I’m So Local…I’m Right Here

Click here to download the prospectus.

OPEN CALL FOR ARTISTS

We love our community and local businesses! What could be better than showing our appreciation through art? I'm So Local...I'm Right Here 2025 is going to be a celebratory partnership with local artists, Friends of First Friday, and Boys & Girls Club music programming.

This year, artists will be asked to paint the back of a guitar! Through a grant with the Songbirds Foundation, the Arts Council acquired 20 guitars to use for music programming with the Boys & Girls Club. Artists will be asked to paint these guitars for the exhibition.

Each guitar will represent a Friend of First Friday. These are local businesses who are committed to keeping arts alive in our community.

Please review the prospectus in preparation for the opening of the call. Read the rules and regulations thoroughly to determine if you would like to be part of this exhibition.

This is a first come, first served exhibition opportunity. With a limit of 20 submissions, this call will fill up quickly, so be sure to mark your calendar for the launch of the Intent to Participate Form.

This form opens on Friday, May 30th at 11:00 AM.

Prospectus

Statement of Purpose
The Arts Council of Southeast Missouri  loves our community and local businesses! What could be better than showing our appreciation through art? This exhibition will be a wonderful community collaboration celebrating local artists, Friends of First Friday, and Boys & Girls Club programming. Our goal is to use this exhibition as an opportunity to truly reignite First Friday with the Arts. We believe I’m So Local…I’m Right Here will be an exhibition to encourage downtown businesses to reacquaint themselves with our expansive arts community. Best In Show, Second, and Third Place will receive gifts from local businesses.

Eligibility
Open to all area artists 18 years and older, or with guardian permission,  living in Southeast Missouri. Entries must be original artwork directly applied to the back of a guitar supplied by the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri.

Entry Procedure
Please fill out the digital Intent to Participate Form (opening Friday, May 30th at 12:00 PM). The application fee will be collected on this form by debit or credit card. If you anticipate paying by cash or check, please email the Arts Council as soon as possible, preferably before the submission form opens. Entry for the exhibition is $25.00 for non Arts Council members and $20.00 for current Arts Council members. If you would like to become a member before applying, join here.

Guitar Pickup
Artists may pick up their guitar starting on Friday, June 6th. The gallery will be open from 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM on that date in honor of First Friday. After that, artists may pick up the guitar during regular gallery hours from Tuesday - Saturday, 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM. We strongly suggest that you pick up the guitar no later than Friday, June 13th to ensure proper dry time.

Subject Matter
The artwork on the back of the guitar must represent a Friend of First Friday. You will select which business you are depicting in the Intent to Participate Form. Since these guitars will be used by children, subject matter must be age appropriate.
FRIENDS OF FIRST FRIDAY AVAILABLE TO DEPICT: Board & Brush Creative Studio, Scout Hall, Spectrum Record Lounge, PFLAG Cape Girardeau, R.A.D. Studios, The Reynolds House, The Collective at Scout North, Broadway Bistro & Vintage Trade, Yoga East Healing Arts Studio, First Presbyterian Church, The Painted Wren, Southeast Missouri Music Academy, Mississippi Mutts, Natural Health Organics, Catapult Creative House, University Autism Center, SendAFriend, Minglewood Brewery, Real Rock 99.3, Havco

Materials
Please follow the materials guideline- click here to download.

Sales & Commission
Since your original artwork will be on the back of a guitar being used for programming, it will not be for sale. If you are interested selling prints of your work, take a high quality image of your work on the guitar before submitting it back to the Arts Council. We suggest creating high quality custom die cut stickers or prints in the shape of the guitar if you would like to sell recreations of your work. The Arts Council of Southeast Missouri will retain a 30% commission on any of these types of prints sold.

Liability
Receipt of the completed form constitutes your agreement with all conditions established in the prospectus. Consent to reproduce works photographically, for publicity purposes, is assumed to be granted. If the guitar is damaged and deemed unplayable, it is the responsibility of the artist to replace the instrument (approximately $250 value). Artists must accept that there will be wear and tear to their original artwork as the guitars will be played by students.

Return of Work
The work will not be returned. The guitars will continue to be used for programming.