High School Art Invitational Instructions
PLEASE READ CAREFULLY & REVIEW BEFORE BRINGING WORK IN
Quad City Arts’ Annual High School Art Exhibition is scheduled for March 28 - May 1, 2025. All works will be competing for cash awards and scholarships (typically $6,000). We will do our best to accommodate all the artwork and are not placing any size restrictions on entries, but please know that an excessively large piece may not fit. For easy access to Quad City Arts’ gallery, park near the door that faces the Mississippi River.
IMPORTANT 2025 DATES
- March 21 & 22 Teachers deliver artwork, submit online forms, and labels to QCA gallery
- March 24 & 25 Exhibition will be installed by Quad City Arts Staff
- March 27 Judging will take place
- March 28 Show officially opens
- April 3 Reception at Quad City Arts 6:30-8 p.m. Awards announced at 7 pm
- May 1 Final Day for exhibition
- May 2 & 3 Works picked up from 11 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. from Quad City Arts (by teachers or students with teacher permission.) Please note that the gallery closes at 5 pm., so plan to arrive by 4:30.
- March 24 & 25 Exhibition will be installed by Quad City Arts Staff
- March 27 Judging will take place
- March 28 Show officially opens
- April 3 Reception at Quad City Arts 6:30-8 p.m. Awards announced at 7 pm
- May 1 Final Day for exhibition
- May 2 & 3 Works picked up from 11 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. from Quad City Arts (by teachers or students with teacher permission.) Please note that the gallery closes at 5 pm., so plan to arrive by 4:30.
INSTRUCTIONS
Complete online forms and labels prior to delivering work.
- Bring labeled, framed or matted artwork to Quad City Arts on Friday March 21 or Saturday March 22, 10-4:30 pm. No late artwork will be accepted. Paint must be dry upon delivery. QCA will provide a table so teachers can attach mats, hooks, etc. upon delivery if needed. Please see “Framing Instructions” sheet.
- Bring labeled, framed or matted artwork to Quad City Arts on Friday March 21 or Saturday March 22, 10-4:30 pm. No late artwork will be accepted. Paint must be dry upon delivery. QCA will provide a table so teachers can attach mats, hooks, etc. upon delivery if needed. Please see “Framing Instructions” sheet.
ARTWORK SUBMISSIONS
ONLY TEACHERS SHOULD FILL OUT THESE FORMS
Completing home address and phone numbers for students is essential for contacting award winners and preparing their checks before the award presentation. Please fill out these forms online:
- Five (5) student works in any medium (Painting, drawing, photography, mixed media, ceramic, wood, or sculpture)
In addition, these four categories have specific awards and you can enter up to five (5) additional works per category:
- Five (5) pieces made of recycled materials
- Five (5) paper sculpture pieces
- Five (5) film submissions (Please save videos in an MP4 File Format, H.264 codec (IAVC) when applicable. We will loop all of the videos together and play them through Windows Media Player in our gallery space. Email the file link to [email protected])
- One (1) piece of their own work (any medium)
For a maximum total of 21 pieces.
LABELS
You are responsible for preparing your own labels. The downloadable template is below.
- Make one label for each student and yourself, if showing. This label will be attached to the wall for a professional look. Tuck it into the mat, frame or vessel (without tape), if possible. If not possible, submit loose. These should be on cardstock.
- The label template is below, please download and you can simply type over the sample information. If your school does not have cardstock, type in the label information, save to your computer, attach it to an email and send it to me 2 days before dropping off. I will print them for you, and you can attach when you arrive. Please double check spelling. Parents get upset with the gallery about misspelled names.
- In order to provide students with an authentic experience with a professional gallery, we encourage them to sell their work. The 35% commission normally charged for handling sales will be deducted from the amount the student receives, and Quad City Arts will retain that amount to offset gallery operational costs. Please advise students to price work accordingly. If you provide the frame and do not want it to be included in the sale, type “Frame not included” next to the price.
2. Write the name of the artist on the back of the work or attach another label to the back for identification. These can be regular computer paper. Ceramic pieces just need one label.
If you have any questions, please feel free to call me at (309)793-1213 -X108 or email at [email protected].
- Make one label for each student and yourself, if showing. This label will be attached to the wall for a professional look. Tuck it into the mat, frame or vessel (without tape), if possible. If not possible, submit loose. These should be on cardstock.
- The label template is below, please download and you can simply type over the sample information. If your school does not have cardstock, type in the label information, save to your computer, attach it to an email and send it to me 2 days before dropping off. I will print them for you, and you can attach when you arrive. Please double check spelling. Parents get upset with the gallery about misspelled names.
- In order to provide students with an authentic experience with a professional gallery, we encourage them to sell their work. The 35% commission normally charged for handling sales will be deducted from the amount the student receives, and Quad City Arts will retain that amount to offset gallery operational costs. Please advise students to price work accordingly. If you provide the frame and do not want it to be included in the sale, type “Frame not included” next to the price.
2. Write the name of the artist on the back of the work or attach another label to the back for identification. These can be regular computer paper. Ceramic pieces just need one label.
If you have any questions, please feel free to call me at (309)793-1213 -X108 or email at [email protected].
FRAMING
All work must be able to attach to the wall easily when delivered.
With around 200 pieces of art submitted, we cannot take the time to fix problem pieces and Quad City Arts will not be liable for pieces that become damaged due to inadequate hanging devices. Due to the number of works inadequately prepared in the past, we will be checking works upon delivery to make sure they are ready for display. We will provide a table and supplies for your use. Please allow a few extra minutes at drop off!
WORKS ON PAPER: We require all works on paper to at least be matted and have two plastic, self- sticking saw-tooth hangers attached to the top outer corners of the matt, flush with the top of the mat and with the plastic opening punched out. (The use of only one hanger in the center usually causes the piece to hang crooked.) We sell plastic hangers for $1/pair for your convenience. (Allow extra time when dropping off work if you will need to purchase/add hangers.)
FRAMED WORKS: We like work in frames because they make the overall show look more professional, but we understand that not all schools have a budget for them. Some teachers buy inexpensive basic black frames and reuse them every year for their student’s work. If your student’s piece is sold and you want your frame back, type frame is not included in the sale price, next to the price. Framed works should be prepared for hanging by placing 2 screw eyes or D rings at equal distances from the top of the work, 1/3 of the distance from the top. A wire thick enough to support the weight of the piece should be pulled through the screw eyes twice and tightly twisted around itself. Pull the wire across the back of the frame so that it will not sag or show above the top of the painting when hung. Metal saw-tooth hangers should only be used on pieces smaller than 11 X 14 and must be centered along the top of the work.
WORKS ON CANVAS: Paintings should be properly prepared for hanging by placing two screw eyes or strap hangers into the stretcher bar at equal distances from the top of the work, 1/3 of the distance from the top. A wire thick enough to support the weight of the piece should be pulled through the screw eyes twice and tightly twisted around itself. Pull the wire across the back of the painting so that it will not sag or show above the top of the painting when hung. We encourage you to show your painters how to do this since it is expected at most galleries and will even make the work easier to hang at home. Do not attach the plastic self-sticking saw-tooth hangers to canvas as they usually fall off before the show is over.
MASONITE AND OTHER UNFRAMED WOOD PIECES: Attach metal saw-tooth hangers, centered, along the top of the piece. Note: saw-tooth hangers should not be used on anything over 11X14. If the work is larger, please see details under “works on canvas.”
NOTE: Handmade tape tabs (including duct tape) will not be accepted, nor will any combination of string and duct tape. Bulldog hooks are also unacceptable. If you have any framing questions, please call me prior to delivery. It’s much easier to be ready, than to have to fix something at the last minute.
With around 200 pieces of art submitted, we cannot take the time to fix problem pieces and Quad City Arts will not be liable for pieces that become damaged due to inadequate hanging devices. Due to the number of works inadequately prepared in the past, we will be checking works upon delivery to make sure they are ready for display. We will provide a table and supplies for your use. Please allow a few extra minutes at drop off!
WORKS ON PAPER: We require all works on paper to at least be matted and have two plastic, self- sticking saw-tooth hangers attached to the top outer corners of the matt, flush with the top of the mat and with the plastic opening punched out. (The use of only one hanger in the center usually causes the piece to hang crooked.) We sell plastic hangers for $1/pair for your convenience. (Allow extra time when dropping off work if you will need to purchase/add hangers.)
FRAMED WORKS: We like work in frames because they make the overall show look more professional, but we understand that not all schools have a budget for them. Some teachers buy inexpensive basic black frames and reuse them every year for their student’s work. If your student’s piece is sold and you want your frame back, type frame is not included in the sale price, next to the price. Framed works should be prepared for hanging by placing 2 screw eyes or D rings at equal distances from the top of the work, 1/3 of the distance from the top. A wire thick enough to support the weight of the piece should be pulled through the screw eyes twice and tightly twisted around itself. Pull the wire across the back of the frame so that it will not sag or show above the top of the painting when hung. Metal saw-tooth hangers should only be used on pieces smaller than 11 X 14 and must be centered along the top of the work.
WORKS ON CANVAS: Paintings should be properly prepared for hanging by placing two screw eyes or strap hangers into the stretcher bar at equal distances from the top of the work, 1/3 of the distance from the top. A wire thick enough to support the weight of the piece should be pulled through the screw eyes twice and tightly twisted around itself. Pull the wire across the back of the painting so that it will not sag or show above the top of the painting when hung. We encourage you to show your painters how to do this since it is expected at most galleries and will even make the work easier to hang at home. Do not attach the plastic self-sticking saw-tooth hangers to canvas as they usually fall off before the show is over.
MASONITE AND OTHER UNFRAMED WOOD PIECES: Attach metal saw-tooth hangers, centered, along the top of the piece. Note: saw-tooth hangers should not be used on anything over 11X14. If the work is larger, please see details under “works on canvas.”
NOTE: Handmade tape tabs (including duct tape) will not be accepted, nor will any combination of string and duct tape. Bulldog hooks are also unacceptable. If you have any framing questions, please call me prior to delivery. It’s much easier to be ready, than to have to fix something at the last minute.
