NOTE the entry period for the 2022 IN THE SPRIT exhibition has closed and the jury has selected works for the exhibition. This is an annual exhibition, so interested artists can apply next year, look for the application in April 2023.
Selections from the IN THE SPIRIT exhibition, 2021
Call for Entries
IN THE SPIRIT Contemporary Native Arts
Juried Exhibition
Application deadline: April 4, 2022
General Information
The Washington State History Museum (Washington State Historical Society) is hosting the 17th annual IN THE SPIRIT Contemporary Native Arts Exhibition. The juried exhibition seeks to highlight both contemporary and traditional visual art forms. We are honored that you have an interest in submitting your work for consideration. Please read the details below, review the application form (button below), and read the Terms and Conditions (see button below to download a PDF).
Note that the application is via SurveyMonkey form, so you will not be able to save your application and go back to complete it later. For an easier process, we recommend that you review the application form and gather all the necessary information and images before you start filling out the form.
APPLY
Jurors:
- HollyAnna CougarTracks DeCoteau Littlebull (Yakama, Nez Perce, Cayuse, Cree)
- JD Olney Shellenberger (Yakama)
- Alyne DeCoteau (Yakama and Cayuse)
Exhibition Dates: June 16 – September 11, 2022
Location: Washington State History Museum, Tacoma, McClelland Gallery, 5th floor
How to Submit
- An artist may submit up to two individual works for consideration
- Submit one image per entered work – if the image is a detail of the work, clearly label the file as “TITLE OF WORK_Detail”
- Images must be in a JPEG format, not to exceed 1MB or 1024KB. Larger files will not be accepted and the work will not be considered for the exhibition.
- Images submitted must be of the actual completed works.
- Works that are selected for exhibition must be available to the museum from May 16, 2022 through October 5, 2022 to allow time for installation, display, and de-installation.
Substitutions will not be permitted for the exhibition: Only the works that have been considered and selected by the jurors may be exhibited. Once a work has been juried into the exhibition, no substitutions may be made. All work submitted for consideration should be the artist’s original concept, design, and interpretation.
WSHS reserves the right to use photos of the images for marketing, communications, and/or promotion.
Artwork Size Limitations*
- Weight limit for wall mounted objects is 200 pounds
- Freestanding objects cannot exceed 500 pounds
- Overall dimensions of artwork should not exceed 5 feet in length by 5 feet in width by 5 feet in height.
- While works exceeding the suggested size limitations will be considered, please note that due to physical constraints within the exhibition gallery space, selected works exceeding the suggested dimensional limits may be restricted.
Eligibility
Eligibility for the exhibition is in compliance with the Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990 (P.L. 101-644). Under the Act, an artist must be a member of a state or federally recognized tribe or be certified as a tribal artisan by a tribe.
If this is your first time applying for the IN THE SPIRIT Contemporary Native Arts exhibition:
- Provide a copy of your tribal enrollment documentation listing your enrollment number and/or tribal center phone number.
If you have previously submitted to the exhibition, no tribal enrollment documentation is needed.
Please read the Terms and Conditions before applying.
Terms and Conditions
Submit your application online by April 4, 2022. A staff member will contact you upon receipt of your application.
Jurying and Notification Process
The jury is comprised of qualified Native artists and museum curators who will, together, review all of the works submitted for consideration and make their final selections. Artists’ names will be omitted from the images during the jurying process for blind consideration.
Notification of selection for the exhibition will be e-mailed to individual artists by May 2, 2022, and posted on the Washington State Historical Society website (www.WashingtonHistory.org) by May 13, 2022. A follow-up notification will be sent to each applicant via e-mail and regular mail.
Questions about submitting work for consideration?
Contact Gwen Whiting, Lead Curator, at Washington State Historical Society, at gwen.whiting@wshs.wa.gov or 253.798.5927.
NOTE: This application process is for the IN THE SPIRIT Contemporary Native Arts exhibition only. A companion community festival is held in August. IN THE SPIRIT Arts Market & Northwest Native Festival includes an artist vendor market and more. It is a single, day-long event and is held on a Saturday in August, in partnership with the Tacoma Art Museum and the Museum of Glass. The application process for the festival is separate from the exhibition application process. Further details and separate call for participating vendors will be announced during March 2022.
