Boca Grande Art and Wine Festival

Deadline has passed for this event, if you would like to apply for the wait list please send in your application and enclose a request to be considered for the wait list.

Click here and it will allow you to download the application

The dates for the 2009 Boca Grande Art and Wine Festival will be March 28th and 29th, 2009

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Frankly this is our most successful event for our artists to date. This is a very small event, 50 spaces and it actually fits right in with our goals that smaller shows are beneficial for everyone.

The Annual Boca Grande Art and Wine Festival was developed by Richard Sullivan, this event is a traditional art festival which is associated with a wine tasting event throughout. There is a selection process not simply a jury process, we want the best available artists attending and no repetition. If you wish to be considered for 2009 please read the information below and send in your application.

There is plenty of parking and the location is right over the swing bridge on Boca Grande a couple of miles from the historic village, adjacent to the The Boca Grande Resort .

If you have never heard of nor traveled to Boca Grande you have missed visiting one of Florida’s last great destinations. We have a good location in a great community on a very solid weekend. We had some excellent sales and we had some excellent fun. Everyone was exhausted from laughing all day and dancing all night. We won’t get thousands and thousands of visitors, but you are all going to have access to a very specific demographic and keep in mind this is an exclusive show limited to 50 artists.

Well we did make the trip in 2008 and we had a great time and the show was extremely successful. It was so successful that all of the artists want me to keep it top secret.

The following is from the Island Paper, The Gasparilla Gazette

First Boca Grande Wine and Art Festival charms islanders

Boca Grande islanders welcomed a new art show and wine tasting event last weekend adjacent to the Boca Grande Resort on the north end of Gasparilla Island.

Richard Sullivan, who has vacationed here regularly, developed the show with the help of local artist Carroll Swayze. The island’s response was awesome, that even on a cooler, windy Saturday, the crowds steadily toured the venue. “It was a tremendous and wonderful weekend,” Sullivan said. “The artists have done well, many plan to come back early next year to paint ‘plein air’ scenes prior to display at next year’s.”

Sullivan said there definitely will be a second show next year with many of the same artists returning and some newer artists will be added, “We realize how unique this island is,” he said. “We hope that we can become an asset and become a welcome part of the island every year.”
Sullivan invited top artists from around the country including Martin Figlinski, who had a “wet painting” hanging in his gallery tent of a sailboat anchored across from Whidden’s Marina. “Next year, I plan on having quite a bit of work that reflects the area,” Figlinski said.

Artist Carolyn Currie said she is planning to return next year to do some “plein air” painting of the area. “It would be a lot of fun,” she said.

C P Wyatt was the featured artist of the show with many pieces depicting the life of mermaids. “I did a few mermaids a few years ago,” she said. “People responded to them. It’s about peace and contentment,” she said of a painting of mermaids sleeping. Wyatt said she is experimenting with more symbolism and abstract features in her paintings.

‘Big John’ Bottjer benefit
Local artist Carroll Swayze helped Sullivan promote the wine and art festival and also promoted helping the “Big John” Bottjer fund. She along with many artists at the show donated works to the silent auction held at the Louise Crowninshield Community House on Sunday afternoon.

Swayze said Boca Grande art patrons came out and supported the event. “The location is great,” she said of the area selected near the Boca Bistro, where a benefit wine tasting was held to help the Boca Grande Historical Society and the “Big John” fund. “The response we’ve had out here is amazing,” Swayze said. “The quality of work is great.”

The Boca Grande Florida Art and Wine Festival

Images: 3 Slides of Artwork Only, you may email images instead if you wish, instructions for emailing images are on the application.

Application Handling Fee : $25 (first time applicants only, 2008 applicants do not need to pay handling fee)

Acceptance Details

Applications are screened by boulderbrook productions.

There are 50 available spaces.

Location

The Boca Grande Resort

5800 Gasparilla Road
Boca Grande, Florida USA 33921

Display
Usage of a tent is optional only for large sculptural work, and spaces are approximately 10’ x 12’ with additional storage behind or beside display. Double spaces are available. Display surface is pavement. You will drive up to yor space and Friday afternoon set up is available. All spaces are handicapped accessible. Indoor restroom facilities are available ifor artists. Exhibitors should make arrangements for wind or rain, as this is an open-air venue. The Festival will go on rain or shine.

Attendance
Boca Grande is an upscale island community we will advertise this event locally to the community and in the Sarasota and Lakeland Area. We expect many people off island to attend the event. We are keeping the numbers low on artists as we believe this event will be largely attended by those people living on island. We had great attendance in 2008 sales were substantial and the patrons were buying original works and large pieces, some reproductions, but this is more of an exceptional group and although the numbers are not hefty the islanders responded well and purchased exceptional works of art, You have to be expected to have original work and your best work if you intend to participate, Our Boca Grande visitors have exceptional taste and are savvy art buyers.

Marketing Strategy
Our goal is to reach local art buyers and enthusiasts through:
# Advertising – island newspapers, Sarasota and Lee County newspapers. Sponsorship involement on advertising level.

# Regional television and radio coverage via press releases and purchased advertisements

ARTIST INFORMATION

October 14, 2008 Application Deadline (postmarked)

November 15-16, 2008 Selection Process

November 21, 2008 Acceptance Notification
December 21, 2009 Full Refund Deadline
Full refunds may be considered after this date
by contacting Festival Director Richard P Sullivan
March 27, 2009 Set-up All Day In Park 9AM

Fees/Deadlines
Application Handling Fee – $25

Booth Fees -$350 See aplication for payment structuring

Check included in application packet
(Double booth may be available but unlikely)

There will be a $20 processing fee for all returned checks.

Images
35 mm slides, marked according to information on application or via email with JPEGS

Jury Process
Participants will receive invitations based on boulderbrook productions review of applications. 50-60% of artists in the show will be returning from 2008. The remaining spaces will be determined by a review of their work by boulderbrook productions through the application process. Be informed that we will be jurying by peer artists and by Richard P Sullivan’s knowledge and experience, this is not the usual jury system. The selection process will insure that there are no two similar works. Interested artists may contact boulderbrook productions for further information.

Booth Assignments
There is a space on your application for booth requests. We will make every effort to accommodate your requests, corner booths can not be assured. Corner spaces and electricity may be requested, but are assigned solely on the basis of availability and at the discretion of the Festival.

All booths and their contents must be furnished by the artist, be able to withstand crowds and weather, and fit within an assigned space. Any exhibitor not adhering to display regulations or selling anything other than original art will be asked to leave.

Set-Up & Break-down
Check-in will be on Friday before the event beginning at 10AM you may arrive and set up anytime, but you must be finished by 9AM Saturday. Artists who do not check in prior to 8PM Friday or who wish to set up Saturday morning must contact the festival director to declare their arrival and set up time prior to noon time on Friday. All artists must be up and running at 9:30 AM Saturday.

Exhibitors may begin to break down their displays at the close of the show, March 29th at 5:00pm. Break down must be completed by 8:00pm. All ZIP TIES must be removed from premises

ARTIST REGULATIONS

This is an originals event. Reproductions must be in one small browse bin, we reccomend that it not be easily visible inside your display. Our clients at this show want your originals, in fact we recommend bringing new work that you will never reproduce. We discourage framed reproductions, no framed reproductions should be displayed on the inside walls of your display.

Exhibiting artists must be 18 years or older and must be present during all show hours. Agents or representatives of the artist do not replace the requirement of the artist to be present during show hours. Assistants are welcome, but not in place of the artist. Any artist leaving prior to the end of the show will be unable to exhibit in any other boulderbrook productions event. Booth sitters will be provided as demand permits.

All work shown must be original work by the artists hand. Work made from commercial molds, kits, patterns or copyrighted designs not owned by the crafts person are not permitted. Any commercially made embellishments must be subordinate to the handcrafted work. All work must be for sale. Reproductions (including Giclees) are allowed in browse bins only. Reproduction policy available upon request. No t-shirts, posters, calendars, cards/postcards, or any other personal merchandise that is a mass reproduction of an original piece of artwork will be permitted in artist’s booths.

Sales
The exhibitor must handle all sales and all proceeds go to the artists. Artists are required by law to pay local sales tax of 6%. All artist information will be supplied to the Florida Department of Revenue.

Security
24-hour security is provided throughout the festival beginning on Friday at 5:00pm. All exhibitors work at their own risk. It is understood that the festival does not carry insurance to cover personal property of any exhibitor. Exhibitors are considered to be independent contractors, and it is suggested that exhibitors obtain their own insurance.

On-Site Artist Amenities
Hospitalities include continental breakfast on Saturday and Sunday in addition to discounted hotel rates. We had Pizza on Saturday and Wonderfu Wedding Soup on Sunday, both were a big hit. Next year we are going to serve chilli on Sunday.

Media Categories

Ceramics: Functional and sculptural work where the primary material is clay. All original clay and porcelain work other than jewelry is accepted in this category. No machine-made or mass produced work is permitted. If multiple pieces of the same design are displayed each piece must be signed.

Digital Art: This location is not recommended for digital art. This category includes any original work for which the original image, or the manipulation of other source material, was executed by the artist using a computer. Work in this category should be of archival quality.

Drawing/ Graphics/ Pastels: Works created using dry media including chalk, charcoal, pencil, wax crayon, etc. or from the fluid medium of inks and washes oil sticks or pastels. Printed works for which the artist’s hand manipulated the plates, stones or screens and which have been properly signed and numbered as a limited edition may be entered in this category. All photogravure, photocopy and/or offset reproductions, will be rejected. Printmakers are required to disclose both their creative and printmaking processes.

Fiber Decorative: A Mixed Bag of functional,decorative, and wearable art. Artists will be selected in all segments of this category and although the category is combined jurying will be separated according to slide images. Wall hangings, quilts, rugs, etc., where the primary material is fiber. Leather, wearable art, batique. Should you have any questions regarding this category contact the festival director.

Furniture: Should be included as mixed Media 3D, Sculpture, or Woodcraft accordingly. Furniture is a unique category and applicants will get direct attention, however, there are few applicants in this category so it is grouped within others. If you have any questions regarding your category contact the festival director.

Glass: Functional and sculptural work where the primary material is glass.

Jewelry: Work primarily made from materials including 14K gold, sterling silver and the use of precious stones and enamels. No commercial casts, molds or production studio work is allowed.
Work primarily made from precious and or non-precious metals and other materials such as glass, ceramics, paper, fiber, wood, leather, polymer clay, semi-precious stones, etc. No commercial casts, molds or production studio work is allowed.

Metal: Functional and sculptural work where the primary material is metal. Includes all non-sculptural, non-jewelry works crafted from metals. No production studio work is allowed. Some metal may be categorized as sculpture, you choose the category you feel best fits your application of material.

Mixed Media

3-D Mixed Media: Work that is three-dimensional and the primary intention of the work is the union of two or more media. Soft sculptures are included in this category.

2-D Mixed Media: Work that is two-dimensional and the primary intention of the work is the union of two or more media. Make note on your application as to 2D or 3D.

Oil Painting / Acrylic Painting: Works created with acrylics. Works created with oils.

Watercolor/Gouache Painting: Works created with watercolors and/or gouache.

Sculpture: Traditional Sculpture

Photography: Photographic prints made from the artist’s original negative or digital image processing, and which have been processed by that artist, or under his or her direct supervision, are included in this category. Photographers are required to disclose both their creative and printing processes.

Wood: Functional and sculptural work where the primary material is wood. Original works must be hand-tooled, machine-worked, turned or carved.

If you would like to be considered please contact us.

If you have a question on your category contact us and we will gladly assist you.