REMINDER: Nceca Emerging Artist deadline is right away!

ENTRY DEADLINE: OCTOBER 1, 2012 (midnight MDT)

Overview
NCECA’s Emerging Artists program recognizes exceptional early career artists through a monetary award, and the opportunity to present their work to an international audience during NCECA’s Annual Conference. The monetary awards as well as opportunities for increased exposure through exhibition and special events are made possible in part through the generous support of the Windgate Charitable Foundation.
NCECA defines an Emerging Artist to be one who is beginning to receive recognition for his/her work but is currently underrepresented, does not have representation by a nationally prominent gallery, and is creating work that offers new/exciting/thoughtful perspectives that expand upon a genre of creative production and inquiry. 

Because the concept of emergence in the arts does not readily correlate with a specific age, or other easily quantifiable terms, NCECA requires applicants to briefly describe why they perceive themselves to be at an emergent point in their careers and how they anticipate the award will impact the trajectory of their endeavors. The review committee, at their discretion, may eliminate candidates that are considered to be beyond “emerging.”  Applicants are also required to provide letters of support from two figures in the field who are familiar with their work and drive to create. Letters should provide the selection committee with a sense of confirmation of the candidates’ seriousness of commitment and potential for continued development.
Eligibility
Applications are welcomed from artists working with ceramic materials/processes as a significant component of their work.  Applicants may not be students.  A current NCECA Membership, at the time of application, is a required to be eligible to apply for NCECA’s Emerging Artists. NCECA Membership fees are not included in event registration. Membership requires payment of an annual fee. CLICK HERE to apply for or renew your membership.
Selection
NCECA’s 2013 Emerging Artists selection committee will consist of NCECA Director at Large, Sam Chung and two additional members, distinguished internationally exhibited artists Denise Pelletier and Chris Antemann.  The committee will select six (6) Emerging Artists who will receive complementary registration in NCECA’s 47th Annual Conference and be awarded an additional year’s membership. Applications will be due October 1, 2012 and the review committee will reach its decisions before the end of October 2012 after which applicants will be notified.
Awardee Benefits and Requirements
A formal agreement outlining terms and conditions associated with this honor will be sent to the selected artists soon after jurying is completed. Selected artists’ images and application materials will be retained by NCECA and will be held in the NCECA archives. Images may be used to promote NCECA’s Emerging Artists program and may be posted on NCECA’s website and contributed to a new NCECA image community being developed in cooperation with AccessCeramics. Emerging Artists will be considered conference presenters and will therefore be ineligible for a presenter role or honorarium in the year following the award.

Artists selected as 2013 Emerging Artists are required to provide a written summary of their presentation for the NCECA Annual Conference for publication in the NCECA Journal by December 18, 2012. This summary must be accompanied by five 300 dpi images appropriate for print publication. Also required by this date is a 50-word abstract of this submission to be included in the 2013 NCECA Conference Program Guide.  The selected artists will be required to attend the 47th Annual NCECA Conference, participate in special “meet and greet” events with collectors, prepare remarks and make presentations (approximately 10 minutes in duration) during the Second Members’ Business Meeting on Saturday, March 23, 2013.  Emerging Artists will receive a $2500 award that will be presented during the closing ceremonies of NCECA’s 47th Annual Conference at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, TX. Emerging Artists will also be eligible for a shipping reimbursement to transport work for a featured exhibition at the conference center from March 19-22, 2013. Artists are required to help install/de-install their work and be present periodically during the course of the Emerging Artists Exhibition.  Emerging Artists will also be required to participate in individual interviews to be posted in the NCECA/Crafthaus Blog. Emerging Artists will be expected to contribute periodic postings to blog.nceca.net during the year following their presentations at the conference. Images of their work will also be incorporated in a new NCECA image library that will be developed in cooperation with accessCeramics.org.

Application Submission Checklist

Applications must be submitted completely electronically. Please prepare the following BEFORE starting the ONLINE submittal form as you will need to UPLOAD the following:

1. Two (2) 1-page Letters of Recommendation from professionals in the field of ceramic art. Applicants will be required to provide the following contact information for Recommenders: First Name, Last Name, Relation to applicant, Phone #, and Email address.
   
   Options to submit letters:
   a. Receive the letters from your recommenders in .doc or .pdf format and upload them to the ONLINE application. OR
   b. If the recommender prefers to send their letter directly to NCECA please have them email their letter to NCECA.EA.LETTER @gmail.com stating the NAME OF THE ARTIST in the subject line.  
   If this option is selected, applicants will need to upload a document in .doc or .pdf format to the Online submittal form stating "Letter of recommendation from (RECOMMENDER NAME) will be e-mailed to
   NCECA.EA.LETTER@gmail.com." *** Please note: The application will not submit successfully unless a document has been uploaded to each Letter of Recommendation box.
   
   
2. Resume (two page maximum) in .doc or .pdf format (file size must be under 1mb)
   
3. Artist Statement describing your work and work process. (250 word maximum, paste or type)
   
4. Statement articulating why you believe you are at an "emerging" point in your career, and how this award will benefit your studio practice (150 words maximum, paste or type)
5. Exactly 10 images-(Image Preparation Guidelines) The following details are required on each image: Title, Brief image description, Type of clay, Firing/ Decoration method, Date, Size, Weight, Insurance value, Retail value.
   
   Click here to view the ONLINE FORM