The Covington Three Rivers Art Festival invites you to apply to our 12th annual juried festival. Attracting more than 55,000 visitors last year, the award-winning festival is dedicated to bringing the best of fine arts and crafts to historic downtown Covington and providing the best in Southern hospitality for our artists.

Our site stretches outdoors along Columbia Street, lined by many of the galleries, antique and specialty shops, and restaurants for which Covington is well-known. The Arts Alive! demonstrations, Children’s Discovery Area, Student Art Exhibition and musical performances add to the festival ambiance and attraction.

Conveniently accessed off I-12, Covington is located on the Northshore of Lake Pontchartrain across the world’s longest bridge, and is only 45 minutes from downtown New Orleans. This quaint, historic town is nestled along the Abita, Bogue Falaya and Tchefuncte Rivers—hence the name Covington Three Rivers Art Festival.

Applications for the 2008 festival are currently being accepted and processed through ZAPPlication™. If you would like to be notified when applications are closed for the 2008 Festival, email us

Calendar

Additonal Application Information

Jury & Selection Process

A new jury is impaneled each year, consisting of four prominent representatives in the artist community, one serving as an alternate. Artists are identified by number, and entries are reviewed by category. The panel selects exhibitors who best reflect creativity, quality and originality. Selection is based solely on the submitted images representing the artist’s current work, not on any other qualifications. Therefore, high quality, professionally photographed images are recommended. An artist accepted to show may only display work reflected in images submitted for jurying. The jurors also serve as award judges.

The 2008 Covington Three Rivers Art Festival will be limited to 160 juried artists selected by point totals. The festival may limit the number of artists accepted in some categories in order to present a balanced show. However, accepted artists will be those with the highest scores in their respective media. A wait list is selected from the jury scores in each category and show positions offered as they become available, up to and including the day of the festival. The Festival Committee reserves the right to assign five positions at their discretion.

Jury Exemption

2007 cash award winners are automatically “juried in” to the 2008 festival in their awarded categories. However, they must comply with all requirements, including a completed application submitted by June 2, 2008, entry and booth fees, images representative of current work, and artist statement. Any artist wishing to change categories or enter a second category must submit a separate application and images and follow all application instructions
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Exhibitor Information

The festival is located outdoors, along Columbia Street. There will be no rain/contingency plan.

Booth Space

• Booth space is 10’ x 10’.
• Artists must provide their own display booths, tents, weights to anchor tents, racks, tables and chairs. Artists are responsible for the assembly and disassembly of all items. Artists should prepare for the possibility of inclement weather conditions such as wind or rain. No nails or stakes are allowed in the street.
• Booth space cannot be shared, but one artist can purchase more than one booth.
• Electricity is not available. Generators are not allowed.
• No music shall be played inside your booth.
• All children must be closely supervised.
• Pets are not allowed at the festival for their own safety as well as the safety of others.

Awards

Judging on Saturday, November 15, will begin promptly at 9 a.m. The judges reserve the right to travel the show and evaluate the exhibits in the manner they choose. A “spotter” is assigned to follow and assist the judges. In fairness to all exhibitors, the judging will be based solely on items available for sale during the festival.

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Artists Services

The Artist Hospitality Committee is dedicated to making your time here enjoyable. Packets will be mailed to accepted artists with information on lodging and restaurants, maps and other necessary forms and information. Artist amenities include:

• Daily complimentary refreshment
• Booth sitters
• Free, convenient parking
• Inclusion in festival program and website
• Promotional postcards
• Admission for two to Artist Reception on Friday night
• Admission for two to Awards Ceremony on Saturday night

Fees

Sales & Tax

Artists retain 100% of their sales and are responsible for reporting their own taxes. Sales taxes must be paid to St. Tammany Parish, the City of Covington and the State of Louisiana (total 8.75%). Tax forms and instructions will be included in the registration packet. The City of Covington requires each exhibitor who is not licensed in the City of Covington (Louisiana artists are exempt from this provision by State law) to purchase a temporary vendor’s license at the nominal cost of $10.

Arts Alive!

Demonstrations by artists are an important educational component of the festival. Interested artists are asked to demonstrate the creation of a piece of work for approximately one hour during the festival at the Arts Alive! stage. Electricity and water will be provided and booth sitters will be available. Please indicate if you are willing to participate on your application form. Artists may also choose to demonstrate at their booths, if feasible. A member of the Arts Alive! committee will contact you to make arrangements. Participants will be highlighted in the festival program and website.

Advertising & Promotion

The Covington Three Rivers Art Festival is promoted through extensive editorial coverage as well as paid advertising that targets sophisticated, knowledgeable buyers in the Greater New Orleans area, south Louisiana and Gulf Coast. The campaign includes radio, television, newspaper, magazine, direct mail, email, website and posters. The total value of publicity and advertising is valued at more than $50,000.

Festival postcards are available for use by artists. Please indicate the amount desired on the application. An email version of the postcard will also be available for your use.
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Beginning in 2007, applications will be accepted and processed online through ZAPPlicationTM. If you do not already have an account with ZAPP, visit their website to set up one before applying for the festival. Accounts are free for the artist, and allow an easy application process for multiple juried shows and festivals. Visit www.ZAPPlication.org to apply now.

As part of your application, you will be required to submit four color images of your current work and one representative of your booth that does not show your name. You will also be asked to fill out an artist statement (see below).

Artist Statement

This statement should describe the materials, techniques and processes you use, as well as explain the mission, motivation or philosophy inherent in your work. If you are co-artists, you must describe the collaboration. Your comments will be available to the jury and should include any details, materials and processes that are unusual or not easily determined by viewing your submissions. This information may be used for promotional purposes. It is also recommended that a photo of the artist, preferably at work, be included on the copy which must be hung in a prominent place in your booth during the festival. [ top ]

If you cannot complete your ZAPPlication online, Covington Three Rivers Art Festival offers two options to assist you.

Paper Application: Contact the festival for a paper application, and send the completed application, along with a $75 application fee and $50 slide scanning fee, four 35mm slides of your current work and one representative of your booth that does not show your name, artist statement and self-addressed envelope (6" x 9" or larger). The festival will set up your online ZAPP account, fill out your online application to the Covington Three Rivers Art Festival, process and upload your slides, and send you a disk of the original scanned images and the ZAPP sized images, along with your login information for your ZAPP account.

Slides-Only Application: Create your personal profile with ZAPP (www.zapplication.org) and complete the Covington Three Rivers Art Festival application. Send the $50 application fee and $50 slide scanning fee, four 35mm slides of your current work and one representative of your booth that does not show your name, and a self-addressed envelope (6" x 9" or larger). Include your contact information and the username and password you created for your ZAPP profile. The festival will process and upload your slides, and send you a disk of the original scanned images and the ZAPP sized images.

Contact Karen Whiteside at (985) 705-7968 or via email info@ThreeRiversArtFestival.com for an application or assistance.
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Categories/Eligible Media

All work must be original and handcrafted by the artist/exhibitor. Mass produced items are not allowed, and any commercially-produced element must be subordinate to the work.

Artists may apply in more than one category, but must submit a separate application form, fee, and images for each medium; only the booth image may be repeated. PLEASE NOTE: If you are accepted in only one medium, you may exhibit only in that category.

• CERAMICS/POTTERY – Original clay and porcelain work other than jewelry. No machine made or mass-produced work is accepted. If multiple pieces of the same design are displayed, each must be signed.
• DRAWING – Pencil, charcoal, chalk, pastels, pen & ink, etc.
• FIBER – Work crafted from fibers including basketry, embroidery, weaving, leatherwork, tapestry and papermaking. No machine tooling, machine-screened patterns or other forms of mass production accepted. No factory-produced wearable items may be exhibited, regardless of additional modification or enhancement by the artist.
• FUNCTIONAL ART – 3D creations that serve a purpose such as furniture, implements, wind chimes, kaleidoscopes, etc.
• GLASS – No molds or other forms of mass production allowed.
• JEWELRY – No commercial casts, molds, or production studio work. All jewelry, regardless of medium, must be entered in this category.
• METALWORK – Non-sculptural, non-jewelry works crafted from metal.
• 2D MIXED MEDIA – Incorporates more than one type of material, with a relief depth of less than 1/8 inch.
• 3D MIXED MEDIA – Non-sculptural work incorporating more than one type of material. This category is for objects that are “decorative” rather than “useful.” (See FUNCTIONAL ART category.)
• PAINTING – Oil, acrylics, etc.
• PHOTOGRAPHY – Prints made from artist’s original image must be processed by the artist or under artist’s supervision. Photographers are required to disclose both their creative and printing processes.
• PRINTMAKING & DIGITAL ART – Artist created prints, serigraphs, digital art, etc., properly signed and numbered, in limited editions, on archival quality materials. Images of Giclées may not be submitted to the Jury (but may be sold if less than 50% of your exhibit and signed/numbered). Digital Art is original work that is executed by the artist using a computer.
• SCULPTURE – 3-dimensional original work done in any medium, as determined by the artist.
• WATERCOLOR – Layered and pigmented water-based media including acrylic, gouache, tempera and transparent watercolors applied to archival acid-free stock or handmade papers.
• WOODWORK – Original hand-tooled, machine worked, turned or carved work.
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1. All work must be original, handcrafted work. (See #6 for Reproduction Policy.) Any commercially produced element must play a subordinate role.
2. Work done by a production studio, apprentices or employees is not acceptable. Commercial agents, dealers or manufacturers are not eligible to enter.
3. Artists must exhibit the full two days of the festival. Artists are required to man their exhibits during festival hours. Representatives may not attend in place of the artists. A photo ID must be presented upon check-in.
4. No more than two artists may collaborate on work. Both must be included on the application, and both must attend the festival
5. Exhibitors are required to display Artist Statements prominently in their booths.
6. Reproduction Policy: Original art must occupy more than 50% of the exhibitor’s booth space. Reproductions must be signed editions of no more than 750, and must be clearly labeled “reproductions.” Framed reproductions may be displayed on only one wall of the booth. Unframed commercial reproductions may only be displayed in two browse bins. Artist must define “limited edition” in their Artist Statement, and must disclose their process to the buyer.
7. Artists bear the responsibility for all setup and security needs for their exhibit. The festival will not be responsible for loss, damage or injury of any kind.
8. Artists may only display work in categories in which they are accepted. All work exhibited must be of the quality and type of that shown in the images juried. The Covington Three Rivers Art Festival Committee reserves the right to prevent an artist from displaying work that is not representative of the images originally accepted by the jury.
9. 75% of the work displayed in each booth must be for sale at the festival
10. Exhibitors must comply with all festival rules and regulations, as well as city, state and federal laws. Failure to comply may result in the removal of an artist from the festival with no refund of fees and jeopardize participation in future festivals.
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