Exhibition Opportunities

General Submission Policy  | Group Exhibition Proposals | Questions

Exhibition Opportunities and Procedures

The South Bend Museum of Art accepts submission materials from artists, art organizations and curators on a rolling basis. All submissions are reviewed by the museum's Exhibitions Committee throughout the year, and are considered for all available opportunities.

Exhibitions are planned a year or more in advance. All submissions are reviewed, however it may take 12-18 months for a response. Please do not call or E-mail to check the status of your submission. Submissions by e-mail will not be reviewed.

Submission packets should include:
• 20 slides or .jpgs formatted for Macintosh computers.
(if submitting digital images please include a single sheet printout with thumbnails of images)

• Artist statement
(community art organizations should include a mission statement and history of the organization)

• Curriculum vita/resume
(community art organizations should include an exhibition history of the group including upcoming shows and a listof current members)

• Self-addressed stamped envelope (for reply and/or return of materials)
(packets without an SASE will not receive a reply)

• Related support material (reviews, catalogs, articles, etc.)

Available spaces:

• Art League Gallery (approx. 1200 sq. ft.)
solo and two person (all media)
  view Art League Gallery floor plan

• Warner Gallery (approx. 5000 sq. ft.)
thematic group exhibitions organized by curatorial staff (all media)
  view Warner Gallery floor plan

• Community Gallery: (approx. 600 sq. ft.)
1-2 slots per year for area community art organizations (all media).
   view Community Gallery floor plan
Please see specific group submission requirements for the Community Gallery below.

Other Opportunities
Other opportunities at the SBMA for artists include:

• Juried exhibitions: Biennial and Sightlines juried exhibitions (occuring in odd years, 2013, 2015, etc...)

• Dot Shop: If interested in selling your work in the shop, please click here for more information.

• Meet Me On the Island: 2-3 times per summer, the SBMA hosts Meet Me On the Island, offering an opportunity for local and regional artists to sell their work to a large audience (5-10 artists per event).

Please mail or deliver your completed proposal to:
Curatorial Department
South Bend Museum of Art
120 S. St. Joseph Street
South Bend, IN 46601

Click here to download this information as a PDF.

Group Exhibition Proposals | Community Gallery

A proposal must include the following:

1. 20 Slides or .jpegs of current work by a representative sample of the organization's membership (images must be accompanied by an information sheet that corresponds to the submitted images and includes name, titles, dates, sizes, and media).

2. A written history of the group.

3. Information on the theme (if appropriate) of the proposed show.

4. The exhibition history of the group.

5. A list of current members of the group.

6. Self-addressed stamped envelope (for reply and/or return of materials)

Additionally, groups submitting a proposal should be familiar with the SBMA's group exhibition policies and procedures:

Jurying
All artwork coming into the South Bend Museum of Art will be chosen by a jury process or curatorial selection. Any exception to this must be approved by both the curatorial staff and the Exhibition Committee. In no case will any entrant to any exhibition be guaranteed acceptance of one or more pieces.

All juried shows will have a juror who is a non-member and non-affiliated of the exhibiting group. In the case that a local organization is part of a national affiliate, a national member may be a juror. The South Bend Museum of Art reserves the right to have final approval of the juror and must be informed of the juror before an agreement with the juror is formed.

The date for jurying should be set in accordance with installation timelines. The site of the jurying will be determined by Museum staff and will take place within one or two days following the close of the previous show. Only the juror, a group representative assisting in the jurying process, and Museum staff will be present during the jurying process. All handling of artwork will be the responsibility of the Museum staff.

Entry Criteria and Prospectus

1. Work previously shown in the South Bend Museum of Art is not eligible for exhibition.
2. Work must have been completed within three (3) years prior to the date of the exhibition.
3. All work must be framed, wired and ready to hang. Works on paper must be covered by glass or plexiglas. All hanging hardware must be appropriate to the size and weight of the work.

The Museum reserves the right to refuse any work that does not meet the criteria.

Please mail or deliver your completed proposal to:
Curatorial Department
South Bend Museum of Art
120 S. St. Joseph Street
South Bend, IN 46601

Click here to download this information as a PDF.

Additional Questions?

Curatorial Department
South Bend Museum of Art
120 S. St. Joseph Street
South Bend, IN 46601
phone: 574.235.9102
fax: 574.235.5782
e-mail: rospendam@southbendart.org