, including canopy. Display units should be designed for outdoor use and capable of withstanding the elements. Weights or tie-downs are required. Space between booths is comfortable, allowing presentation from three sides. Overall presentation must be reasonably contained in the designated 10’ x 10’ area. Close parking allows convenient storage access, There is no room for storage behind tents. Electrical capacity is limited in the park, and as the artists display only during daylight hours, additional lighting is generally not necessary. Electrical requests are available in the application and are on a first come, first served basis.
Fees
Booth fee - $325.00 (single space); $485 (Double booths – Extremely limited and require approval before purchase)
Electricity Fee - $35.00 Electricity can only be provided to specific booths. (Invited Artists with completed agreements and paid fees will be considered first for double booths and electricity.) Any fees refunded that were charged on a credit card will have the credit card fee of up to 4% subtracted from the refund.
Awards
Over $11,000 in awards is given including $2,000 of art purchased for the Salina Community Collection.
Contingency Plans
The Festival is an outdoor show and exhibitors will be in Oakdale Park, rain or shine.
Exhibiting Dates/Hours
- Friday, June 9th, 9 am* to 7 pm
- *Artists Booths will open at 9:00 a.m. on Friday for a Patron Preview hour.
- Saturday, June 10th, 10 am to 7 pm
- Sunday, June 11th, 10 am to 4 pm
Deadlines/Notification
- APRIL 1, 2023: Booth Fees and Exhibiting Agreement Due by 5pm.
- APRIL 8, 2023: No refunds after APRIL 8, 2023
Mailing Address
- Smoky Hill River Festival
- 211 W. Iron Ave
- PO Box 2181
- Salina, KS 67401
Further Information
