The Washita Valley Arts Festival is the newest art event in Southern Oklahoma. This festival's inaugural year will take place inside the Eskridge Hotel Museum in picturesque downtown Wynnewood. This one-day event is just enough to give the citizens of the Washita Valley (Wynnewood, Pauls Valley, Davis, Sulphur, Elmore City) and beyond a taste of the incredible talent located in the great state of Oklahoma. Featuring artists who work with paint, pen, pencil, metal, wood, jewelry, and more, this event offers something for everyone.
And at the heart of it all, a silent auction of affordable art (bidding starts between $25 and $100), with all auction proceeds donated to the Wynnewood Historical Society, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.
Admission (and snacks) are free and the art is for sale! Come on by!
Please direct questions and media inquiries to
washitavalleyartsfestival@gmail.com
Silent Auction
All WVAF artists (and some local artists) have graciously agreed to donate art pieces for the silent auction.
You can preview some of the auction items below.
Bidding ends at 6:30 PM.
Note from the organizer: Fun fact -- I used to think a silent auction was just like a regular auction. Except...silent. Like no one talked and bids were just shown on a giant screen.
Now I know that a silent auction is where each item has a bid sheet in front of it, and people write down their name, contact info, and their bid in sequential order until the maximum bid is reached, or the auction ends, whichever comes first.
However, this poses a problem for people who can't stay until 6:30.
The solution: Givebutter! A FREE online platform for hosting silent auctions. Who knew such a thing existed? We're living in the future, folks.
Click the image below to be taken to the auction site!
See you there!
ARTIST INFORMATION
EVENT DATES & TIMES
The Washita Valley Arts Festival will be held Saturday, April 15, 2023, from 12:00 PM to 7:00 PM at the Eskridge Hotel Museum at 114 E. Kerr Blvd., Wynnewood, OK 73098.
Artists are required to arrive at the Eskridge by 8:00 AM. Setup shall occur from 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM.
Judging shall occur from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM.
FESTIVAL HOURS:
Saturday, April 15, 2023 - 12:00 PM to 7:00 PM
REGISTRATION
Artists must submit a complete application for the jurying process. The completed application must include 3 artwork images and 1 booth shot emailed to maddoesthings@gmail.com after the application on this page has been submitted and paid for.
APPLICATION FEE
Each artist must submit a non-refundable $20 application fee. You can select as many media as you are prepared to show. Please indicate the media in the title of the image you email to maddoesthings@gmail.com. We are aware that many artists are talented in many areas, but please do your best to ensure all pieces are of similar quality, regardless of medium. Submission does not guarantee acceptance.
ACCEPTANCE
Artists will be notified on Monday, March 6, 2023 of their invitation status (invited/waitlist).
Invited artists will have until Wednesday, March 15, 2023, to accept their invitation and remit booth fee of $50 ($40 for table only). However, we ask that you let us know that you accept or decline the invitation as soon as possible so that we may move on to waitlisted artists.
Waitlisted artists will be contacted by email (and possibly phone) on Thursday, March 16, 2023. Payment of booth fee will secure a waitlisted artist's spot at the festival. All booth fees are due by 11:59 PM on Sunday, March 19, 2023.
Payment for artists booths can be paid through this website (a link will be sent to invited artists), by calling (815) 979-8588 and using your Visa or MasterCard. Mailed checks will not be accepted.
Artists who are unable to attend the show shall only receive a refund of their booth fee if they cancel their registration at least 14 days before the show and if their booth space is able to be filled with another artist.
Refund and cancellation requests less than 14 days before the show will be considered on a case-by-case basis in cases of serious family emergency, illness or death. The show organizer (maddoesthings@gmail.com) must be notified as soon as possible if such an emergency arises.
ELIGIBLE MEDIA
Prints and Giclees are permitted, but a minimum of 50% of the displayed artwork must be original work. To enter, your medium must fall into one or more of the following Fine Art categories:
1) Acrylic Painting
2) Watercolor Painting
3) Oil Painting
4) Pastels
5) Pen, Pencil & Ink
6) Photography
7) Sculpture
8) Metalwork
9) Woodwork
10) Pottery / Porcelain
11) Glass
12) Jewelry
13) Fiber Arts (Fabric, Quilts, Weaving and Leather)
14) Mixed Media
JURYING INFORMATION
The Washita Valley Arts Festival is limited to approximately 13 exhibitors chosen by a small jury of highly qualified, talented, experienced, 2D and 3D fine artists and craftspeople.
All participants in the show will be chosen by this jury, which will begin their jurying March 1, 2023.
DEADLINE
All applications must be submitted by Wednesday, March 1, 2023 - 1:00 AM CST to be considered.
Artists will receive status update of invited/waitlisted on March 6, 2023, via email. Waitlisted artists may be contacted on or after March 16th with a follow-up invitation.
ARTISTS HOSPITALITY & SERVICES
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Complimentary refreshments in an artist hospitality area.
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Load-in is from Saturday, April 15, 2023, from 8am to 11am. All booths must be ready for judging by 11am on Saturday.
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The festival opens at 12pm.
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Load-out before 7pm on Saturday, April 15, is not permitted.
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Artists reception & awards ceremony, details provided at registration.
HOSPITALITY
There will be a Hospitality Room available for artists and their assistants for the duration of the show starting at 12pm on Saturday afternoon. We will have complimentary beverages and snacks for artists and their assistants.
CHANGE
Unfortunately we are unable to provide change, cash out of town checks or perform credit card transactions. Artists are responsible for providing their own change, as well as conducting their own transactions.
SECURITY
Artists are required to be present, or have an assistant present, with their work at all times. The Washita Valley Arts Festival and the Wynnewood Historical Society are not responsible for any theft or damage to your display, artwork or personal belongings.
COLLECTION OF GROSS RECEIPTS TAX
Each exhibitor is responsible for the collection and reporting of tax.
SILENT AUCTION
We appreciate your generous donations of Silent Auction items. In April, you will be asked to provide information about your auction item, so that we can advertise it in our marketing. Please note that the bidding for all items will start between $25 and $100. Upon check-in please give your silent auction item to the Art Festival personnel. The Silent Auction items are displayed throughout operating hours and the auction closes on Saturday at 7:00 pm. Funds generated by the Silent Auction go to support the Wynnewood Historical Society, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.
WE ARE VERY ARTIST FRIENDLY. PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO CALL OR TEXT US DIRECTLY FOR QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE at (815) 979-8588 or email us at washitavalleyartsfestival@gmail.com.
RULES/REGULATIONS
FESTIVAL HOURS
Saturday, April 15, 2023 - 12:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Exhibitors agree to be present throughout the show until closing time. Tearing down early will not be tolerated and may result in automatic disqualification in future shows
Set up is from Saturday, April 15, beginning at 8 am until 11 am.
Tear down is after closing on Saturday, April 15.
ELIGIBILITY
All artists 18 years and older are eligible to submit original artwork in all disciplines. All work must be for sale and priced with the intent to sell. The jurying of the show will be done using photos emailed to maddoesthings@gmail.com. These photos must accurately represent works that will be brought to the festival, if accepted. They must also be your own work. Collaborators' work will not be allowed to be sold in your booth.
The following items do not qualify to be exhibited at the Washita Valley Arts Festival:
* Items in a medium other than that submitted and accepted by the Festival jury
* Artwork copied from other artist
* Ceramics made from commercial molds
* Commercially made items, hobby store kits or patterns of any kind
* Commercially made form settings on jewelry
* Machine tooling or machine screened patterns.
* Mass produced art of any kind
* Work done by an artist that has not submitted an application and been juried into the show.
ARTWORK IMAGES FOR JURYING
All applicants to the Washita Valley Arts Festival must include 4 color digital images, via email to maddoesthings@gmail.com. Please name the images like so: LASTNAME_media_HxW_price. Three images must show individual pieces representative of work that will be displayed at the festival. The fourth image must be of the display that will be used at the show with the full range of work displayed--or as close as you can get. We do have gridwalls and tables available on a first-come first-serve basis for artists who do not have their own.
Failure to submit required images may hold up your application process or result in rejection of your application.
PARKING
Artists will receive parking instructions before the date of the show.
BADGES
You will be given a name badge to wear at the Festival. It is your choice whether to wear it.
PETS AND CHILDREN
Pets except for handicap assistance are not permitted so please do not bring your pets with you to the show. Child care is not available at the Eskridge Hotel Museum.
BOOTH INFORMATION
BOOTHS
Booth spaces are approximately 8' x 8'. There are 10 booth spaces available.
There are also 3 tables available (for non-hangable art) that provide 2.5' x 6' of space.
Displays must be professional and pleasing to the eye. Handwritten signs and sale signs are allowed.
We do have gridwalls and tables available on a first-come first-serve basis for artists who do not have their own.
BOOTH FEES
Booth fees for 8' x 8' space are $50 each. Table spaces are $40 each.
Electricity needs should be discussed with Festival coordinators before the event. There are electrical outlets, but the building is old, so let's not get too wild.
SETUP, TAKE DOWN AND MANNING OF BOOTHS
We request that you be responsible for complete setup and take down of your booth area. Booths may be set up between 8am - 11am on Saturday, April 15, and must be completely set up by 11am on Saturday, April 15, to allow the judging to be completed before the show opens to the public.
Artists are required to have someone in their booths throughout the Festival until 7:00 pm on Saturday. We will do our best to have booth sitters available for breaks and lunch.
BOOTH ASSIGNMENTS/PAYMENT
Booths will be assigned to you before the event. Payment for artists booths can be paid through this website (a link will be sent to invited artists), by calling (815) 979-8588 and using your Visa or MasterCard. Mailed checks will not be accepted.
We look forward to seeing you!
All images and marketing for the Washita Valley Arts Festival, including name and logo © Madeline Dillner, 2023.
All rights reserved.