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Festival Rules

Artists must exhibit and be present during the complete show, from 9 a.m. through 6 p.m. on Saturday, March 7, and from 10 a.m. through 5 p.m. on Sunday, March 8. Failure to follow this rule makes artists ineligible for prizes and admission to future shows.

Participation in the Gasparilla Festival of the Arts is limited to adults 18 years of age and older

To be eligible for jury and awards, all work must be original, created by the artist since 2006, signed by the artist and available for sale with the price clearly visible. Only the works of the accepted artists may be displayed or sold at the Festival.

Artists shall only exhibit works typified by the images submitted with their application.

Reproductions are only allowed for sale within the strict guidelines established by GFA and are NOT eligible for awards.

Artwork (other than photographs) printed utilizing inkjet technology will only be permitted in the digital art category.

Digital art must be original artwork that is created on a computer, and must be signed. Original, limited edition prints of digital art will be permitted, and must be signed and numbered as part of an edition.

Photographs must be signed and numbered and must be the artist’s original image. Artists are encouraged to identify clearly whether a photographic print is produced digitally, or through a traditional photographic process (silver print, Polaroid, dye-transfer, etc.).

Ceramic works must be handmade by the artist. If multiple pieces of the same design are displayed, each must be signed. Crocheting, knitting, picture frames, velvet paintings, manufactured or kit jewelry, ceramics cast from commercial molds, art supplies, commercial displays, decoupage, candles, bonsai, stuffed animals, hats, leather purses or wearing apparel, except original designs made by the artist's hand, are not eligible to be exhibited.

No artist shall be allowed to sell non-original items at the Festival, such as posters, greeting cards, postcards, calendars, T-shirts and so forth.

Works of art that have won any award in a past Raymond James Gasparilla Festival of the Arts shall not be exhibited at the 2009 Festival.

Each artist must exhibit a minimum of five works to be accepted for jury. In order for the work to be juried, the booth number and name of the artist (provided at artist check-in) must be displayed clearly in the artist's booth.

All entries must be labeled for sale with price indicated. A photo ID will be required when artists deliver and pick up their work to be juried. All works that win prizes must be available for sale with prices clearly marked.

All paintings must be framed or mounted. Unframed watercolors, drawings and graphics must be displayed in a portfolio or a bin.

Each artist is responsible for collecting Florida state sales tax on sales made during the Festival and remitting the proceeds to the local office of the Florida Department of Revenue.

Exhibit spaces measure approximately 10' deep x 10' wide. Work must be contained within the assigned space. Artists are required to use a substantial display that withstands wind and crowds. Water-resistant coverings with weights are highly recommended. Stake supports are not permitted.

Only one exhibitor will be permitted in each space. Artists may NOT begin setup until after 7 p.m. on Friday. Any artist setting up earlier will be asked to leave the festival. Parking and traffic will not be permitted in the exhibit area after 8 a.m. on Saturday and 9 a.m. on Sunday.

An accepted application is a commitment to participate in the Festival and no refunds will be made for cancellations.

Penalties for failure to abide by these rules include immediate removal of artwork in violation of the rules, ejection from this year's Festival and possible suspension from exhibiting in future Festivals.

Definition of Terms

Original Artwork: Artwork that is one-of-a-kind. For artwork printed utilizing inkjet technology to qualify as an original artwork, it must be created on a computer and then exhibited as first printed. Original artwork printed utilizing inkjet technology may be further modified by other methods, such as traditional painting, and exhibited in the mixed media category.

Original limited edition prints: An image that originates as digital art, a photographic negative or a traditional printmaking technique, including linoleum blocks, woodcuts, etching plate, stone lithograph or silk screen, etc., must be executed in media worked by the artist him/herself, printed in a limited edition, signed and numbered.

Digital Art: Original artwork that is created on the computer.

Commercial and Photographic Reproductions: When original art is scanned into a computer or photographed onto film and then printed as an inkjet print, photograph, offset lithograph, etc., the result is a reproduction. The defining factor is that an original piece of artwork already exists prior to the printing - everything that follows is a reproduction.

Reproductions: The Gasparilla Festival of the Arts has adopted the following reproduction policy to foster the appreciation of art in our community. Acknowledging that every person is not able to purchase original work, we would like to provide the opportunity to purchase reproductions, with the hope that as time goes on people can turn to buying original works. True appreciation is only possible if customers understand exactly what they are buying, and the process behind it. Therefore, we have established the following policy:

  1. All reproductions must be clearly and individually labeled as such; no other terms, such as “print” or “offset lithograph” may be used. Labels must say “reproduction.”
  2. Reproductions may not be framed and hung alongside original work. All reproductions must be kept in a browsing bin labeled “Reproductions.”
  3. Reproductions must be in signed editions of no more than 750.
  4. No “hand colored” reproductions.
  5. Reproductions are an ancillary part of the artist’s display.
  6. No reproduction will be eligible for awards.
  7. Violators of the spirit, as well as the letter, of the policy will be asked to remove their reproductions.