Art Gallery
Rules & Information

General Rules #

• All work must be the artist's original and not previously exhibited at the fair.
• All work, with the exception of sold work, must remain on display for the duration of the show.
• Please include a 4x6 or 5x7 photo of the work, to be displayed in the event of a sale.
• Titles of artwork are limited to a maximum of 25 characters, including spaces and punctuation, due to limited space on title cards. Lengthy titles must be abbreviated.
• Do not use ditto marks or "same" when filling out entry forms.
• The Superintendent may re-categorize entries as deemed necessary.
• The Champlain Valley Fair reserves the right to disqualify and remove entries deemed to be in poor taste or not family friendly.
• AI generated art is NOT accepted in the gallery. All works must be original compositions not submitted prior.

Eligibility & Divisions #

• The Art Exhibition is open to all artists interested in showing paintings, drawings, sculptures, and photographs.
• Each artist is allowed three works in the general exhibition, if space allows.
• In addition, three works per artist may be entered in the special categories.

Divisions Overview

• Fine Art — open to all adult artists
• Photography Division — open to all adult artists
• Youth Division — separated into age categories based on date of entry (not when the work was completed):
  • Children ages 8 and under
  • Children ages 9–12
  • Teens ages 13–17
  • Youth Photography (all ages)
  • Youth Sculpture / 3-D (all ages)
• Special Categories — entries may be in any medium
• The fine art special category is limited to mediums listed in the fine arts section of the handbook.

Hanging Requirements #

• All work must be wired and ready for hanging.
• D-Rings and/or screw eyes and picture hanging wire are the only acceptable methods of attaching the wire to the frame.
• Each piece must have the artist's name, title of work, and category on the back.
• For secure frames, attach screw eyes or D-ring strap hangers to each side of the frame at one-third the height from the top.
• Insert framing wire through the hangers and secure the ends. The top of the wire must be 2–3 inches below the top of the frame.
• Do not use desk/table frames (those with an easel back) — these cannot be hung.
• Staff may refuse work that is not properly framed. The Exposition cannot take responsibility for loss or damage to any submitted work.
• Any works requiring rehanging will incur a $2.00 per work fee.
• Any works requiring a hardware kit will be charged $1.00 per kit. Kits and tools will be available for you to correct your own work on-site.

Accepted Fine Art Media #

• Accepted mediums include: acrylic, digital art, mixed media, oil, pastel, pen, pencil, charcoal, printmaking, sculpture and watercolor.
• All works must have adequate coverings or glass, except for oil and acrylic paintings, or where glass is impractical.
• Size in all categories (except 3-D) is limited to a perimeter of 144 inches, inclusive of the frame. To calculate, add the length of all four sides.

Sculptures & 3-D Artwork #

• Sculptures and 3-D artwork must have their own pedestal if large or heavy.
• The superintendent may refuse work that is considered more suitable for the Home Crafts Department.
• The 3-D category is exempt from the 144-inch perimeter size rule.

Photography Rules #

• Photographs may be in black and white or color.
• Digitally or otherwise enhanced or altered photos are not accepted, except in the "Altered Images" or special categories.
• The superintendent reserves the right to move photographs to the appropriate category as warranted.
• Minor adjustments are acceptable, including: spotting, dodging and burning, contrast adjustments, slight color corrections, and digital equivalents. Cropped images are also acceptable.
• Size is limited to a perimeter of 144 inches, inclusive of the frame. To calculate, add the length of all four sides.

Fees & Payments #

• The Art Gallery charges a 25% commission on all items (art and merchandise) sold during the fair.
• Total sales between $1 and $200.00 will be paid via cash voucher, issued twice; middle Wednesday of the fair and pickup Wednesday after the fair.
• Total sales greater than $200.00 will be issued via check, paid at the end of the fair.

Drop-Off Schedule #

Artwork will be accepted at the Fairgrounds Art Gallery exhibition space during the following times:

Judging & Prize Categories #

• Judging will be done privately before the opening of the Fair.
• At the judges' discretion, if a lack of competition occurs in any category, the number of prizes may be decreased in that category.
• Works are judged on artistic merit, including originality, composition, technique, and mastery of the medium.
• Special categories are also judged by thematic presentation.

Fine Art

Photography Division

Youth Division

Special Categories

Best in Show

Merchandise & Sales #

• The Art Gallery charges a 25% commission on all items (art and merchandise) sold during the fair.
• All work, with the exception of sold work, must remain on display for the full duration of the show.
• Merchandise must be listed in the sellers' portal prior to drop off weekend.
• It is the responsibility of the merchant to verify and sign off on gallery counts at both drop off and pickup. This will be the basis for computing your sales.
• Unsold merchandise will be returned to merchants at the end of the fair. It is the merchants responsibility to verify the unsold counts given by the fair.
• All merchandise will be sold with taxes computed at check out, please do not include the tax in your price.
• Sold art and sold merchandise can be replaced at no cost during the fair. If you have additional stock you would like to sell let an associate know. Stock inventory will be locked at check in and the new quantity will need to be verified by both the merchant and the gallery and the inventory adjusted accordingly.
• The gallery is not responsible for manufacturing or workmanship defects. Problematic inventory may be removed from sale at the discretion of the superintendent.

CVE Rights & Documentation #

• The Champlain Valley Exposition's Art Gallery reserves the right to photographically and electronically document any artwork accepted in the exhibition for use in catalogues, publications, publicity materials, or for purposes deemed necessary to CVE operations.
• The Champlain Valley Fair reserves the right to disqualify and remove entries deemed to be in poor taste or not family friendly, at their sole discretion.