Are you a Mid-South artist who’s beginning a career in the arts? Do you have little to no experience exhibiting and selling your artwork?
Perfect! You’re the kind of talented artist we’re interested in hearing—and seeing—more from.
WHAT IT IS: The Emerging Artist program provides opportunities for artists in the Mid-South to grow their craft, learn more about the business side of the arts and connect with other artists, exhibitors and visitors to RiverArtsFest.
The Emerging Artist program engages working artists who are in the early years of their careers (typically the first 10 years of professional work) and who have achieved a high level of excellence and creativity in their work; yet have very little experience exhibiting and selling their artwork at any venue. The program is ideal for artists interested in learning about festivals as viable sales options for their artwork.
The primary goal of the RiverArtsFest Emerging Artist program is to directly support the advancement and continuation of artists' careers and creative work.
WHY APPLY: Emerging Artists are provided free entry and a 10X10 booth space at the annual festival. In addition to exposure to thousands of festivalgoers and potential sales, Emerging Artists are paired with a mentor—a seasoned festival participant and local artist—for guidance and support throughout the program. Artists also participate in a workshop series provided by RiverArtsFest.
CRITERIA: RiverArtsFest invites no more than three (3) Emerging Artists annually to participate in its three-day festival.
You must be an artist located full-time in Shelby County, Tennessee or adjoining counties.
You must have little to no experience exhibiting and selling your artwork at any venue. You may not have gallery representation or participated in a juried arts festival of RAF caliber.
You must be at least 18 years of age at the time of application and not more than 35 years of age at the time of application. Exceptions to the age limit may be considered by the RiverArtsFest program director on a case-by-case basis.
You must be a working visual artist, responsible for creating their original work, not interpreting the work of others or creating under the guidance of an instructor or mentor.
*RiverArtsFest reserves the right to pre-screen and research emerging artists to ensure they are a fit for this category and do not have extensive experience exhibiting and selling their work.
APPLICATION PROCESS: Emerging Artists are selected by the quality of work samples submitted by the artist.
Program applicants must go through the same jury selection process as artists admitted into RiverArtsFest. Artists may apply only to the Emerging Artist program or for the general show, but they may not apply to both.
The program uses a “blind jury” process, meaning that applicants’ names are not revealed to the jurors. Pay careful attention to the specific requirements for submitting work samples and other information.
Work samples must support the selected discipline. Applicants must submit work completed within the past three full calendar years and up to the application deadline (e.g., application deadline of May 31).
Artists must provide an Artist Statement, a brief overview of their current artwork including artistic inspiration, philosophy, evolution of style, current directions, influences, etc. Artist Statements must be written in first person and may not include information that may identify the artist’s identity, particularly their name and contact information.
Digital Images:
Provide five (5) individual sample images of your work
Do not include your name or other identifying information on your images.
The most effective image presentation is one that shows jurors a cohesive, consistent, developed body of your most recent work. Select images representative of your style, and sequence them in a way that will enhance the juror’s understanding of the direction of your work and draw their attention to your most significant pieces.
Work Sample Requirements: All work sample images must be of original pieces made by the applicant. Work samples should be in the same medium. Samples should be of similar style and technique to complement each other and create a cohesive body of work. Each image should include one work sample only. Sets may be considered as one sample, for example, a set of jewelry may consist of earrings, necklace and bracelet designed to be worn together; a tea set may consist of a teapot, creamer, cups and saucers; and a triptych of three separate paintings that combine to make one image, etc.
Naming work sample files: Work sample image file names should begin with the image number followed by the title of the artwork.
Images must be:
JPG, JPEG format
Sized at exactly 1920 by 1920 pixels at a resolution of 72 pixels per inch
Under 250 MB (inclusive of all 5 images)
Do not include your name or other identifying information in your work samples, embedded metadata or in work sample file names. Visual artists must obscure signatures on their artwork. An application submitted with identifying information in any of these areas of the application will result in the application being ruled ineligible.
Work samples are the primary means by which jurors assess artistic and professional quality. Carefully consider your choice of work samples in relation to the program’s application criteria. Images should not include anything that detracts from or interferes with the main subject of the image.
Applicants who are unsure about the eligibility of their work samples should contact the program director at least one week prior to submitting their application.
If you have questions regarding your application, please email the program director, Ada Askew, at shefineartmemphis@gmail.com.
A SPECIAL THANKS: The RiverArtsFest Emerging Artist Program is funded through an Arts Build Communities (ABC) grant from the Tennessee Arts Commission and Memphis Brand Initiative.
how to apply
Emerging artist applicants will proceed in the same manner as professional artists and submit images of their artwork through the regular application on Zapplication.org. *Emerging Artists are asked to apply with a 5th image of their work instead of an image of their booth. When uploading your images, you will upload the 5th image of your work by selecting ‘YES’ this is your booth shot, even though it is not. Then select ‘Emerging Artist’ as your medium category and you will be ready to complete the application.* When selecting application and booth options, choose Emerging Artist application fee for $35 and Emerging Artist Booth fee for $0.
ALL APPLICATIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED ONLINE AT ZAPPLICATION.ORG
Meet our 2023 EMERGING ARTISTS
The 2024 artist participants will be released later this year.
JANA WILSON
Born and raised in Frayser, Memphis, Tennesse, Jana has collected objects that “speak to her” since childhood. Today, she designs these treasured objects together in ways that not only illustrate their stories but also create interesting visual arrangements. Sometimes these visual tales are irreverent and amusing; almost always they evoke nostalgia, interaction, and emotional response.
“While I have been compelled to assemble these creations my entire life, I did not claim the title of "artist" until very recently. It seemed like an exclusive role, reserved for those who had training and were well-versed in more mainstream, recognized forms of art. My unusual found-object pieces were just things I did to express the thoughts, stories, and observations inspired by the everyday things I see around me.
About 6 years ago, someone asked if I was an artist, and I replied definitively, no. She asked about some pieces she had seen in my vintage booth, which I had to admit I called my art pieces. At her insistence, I finally admitted that I am indeed a REAL ARTIST.
I believe that everyone has an inner artist, but we must nurture that spirit in order to fulfill our creative potential. I have only just begun to focus on my art as a true means of self-expression. Currently, I create tiny to mid-sized art that people can take home and live with, no matter how small their space (or their budget). When I am inspired by rescued treasures, I delve into rabbit holes to flesh out the history and interconnectivity that help inanimate objects speak their stories.
As my technique and style evolve, I have dreams of creating series of works that engage people multi-dimensionally. I envision creating immersive spaces in which participants experience art all around them (think circus carnival; 3D road trip collages from history-rich locales). I want people to feel, to laugh, to be uncomfortable, and to remember. Most of all, I want to share the curiosity and excitement that I experience when objects catch my eye and their stories unfold in front of me.”
Articles Jana has been featured in:
https://memphisvoyager.com/interview/check-out-jana-wilsons-story/
https://www.memphisflyer.com/arkwings-open-gallery-days
https://artistslinkmemphis.org/jana-wilson
WILLIAM LESCHECK
William was born and raised in Florida before moving to Memphis 5 years ago to attend the University of Memphis where he got his Bachelor in Fine Arts with a concentration in Ceramics & Sculpture. His studio space is located at the Belltower Coffeehouse & Studio on the Highland Strip. At Belltower Studio, William teaches a variety of pottery classes throughout the year where people in the community can learn a variety of ceramics skills and get hands-on experience with wheel throwing, hand building with clay, and glazing their pieces.
“It all started in 2018, when I took my first ceramics class at the University of Memphis, from first touch I knew this was the medium I wanted to work in. Since then I’ve gained my bachelor’s degree, worked in a ceramic production studio, participated in over 30 craft fairs, and taught over a hundred students and counting at a community studio. My goal now is to explore the capability of clay as a vessel to bring people together.
My work is focused on functional ware for the consumer that produces a sense of adventure and energy by generating an environment where you can escape the worries of your day, even for a moment. In the current climate of hostility and strife, I propose an alternative to the doom and gloom, a paradise. Focusing on the sense of wonder and a laissez-faire outlook, I create pieces reminiscent of a mix of Romanticism’s fascination with nature and the sublime and the California Junk Art movement’s spontaneity and lack of self-seriousness.”
