2027 Orange County Artist Guild New Membership

The Orange County Artists Guild is an inclusive, non-profit organization of artists supporting each other in their professional development, as well as fostering public knowledge and appreciation of the work of local artists. The Guild is composed of professional artists and artisans. The Guild does not restrict members as to art medium, content, or style of work. All members are expected to contribute to the organization through voluntary committee work. Activities of the Guild include:

• Hosting an annual Orange County Open Studio Tour in November
• Hosting annual Winter and Spring shows when possible
• Hosting an informational booth at Festifall
• Providing a website to promote OCAG members’ artwork
• Offering organizational Facebook and Instagram pages
• Hosting quarterly meetings for members with educational programs and speakers
• Seeking out and coordinating other opportunities to show and sell members work
• Promoting and organizing self-led artist interest and learning groups

Eligibility
Membership in the Orange County Artists Guild is open to any individual artist who lives or maintains a studio in Orange County, NC and who has been juried into the Guild. The jury process for new members takes place once a year. The jury’s decision is final. Neither the jury nor the Board of Directors of the Guild will provide explanations of jury findings or individual critiques for applying artists.

Fees
The application fee is $35. The application fee must be paid by the entry deadline. If the fee poses a financial hardship, it may be waived at the Guild's discretion. Contact the Guild here to inquire about eligibility.

Annual membership dues are $100 per calendar year, January 1 - December 31. New members pay their dues after they have been juried into the Guild. Members may participate in any Guild show with payment of the appropriate event fee. 

The fee for participation in the annual Open Studio Tour participation is $250 in addition to participating on committees that organize the tour, or $600 without volunteering. The Studio Tour is open only to members. All Studio Tour participants are required to maintain an updated page on the OCAG website. 
 

Multiple Media
An applicant is permitted to submit a SINGLE application with work done in 2 distinct media (pottery and photography, for example), but the applicant should be forewarned that unless the work in both media is of superior quality, this is not recommended. Often such applications read as “weak” in a jury situation - like the applicant "is not committed" and “all over the place”.

An applicant is permitted to submit up to 2 applications if they do work in two distinct media. The applicant in this case would submit one application for each medium with 7 separate images and a separate Artist Statement for each. The nonrefundable application fee is required for each application.

“Young Adult Emerging Artist” Opportunity
This year we are seeking artists between the ages of 21 and 30 for our one year “Young Adult Emerging Artist” positions. If you fit this category, and live or maintain a studio within Orange County and are juried into the guild, the annual fee of $100 may be waived for one year, as will the $250 fee for participation in the Open Studio Tour and the fees for online exhibitions, if you are chosen for one of the Emerging Artist slots. (The $35 application fee will still apply.) If you intend to exhibit during the Open Studio Tour, responsibility to work at least 10 hours on a committee in the Guild will apply to you as it does to all Tour artists (see above). Should a “Young Adult Emerging Artist" not have a space in which to display during the Open Studio Tour, the Guild will actively explore options for a space in which you can display your work during the Tour. (This could be shared space with an established Guild member.) Please Note:  Applicants for the Young Adult Emerging Artist positions should not plan to be enrolled in a degree program (with the exception of BFA or MFA) during the year of their OCAG membership (from February through the following January.)

Application Requirements
For consideration by the OCAG Jury, you must submit the following:

• 7 images of your work
• 1 image of Studio/ workspace (optional)

The Jury Committee membership may be composed of OCAG members working in various media and people from the Triangle community with particular expertise. Applications will be judged by the entire committee, not just those representing your medium. Membership on the committee changes somewhat from year to year and an effort is made to have a jury member representing your medium. There will be 5 to 8 voting members plus the co-chairs of the jury present. To insure fairness, the jury process is blind; applicants are anonymous. It is very important to present professional looking photographic images of your work and to describe your work in a way that helps the members of the Jury Committee understand what it is that you do.

Please note that images for consideration by the jury should not necessarily be a comprehensive representation of your work, but 7 images of your work that show some cohesion of thought, design, and execution. The pieces shown needn’t be all the same, but the body of work must be understandable to jury members who are unfamiliar with your artistic production. Of the 7 images of your work, at least 3 should be from the previous 3 years; one additional image can be of your studio/work space.

All artistic media are accepted. Artists must show and sell original work. No kits, commercially manufactured items or imports are permitted. Purchased and unoriginal materials, if used, need to show great creative effect. The artist must design any molds used. Your work must show:

Competence : The applicant must have basic competence in their medium. The work should clearly show experience working in that medium.

Confidence/Clarity : The work should be original and should show individual confidence in style and execution. Some cohesion of thought, design, and execution should be evident to the jury.

Commitment : It should be clear in the jury process that the applicant has been seriously engaged in this work and intends to continue in a committed fashion.

 We seek high quality, artistic excellence, serious intent and professional presentation in fine arts and crafts, both traditional and contemporary.The jury will also review the following (sent as part of your application). Since the jury process is anonymous, make sure that both résumé and artist statement do not include any identifying text (your name or other identifiers):

• ENTERING YOUR IMAGES: Entry form must be filled out in its entirety. List sizes up to the nearest inch. Submitted images must not include matting or frame. Crop the photos to include only the artwork. Be sure your images are right-side-up. Title of each image should start with your Last Name.
• Before uploading your images, make sure they are smaller than 5MB, but at least 1200 pixels on the longest side. Images should be in JPEG or JPG format, sRGB color space.
• 1 Resume (2 pages maximum)
  • A one or two-page résumé which outlines “arts relevant” info: exhibitions, teaching, workshops attended, continuing professional development—all demonstrating your seriousness of purpose as an artist. It is not expected that you do your art full-time. Many members have other “day jobs.”
  • At the end, include any skills or qualities you might bring to the Guild as a member.
• 1 Artists Statement (2000 character limit)
  • An artist’s statement wherein you write about your artistic/creative philosophy, processes, and your intentions with your work. Talk about your work, describing to the jury what you do, how you do it, and your hope for its outcome. Please do not include your name in the artist's statement.
• Complete the "skills" question field
  • Let us know what skills or qualities you can contribute to OCAG.

Incomplete applications will not be considered.
 

Calendar
1. New applicants’ Q&A information sessions will be held on November 22nd, December 13th,  and January 3rd at the Drift Cafe (111 S. Elliott Rd, Chapel Hill, NC 27514) at 2 PM.   Please contact Deborah Harris (dharris118@nc.rr.com) if you plan to attend one of these sessions.
2. Application submission closes at 11:59 PM on January 31, 2027.
3. Notifications will be sent out in mid to late February 2027.
4. New Members Orientation will be scheduled in February 2027, once the new membership is determined. You will be contacted about this following the Jury’s decision.
 

The images of your work most heavily influence judging,  but judges also review your Resume, Artist statement, and skill set. 

Applicants must be active artists and live or maintain a studio in Orange County, NC.