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Call For Emerging Craft Artists at Brentwood Arts Exchange

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CALL FOR EMERGING CRAFT ARTISTS

Brentwood Arts Exchange Emerging Craft Artist Excursion/Mentorship Program

DEADLINE TO APPLY: August 19, 2015

PROGRAM DATE: August 29, 2015

EMERGING CRAFT ARTIST EXCURSION

The Brentwood Arts Exchange is presenting a professional development excursion for emerging craft artists that will promote creativity and entrepreneurship through a day of site visits. This one‐day excursion will illuminate important factors behind the business of making and selling quality crafts, followed two months later by a presentation of participants’ works in a Craft Store Front Window Feature. This program will recruit approximately 15 emerging craft artists from the DC Metro Area and charter a small bus that will tour two locations, each focusing on a different aspect of making, marketing, and selling fine crafts. The excursion will begin in the morning with a presentation on “Marketing and Business Strategies for the Emerging Craft Artist,” given by a local business person, followed by a tour of the Torpedo Factory to meet with established craft artists and talk about the how and why of the items they are currently creating and selling to local customers. The day will end with a sponsored visit to SCRAP DC, a creative reuse store, where artists can find materials at affordable prices to begin their creative craft work. After a day of seeing and learning, participants will have two months to create new works. Then on November 2, 2015, the program will culminate by featuring the new works by excursion artists in a Front Window Feature at the Brentwood Arts Exchange, showcasing all the artists
have learned through the experience. There are no costs for artists who are selected to participate in the program.

APPLICATION
Applications may be submitted by mail or delivered in person and must arrive at the Brentwood Arts Exchange no later than 3 pm on Aug 19, 2015. We are not able to accept applications by email. Each application should include a CD/DVD containing:

• Complete contact information
• 5‐10 images of items that showcase your craft (File should be JPEG format and High
Resolution)
• A short summary of how the item(s) are created
• A statement of 500 words or less describing the reason why you feel you would benefit
from this excursion/mentorship program

TIMELINE
• Wednesday, August 19—Application deadline (3pm)
• Saturday, August 22—Finalists announced
• Saturday, Aug 29—Emerging Artists Excursion (9am‐5pm)
• Saturday, October 3—Emerging Craft Artist Meeting
• Nov. 2, 2015 – Jan. 2, 2016 —Front Window Feature

SELECTION
We are searching for emerging craft artists within our community who have a desire to bring their craft to the next level. This excursion is intended to inform craft artists about the current consumer market, and showcase what current successful craft artists are creating and selling in the region. Therefore, this program will most benefit those artists who are proficient at their craft, but seek inspiration with the help of outside influences to expand on their knowledge,
and who are interested in evolving their craft in order to appeal to wider audiences. Artists will be notified by email no later than Saturday, August 22, 2014. Upon notification, artists must commit to the excursion date of August 29, 2015, and attend the excursion during its entirety from 9am‐5 pm.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
If you have any questions or would like additional information, please contact:

Fabianna Seri, Craft Store Coordinator, Brentwood Arts Exchange
3901 Rhode Island Ave., Brentwood, MD 20722
301‐277‐2863
Fabianna.seri@pgparks.com

Phil Davis, Acting Director, Brentwood Arts Exchange
3901 Rhode Island Ave., Brentwood, MD 20722
301‐277‐2863
phil.davis@pgparks.com

The Department of Parks and Recreation encourages and supports the participation of individuals with disabilities. Register at least a minimum of two weeks in advance of the program start date to request and receive a disability accommodation. The Maryland‐National Capital Park and Planning Commission is supported by a grant from the Maryland State Arts Council, an agency dedicated to cultivating a vibrant cultural community
where the arts thrive.