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Art Galleries, Exhibitions, Publications

Where Artists Pay to Participate

If you receive offerings to participate in any for-profit exhibitions, galleries, publications, websites, contests or competitions where you have to pay to be included (or even offers where you don't pay but rather have to invest time, labor, art and incidental expenses), first read the article Art Contests, Competitions, Shows and More Where You Pay Up Front... Will They Get You Anywhere? Then thoroughly research any such offer-- BEFORE you pay or before agree to participate-- and evaluate it on its own merits. The article explains how to do this research right. No matter how marvelous an opportunity sounds, whether you have to qualify to participate or just pay the fees, get the facts, get informed and then make your decision. Get those facts not only from the entities offering the opportunities, but more importantly, from past participants and unbiased third party sources not directly connected to or involved with the offers, but who are familiar with them. You want to be reasonably sure that you'll see positive results from your participation, particularly in terms of return on investment, BEFORE signing on.

Artists often find out about these offers through various forms of advertising, particularly mass emailings. The more agressive senders relentlessly bombard artists with emails, regularly come up with new offers and opportunities, sometimes offer prizes and awards, and may even apply pressure to participate. Costs to enter or participate can range anywhere from under $100 to thousands of dollars, especially if you factor in incidental expenses if shipping, travel, insurance or accommodations are involved. Whatever the circumstance, make sure you are aware of all costs and potential benefits or drawbacks in advance. Does everyone benefit... including you? That's the key question.

Here is a partial list (by no means complete) of publications, venues and other circumstances where you have to pay to expose your art. But the main point here is that WHENEVER you are presented with an offer to pay to show your art, whether it's on this list or not, no matter where that offer originates, fully research it-- BEFORE you pay-- in order to understand exactly what you're getting for your money. If an opportunity seems worthwhile, go for it. If not, then it may be best to wait. Get educated, get informed, and then make the decision that's right for you.

NEW YORK CITY AREA:

* A. Jain Marunouchi Gallery
* Agora Gallery (related offerings: Chelsea International Fine Art Competition)
* Amsterdam Whitney Gallery
* Artists Wanted (related offerings: See | Me, The Power of Self, Art Takes London, 3rd Ward Open Call, Art Interview Online Magazine, One Life - An International Photography Competition, Art Takes Miami, 3rd annual photography competition - EXPOSURE, SELF 2012, One Life International Photography Competition)
* Contemporary Art Network (CAN)
* Creative Concept Inc
* Ico (aka Icosahedron) Gallery
* New Art Center
* NY Art Marathon
* World Art Media (related offerings: NY Arts Magazine, APW Gallery, Arts Hotline, Art Fairs Newspaper, Annual Artists' Web Directory, Beijing Arts Space, NY Arts Beijing, The Broadway Gallery NYC, Art Fairs International)

LOS ANGELES / SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA:

* Art LA (.com)
* James Gray Gallery (related offerings: Art LA)
* Laguna Art (.com)
* Gallery Godo, Glendale, CA
* NorbertEllen Gallery
* Townley Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA (related offerings: Laguna Art)
* World Art Foundation (related offerings: Umbrella Publishing, Jojo Marengo)

SAN FRANCISCO / NORTHERN CALIFORNIA:
* Galiara, San Francisco, CA (formerly The Artists' Alley, also known as Gallery 4N5)

MIAMI / SOUTH FLORIDA:

* Art Fusion Galleries, Miami FL
* Artists Haven Gallery, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
* Miami Solo, Miami FL
* Nina Torres Fine Art, Miami, FL

OTHER USA:

* American Art Awards
* Art Show Productions, Rochester & Pittsford, NY (related offerings: Artisan Direct, ARTISANworks, Artisan Direct, Ltd.)
* Art With a Heart, An inclusive Gallery, Seattle, WA
* Artist Advocate Magazine (related offerings: American Forum for Realism, Plein Air Convention)
* RAW - Natural Born Artists
* Xanadu Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ (related offerings: Art Catalogue)

CANADA:

* 3C Gallery, Montreal, Canada
* Gallery Gora, Montreal, Canada
* Queen Gallery, Toronto, ON

LONDON, UK:

* The Brick Lane Gallery
* Camden Art Gallery (related offerings: Galerie 64 Atelier)
* La Galleria
* Parallax Art Fair
* Printspace Gallery
* Whitepeaks Fine Art

EUROPE:

* Arte Laguna Art Prize
* ArtworkX of Mann
* EAGL Gallery, Berlin (related offerings: quadriArt)
* First International Italian Biennale of Creativity
* Florence Biennale
* Global Art Agency (related offerings: Amsterdam Showcase, Barcelona Showcase)
* IUGTE, Austria
* Marziart Internationale Galerie (Hamburg, Germany)
* Palm Art Award
* Primo Piano LivinGallery, Italy

AUSTRALIA:

* New Art Awards (Temporary Gallery)

ONLINE:

* American Art Collector published by Alcove Books
* Art & Beyond Publications (online Magazine)
* Art-Exchange (.com)
* Artavita (.com)
* ARTERY (arterynyc dot com)
* ARTslant Prize
* Artspecifier (related offerings: Photospecifier)
* Artist Portfolio Magazine (related offerings: MyArtContest.com)
* ArtNetwork (ArtNetwork Press)
* ARTWORKinternational Inc.
* Best of Artists (related offerings: Kennedy Publishing, Visual Art Guide, Best of Worldwide Landscape Artists, Best of Worldwide Portrait & Figurative Artists, Best of Worldwide Abstract and Still Life Artists, Best of Worldwide Wildlife & Animal Artists)
* Everythingisart.cc Magazine
* International Contemporary Artists (ICA Publishing)
* LarkGallery Online
* Manu Sol Publications
* Modern Art Community (Featured Artists Volume III, modernartcom dot com)
* The New Collectors Book
* Show Artists (.com) International Art Competitions
* Working Artist Org.
* World Art Vision (related offerings: Open Art Code)
* World Wide Art Books (related offerings: International Contemporary Masters, International Masters of Photography, Artavita Contemporary Master Award)

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