Annual Exhibition Eligibility & Entry Procedures

All paid members may enter one Jpeg. An additional Jpeg may be entered for $20.

SCWS accepts online entries only.

Membership is open to any resident of South Carolina, Georgia and North Carolina. You must be a member to enter. SCWS member must be a SC, GA or NC resident and/or property owner or past SCWS member who no longer lives in SC, GA or NC but maintained their membership with no lapses.
Memberships will be accepted until the entry deadline of August 5. SCWS does not pro-rate memberships. If you join now, your membership will be valid from September 1, 2016-August 31, 2017, however, you may enter the 2016 Show for no fee.

Students may join for $20. Any student entering must present proof (i.e., school ID).

All persons entering must adhere to the eligibility statement below.

SCWS encourages you not to frame your painting until it has been accepted into the show. See framing requirements for this year’s show below:

Eligibility & Deadline

Submit online by August 5. You have until midnight EST.
Eligibility Statement (for both student and regular members):
Students who wish to join the Society in the student category must provide a photocopy of an OFFICIAL school identification, and pay a fee of $20, which is considered a full membership fee for one year. Should a student wish to be considered for the Traveling Show (or prize winner), the student must join as a regular member at the rate of $45.
Student entries must be original from concept to completion, executed EXCLUSIVELY by the student (not under the supervision of an instructor).
Entry requirements: All entries (for both student and regular members) must be executed in watermedia, such as watercolor, acrylic, gauche, etc. Collage is acceptable, however, the painting must be primarily composed of a painted surface. (NO oils or water soluble oils accepted). Work may be produced on any surface that will allow framing (required) unless work is created on a canvas with finished edges (or gallery wrapped). Entries must have been completed in the last three years and not previously exhibited in a SCWS show.

AN ADDITIONAL ENTRY CAN BE SUBMITTED FOR AN ADDITIONAL $20 FEE. ONLY ONE ENTRY WILL BE CONSIDERED FOR THE SHOW.

The following Size, Mats, Glazing Requirements will only apply to the top ten pictures that will be on display.

The painting must be presented, wired and ready for hanging, in the designated frame (details below.) Mats (if used) must be white, off-white, or pale grey. Maximum size is 48” in either direction, including the frame for paintings that are under Plexiglas/acrylic. Maximum depth (with frame) is 2 and 3/4” and maximum weight is 25 lbs.
Plexiglas/acrylic glazing if used (glass is not permitted) needs to be 1/8” thick and must be used for all pieces on paper or paperlike products. Canvas pieces do not have to be under Plexiglas/acrylic; however, they cannot be larger than 48” x 48”, including the frame. Gallery wrapped (finished edge, or creative edge) canvas does NOT need to be framed, but you may choose to frame. Gallery wrapped canvas must be finished on edges and professionally stretched. No larger than 48×48 with a maximum depth of 2½ inches.

Framing

Accepted paintings must use the following frame: Depending upon the painting size, a maximum 2 and 3/4” width flat-face “museum style wood frame.” If you are selected for the show, the museum has requested the frame any color in a natural wood tone (dark, light, etc., such as maple, cherry, oak, mahogany, etc.), that will also be acceptable. However, NO BLACK, WHITE (EVEN WOODEN) OR METAL FRAMES WILL BE ACCEPTED.

Jury Process

Entries will be juried from digital images (JPEG uploaded to SCWS website). The image resolution must be at 300 dpi for optimal viewing and reproduction.
Before submitting an image to enter, please click here to view our photography tips:

http://www.scwatermedia.com/tips-for-photographing-artwork.html

VERY IMPORTANT: This year’s entry image will be used for catalog images. It is imperative that when entering, you photograph only the image itself and do not capture any background images such as the surface the painting is sitting on, the frame or even the glare from the Plexiglas. We will have opportunities for members to get their images professionally photographed and will announce those at a later date.

Contact Info

When entering please submit a valid email address and phone number where you can be contacted quickly (such as cell phone). If you did not submit your image properly, we need to contact you as soon as possible in order to correct it so we may get you entered properly.

Jury Notifications

All artists will receive notification via email whether or not they are in the show. That is why it is PERTINENT to submit a valid email address and phone number with your entry. Once notified, SCWS will provide further instructions including drop off and shipping information and re-iterate framing guidelines.

Artist Responsibility

Artists may not substitute another work for an accepted work, nor withdraw the work once it has been accepted or remove it during the exhibition. Artists who do not submit their selected entry for the exhibition will not be allowed to enter another SCWS exhibition for three years. While the juror has the final responsibility to select the exhibition and awards, the exhibition committee reserves the right to reject any work deemed inappropriate. By submitting a painting to this exhibition, the artist accepts all conditions as set forth in this prospectus. If a painting sells, the artist understands that there is a 30% commission. The artist gives SCWS permission to photograph and video tape their entry and use it for educational or promotional purposes.

Traveling Show

If your painting is chosen as one of 10 award winners, you become part of our traveling show, which is coordinated every year by the SC State Museum. This means that your painting will more than likely be traveling the state for a year. The SC State Museum tries its best to fulfill a year-long schedule by coordinating the traveling show at various locations throughout the state. It will be a different venue every month, however, some months cannot be fulfilled for various reasons and the show will be stored that month at the SC State Museum. This happens rarely but it does happen. Please understand that if you enter the show and are chosen as an award winner, it may be a full year before you can pick up your painting. In that time, your painting is getting more exposure throughout the state. We will do our best to coordinate a pickup time after the traveling show is over that is convenient for artists. Many times, we bring the traveling show paintings to the next year’s (2017) luncheon. Should any of this be an issue, please DO NOT enter the 2016 Show.