Emerging Artist Program

The Emerging Artist Program

The Raymond James Gasparilla Festival of the Arts is proud to showcase the work of emerging artists, representing a diversity of styles and media, as part of our annual event. The Emerging Artists Program was created to recognize and showcase the artwork of up-and-coming artists who wish to establish themselves in a professional visual arts career.

A limited number of emerging artists will be selected to show in the festival from the field of applicants through a jury process. Once selected, these artists are invited to participate in the festival at no cost. They also will be provided with the use of an individual display tent and receive a $250 expense allowance.

Although these emerging artists do not compete with the other artists in the festival for prize money, their artwork will be reviewed by the festival juror and will be eligible for the $1,000 Robert and Elizabeth Sanchez Emerging Artist Award.

Qualifications

Applicants to the Emerging Artists Program should not have an established record as a professional artist showing their work in museums, art centers, major galleries or juried outdoor art exhibitions. In addition, applicants must not have more than 25% of their total annual income derived from the sale of their artwork and must not be licensed professionally as a visual artist. Emerging artists must abide by the same festival rules governing other festival artists.

The deadline for applying for the Emerging Artists Program is January 4, 2012. The Emerging Artists Program application must be accompanied by the artist’s biographical statement and three digital images of their artwork.

Application and Release Agreement

Please read the application instructions below before sending. An application in PDF format can be downloaded for submission. Adobe Acrobat Reader version 5 or higher is required to view and print the application. This program is available for you to download at the Adobe website.

Download the Emerging Artist program application here.

Mail application, resume and digital images to:
Gasparilla Festival of the Arts, Inc.
Attn: Emerging Artists Program
P.O. Box 10591
Tampa, FL 33679-0591

Application Instructions

Fill out the entire application and sign the Release Agreement, verifying that you qualify for the Emerging Artists Program. Applications must be postmarked by January 4, 2012. Notifications will be sent in mid-January 2013.

  • Each artist must submit three digital images.
  • The artwork shown on three digital images must have been produced in the last three years.
  • The three images must represent the type of work that will be displayed in the booth.
  • Only work of the quality and type illustrated in the artist’s images may be exhibited.
  • The GFA rules committee may eject an artist exhibiting work not represented in his or her images.
  • Digital images should be of a high enough resolution to clearly show the work submitted and in JPG format.
  • Any on-site work must have written approval from the festival board prior to the start of the festival.

Essential Festival Information

  • Applications must be postmarked by January 4, 2012.
  • Digital images will be reviewed by a panel of jurors for invitation to the festival.
  • The festival takes place March 3 and 4, 2012.
  • A juror of national prominence will jury accepted original work Saturday morning at the festival beginning at 9 a.m.

Awards and checks will be presented to the winning artists in person at the awards ceremony late Saturday afternoon. An artist must be present to accept his or her award before 5 p.m. Sunday evening at the festival, or he or she will forfeit the award.