About our jury process
One hundred sixty (160) spaces will be available through the jury process. Fifteen (15) booth spaces are reserved for 2007 category and Best of Show award winners.

The jury uses the following standards to guide their decision:

• The jury will view each artist’s set of six images. One of the six images shall be of the artist's booth showing body of work. The images will be projected in two rows, three images on top and three images on bottom, simultaneously. All applications from professional artists must submit a booth image – no exceptions.  If you submit an application without the booth image, your application will be returned to you for modification. Please note that EIA’s will show a sixth image in place of the booth image.
• The ideal work will reflect excellence.
• The work should be well conceived and expertly executed without technical faults.
• The work should show an identity of design.
• All work must be original and made by hand.
• Artwork is considered solely on the merit of the work pictured.  This and your submitted Artist Statement will be the only criteria considered. (See below regarding Artist Statement).
• The work should be professionally and creatively presented.  The better the image presented, the better your opportunity.
• The work presented must be for sale.  If the work isn’t for sale, do not submit the image.
All decisions of the jury are final.

A note about the booth image.  The booth image shows the jury your body of work, provides dimension and scale, and a sense of artistic and creative presentation (will the jury feel “wow”).  It will also report to the jury if the work submitted in the individual images reflects your current style and overall body of work

Artist Statement
The application will automatically have a question for an artist description of material and technique of 100 characters.  You are encouraged to enter a description of material and technique that is concise and explains well the body of work.  It is best to not explain how you are inspired, but rather your technique.  The first (up to) 100 words of the submitted statement will be read to the jury.

Artist Information and Benefits
• Projected Attendance – More than 200,000.
• $10,000 in Cash Awards. Category awards and Best of Show.
• Awards include invitation to following year’s show.
• Artist Awards Ceremony includes breakfast.
• Program with color image for each exhibitor distributed to 220,000 households via The Des Moines Register; as well as distributed to point of sale locations and on-site during event.
• Convenient Free Parking for Artists.
• Invitations to special events and receptions.
• Exclusive Hospitality Area.
• 24-hour Security
• Free Electricity
• Booth sitters and energetic volunteers
• Booth Amenities
- 10' x 10' Booth with at least 144 square feet
- Grass and concrete available
- Storage Behind Booth (minimum of 2’)

Wait List
The Des Moines Arts Festival maintains a waitlist from the jury process. There is no scientific formula for this list other than an attempt to maintain show balance.  At least two artists from each category are placed on the waitlist (could be more, could be two) based on score breaks. For example, if invited artists score breaks at 80 out of 100 (all artists scoring 80 or above are invited) and five artists score 79 and three artists score 78, all five artists scoring 79 will be placed on the waitlist. However, if the category is stronger in total scores, this number may be larger. (for example, if a smaller category scores higher and therefore the cut-off score is higher, then it is more likely more artists from that category will be placed on the Wait List). Overall, our goal is show balance. If an artist from a smaller number category withdraws, we will replace that category with the same. If an artist from a higher number category withdraws, we will look at score. Artists are notified by the Festival when a space becomes available. When you are notified on November 21 of your wait list status you are required to submit to the Festival your acceptance.

Double booths are available to artists who jury into two separate categories.*
Single Booth Fee:  $350
Double Booth Fee: $700
Corner Booth Fee: $450
A full refund of booth fee is available until March 28, 2008.

Rules
The Des Moines Arts Festival considers its enforcement of the rules our exclusive right and responsibility.  Festival officials will visit all displays at intervals throughout the Festival to ensure that exhibitors comply with all Festival rules, including but not limited to checking identification.  Noncompliance can result in expulsion and ineligibility for jurying, awards and participation in future Festivals.

1. All work exhibited must be original art produced by the artist.

2. Artists may only exhibit work in the category in which they are accepted.

3. Only original artwork may be displayed and/or offered for sale.

4. Ceramic works must be handmade by the artist. If multiple pieces of the same design are displayed, each piece must be signed.

5. Prints may only be exhibited by exhibitors accepted in the graphics/printmaking category. Prints must be produced in signed, limited editions, which are hand-pulled by the artist.

6. No reproductions are allowed. If a work exists as a painting, watercolor, drawing, etc. and is copied by digital or photographic means and printed on an offset press, a serigraph press or through a computer by means of an ink jet or electrostatic printer, this would be a reproduction. This includes giclees.

7. Artists must be present to exhibit. No proxy of any kind is permitted.

8. A picture ID is required at artist check-in. In addition, the Festival reserves the right to check ID each day of the Festival to ensure the artist is present.

9. Exhibitors may not sell promotional items such as postcards, notecards, calendars, t-shirts or photocopy and/or offset reproductions of any kind. The sale of non-original promotional items is prohibited.  Artists may display for review portfolio or bound publications.  These may not be sold, but may be given away.

10. Artists are responsible for proper insurance and protection of work and setup. The Des Moines Arts Festival will not be responsible for damage to work or setup due to weather or unrelated incidents.

11. Only artists accepted in the jewelry category may display and sell jewelry. 

12. Artists are responsible for collecting and reporting all taxes, including 6% Iowa sales tax.

In addition to the rules of exhibiting, the following guidelines/restrictions apply to the jury process:

1. Artists may jury in more than one category only with a distinctly different body of work.

2. Artists wishing to exhibit work produced in more than one media category must create a new profile for each category on Zapplication and submit a jury fee for each category.  Only one application may be submitted per body of work represented. Multiple applications must represent work in different media categories. Artists whose work is selected in multiple categories are eligible for a single double booth space.

3. All work submitted for jury must be for sale at the time of jurying.

4. Jewelry may only be submitted for jury in the jewelry category.

5. Furniture makers may enter in the wood or metal categories but may not enter in sculpture.

6.  Photography may only be submitted for jury in the photography category.

7.  Upon receipt of application, the Festival reserves the right to return any application if it is deemed noncompliant for a particular category.

PLEASE NOTE – REGARDING COLLABORATING ARTISTS:  If you are submitting an application as a collaborating artist/partner, you must submit the name(s) with the application. Here is how to submit your application as a collaborating artist - Go to “My Profile” first.  Enter one of the two collaborating artists as the primary contact in the profile form (this name will always appear first in publications and online of accepted). After completing the information requested, there is a section at the bottom of the profile page to enter the collaborating artist name(s). This information is carried over to the application for purposes of identifying a collaborative effort. You may not add a partner after the jury.  If you have any questions or difficulties registering the partner, please contact the DMAF office before submitting your application.

Category Descriptions
2-D Mixed Media – Includes any combination of a variety of materials to create an original work of art with a one-sided orientation. Collages are an example of this type of artwork.

3-D Mixed Media – Combines a variety of materials plus their associated techniques, to form an original work of art visible from 360 degrees.

Ceramics – The expression of art through earthenware, porcelain, or tile, made by shaping and then firing a nonmetallic mineral, such as clay, at a high temperature.
 
Digital – This category includes original work created solely on a computer and work created by using computer programs to significantly manipulate or alter source material(s) such as scans or digital files.  Work must be limited editions, signed and numbered, using only archival materials. 

Drawing/Pastels – Drawings are works on paper using pencil, crayon, ink, charcoal, pastels and a variety of other marking media.
 
Emerging Iowa Artist - The Emerging Iowa Artist Program provides the opportunity for Iowa residents enrolled in universities, colleges and art schools across the country to participate in the Des Moines Arts Festival free of charge. Please see above description for qualifications and description.

Fiber – Includes artwork from fibers such as basketry, embroidery, weaving, leatherwork, tapestry and papermaking.

Glass – The expression of art through transparent or translucent objects made from blowing and fashioning glass.

Graphics/Printmaking – Printmaking is a transfer process of producing original art, usually in multiples. It involves creating a drawing or other composition, on a surface other than paper, for transfer to paper through the use of a press or through impressions made by hand.

Jewelry – Ornaments, such as bracelets, necklaces, or rings, made of precious metals set with gems or semi-precious gems.

Metalworks – Creating artwork through the forging, twisting and fabricating of various metals.

Painting – To form in colors a figure of likeness on a flat surface, as upon canvas; to represent by means of colors or hues; to exhibit in a tinted image; to portray with paints; as, to paint a still life, portrait or a landscape.

Photography - The process of capturing images by the action of light, then printing the images, by chemical or digital means, onto a surface. The photography category includes traditional film photography, hand colored images, emulsion transfers and digital photography that has not been excessively manipulated to achieve results beyond what could be done in a traditional darkroom. Photographers are required to disclose their creative and printing process including editions and materials. Traditional photography using digital means should apply in the photography category.