Welcome! This page contains all the information you need to know about applying to become a SAQA Juried Artist member. If you have any questions regarding the application process, please email jams@saqa.art.
For more information, see:
Do you want to become a Juried Artist? (Powerpoint presentation by Dorothy Raymond, includes body of work samples)
Juried Artist Program Overview (Video conversation with Deb Cashatt, Dolores Miller, and Dorothy Raymond)
Please read the entire page before starting your submission.
The application is made on-line. The application is self-guided with prompts to assist you in completing it successfully. You may want to print our checklist to assist with your preparations.
The Review Panel evaluates applications quarterly, meeting in mid-January, April, July, and October. The panel uses a review checklist to evaluate the submissions.
Applicants will be notified by email about their application status. If you have not received a notification email by the end of the month in which the Review Panel meets, please check your spam folders before contacting us at jams@saqa.art.
If your application is accepted, your email notice will contain instructions and information about your membership changes, and reminders about your new benefits.
If your application is not accepted, your email notice will summarize the areas where the Review Panel believed your artistic practice needs further development. Once you believe you have addressed those areas, you may re-apply.
Many applicants are not successful with their first try, but find the re-submission process worthwhile. Many also choose to work with an Advisor for their re-submission.
Not sure if you are ready to be a Juried Artist?
The SAQA Mentorship Program can help you create a consistent body of work; write an artist’s statement; and/or understand the process for successfully entering art quilt exhibits.
If you are confident that you are ready, you can ask that an Advisor review your application before you apply.
The Advisors are former members of the Review Panel who have volunteered to help applicants submit successful applications. Your Advisor will assess your application against the Juried Artist Guidelines, and share with you where your application could be strengthened. For example, Advisors can spot simple things, like a resume that does not follow the Guidelines, that can be easily fixed before you apply. Advisors also judge whether your portfolio is cohesive, and whether your photographs need to be retaken. An Advisor is also a good idea if English is not your native language.
Working with an Advisor is not necessary (nor a guarantee) for approval as a Juried Artist. It is, however, recommended. Materials shared with an Advisor are confidential.
How to request an Advisor:
Please read all the Guidelines before requesting an Advisor. An advisor will not complete your application for you. Completing the application process is an important milestone in your artistic practice.
Email the following information to JAMadvisor@saqa.art to start the advisory process. Once your completed email is received, we will assign an Advisor to you. If you have not heard from us in a week, please reach out again. And, of course, check your spam folders for these emails.
- What aspects of the application are you unsure about (e.g. portfolio, artist statement, resume, exhibition record, photography)
- If you have a resume and/or artist statement, please attach them with your response. (It is recommended that you complete these before requesting an advisor.)
- A link to your instagram or website. If you do not yet have a web presence, please attach images of four of your art quilts.
A consistent body of work
The Review Panel is looking for a portfolio of your work (seven pieces) that presents a consistent, focused point of view. That does not mean that your submitted body of work all look the same.
Galleries or fine art museums considering an exhibition proposal will expect to see pieces that relate to one another. A body of work that is a sampler of techniques signals that the applicant is still developing an artistic voice. Galleries and museums are looking for an organized and cohesive portfolio.
Galleries and museums are also looking for artists that have mastered their craft. Sloppy workmanship or an unsuccessful composition does not reflect well on the artist and will not help your application.
If you have more than one body of work, pick the strongest or the most recent. Do not submit a sampler of your different styles.
Professional-quality photos
Could your images appear in an exhibition catalog without re-photographing? This means not only the file size, but the content of the image itself. All edges of your art must be visible (if framed, the edges of the frame must be visible). No pins or hanging rods should show. The background should be a neutral color that is featureless. The light source should be even and consistent across the surface of the piece. Everything should be in focus and shot squarely on. Detail images (required for 3 of your pieces) are separate photographs of a selected area, not merely a cropped area from the full image. They reveal some intriguing portion of the work.
A juror might overlook some of these criteria but the Review Panel will not.
Digital images must be saved as a high-quality JPEG file (No TIFF files). Finished images should be at least 2100 pixels on the longest side and not more than 4200 pixels.
Helpful Resources:
- Tips for Successful Art Quilt Photography by Lynn Krawczyk
- Basics of Copy Photography by Kestrel Michaud
- Photographing Art Quilts: Tips from a Pro by Frank Klein (extracted from Art Quilt Quarterly #29)
- Submitting Photos to SAQA Publications by Deidre Adams
- Help with Resizing Photos by Gloria Hansen (video)
Artist Statement
An artist’s statement that connects the viewer to your work. An Artist Statement is a description of your artwork and art practice. You are telling the story of your artwork. A good Artist Statement helps gallerists and curators better understand your work.
You are limited to 1000 characters so be concise. We highly encourage you not to fill your artist statement with art speak or biographical information. Write in the first person.
Focus on the content and meaning of your art. Mentioning titles of some of the pieces in the application can work well. Or you may describe repeating symbols, subjects, or settings you favored; tell the Review Panel how you use them, and why that corresponds with your artistic voice.
Short and specific is good (“ladder-back chairs in my work are a metaphor for the simpler times of childhood”). Generalities (for example, “I like to play with color” or “I am inspired by nature”) are not.
For more information, review our resources on Artist Statements.
Exhibition Record
The Review Panel needs to know where and when your work has been exhibited. Your exhibition record is an important part of your resume. You must follow the resume guidelines below for the presentation of your exhibition record.
Separate from how you present your record, the Review Panel considers where you have exhibited. Acceptance into juried art or art quilt exhibitions signals both your desire to put yourself forward and recognition that your work is exhibit-worthy. Thus, where you have exhibited is important, as not all exhibitions are equal.
In general order of importance, the Review Panel is looking for:
- Solo or invitational exhibitions
- Juried art quilt exhibitions that attract international entries and that seek the best work
- SAQA Global Exhibitions
- Juried fine-art exhibitions (local, regional, or national)
- SAQA Regional Exhibitions
- Quilt shows
Resume or CV
A gallery or museum will want to know your artistic endeavors. Creating an art-specific resume or CV helps you think of yourself as an artist. It does not include the same information you include in a job-hunting resume.
Your resume will be reviewed in detail by the Review Panel. It is essential that your resume follow these requirements. The resume should not be longer than two pages; but it must also be formatted to be easy to read. If you have a long history of exhibits, include only the most recent or the most prestigious.
Your resume should include the categories below, in that order, with the most recent item listed first in each category below. While it is not necessary to have entries in each category, your resume should include enough to demonstrate your studio practice and art activity.
Exhibition Record: This is the most important category. Each entry should have the month and year; the title of the exhibition; and the name and location of the venue. Names of the jurors or curators for each exhibit help the Review Panel evaluate your exhibition record. Organize your exhibition history in the following order, most recent first in each category:
- Solo exhibits (a body of your work is exhibited together at one venue).
- Invitational exhibits (a curator invites you and other artists to participate in an exhibit, based on the quality of your work).
- Juried group exhibitions (a juror has selected your work for exhibition from all works submitted for consideration).
- Non-juried group exhibitions (an exhibit that has not been juried and your selection is based on your membership in the group organizing the exhibition).
Gallery Representation: List gallery names, location, and dates of representation.
Awards, honors, fellowships, or grants: Name of award or honor, sponsoring organization, location, and date.
Media/Publications: Television, blogs, magazine articles, books you have written or in which your work was featured. Provide the title of program, article, name of station, publication, and date.
Critical Reviews (of your work) and/or Artist Profile(s): List the name of the publication, title of article, author, and date published.
Installations and Collections: List the names of any public, corporate, or private collections of your work.
Other Professional Activity: List curatorial or other professional activities. Do not list workshops you have attended. List other professional positions held IF you believe they are of sufficient relevance, importance, or influence.
Professional Affiliations, including SAQA.
For more information, see:
Web presence
You must have an up-to-date web presence for your art (a website, a blog, or Instagram). A web presence for your art demonstrates your readiness to enter the fine art world. A personal account is not a substitute for a business or professional account. Your web presence must have professional quality images and be free of typos.
If you have any questions regarding the application process, please email jams@saqa.art.
