No Bigger Than a Breadbox
Statement of Purpose
The Arts & Culture Alliance hosts this national, juried exhibition designed to celebrate the innovation of artists who create work on a small scale and in a broad range of media and styles. Approximately 70-80 fine art works encompassing all styles and genres from both emerging and established artists will be selected by the juror for exhibition in the Balcony gallery of the Emporium Center at 100 S. Gay Street, Knoxville’s downtown arts anchor location, from April 4-26, 2025. The Emporium is free and open to the public Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM and Saturday, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM.
Juror
Julie Lohnes is the School of Art Director of Galleries and Collections at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She has over 20 years of experience working with contemporary arts, in not-for-profit, commercial, and academic galleries, most recently as Director and Curator of Art Collections and Exhibitions at Union College (2013-2022) and Executive Director of A.I.R. Gallery (2011-2013), the first artist collective for women in the country. She co-authored “Tripping the Black Fantastic at a PWI: or, how Afrofuturist exhibitions in an academic library changed everything,” Alexandria: The Journal of National and International Library and Information Issues. She has curated numerous exhibitions, most recently, “Embody” at Union College, which featured contemporary diasporic artists, who employed collage, as a technique to construct identity and/or selfhood within the mode of portraiture or figuration. Julie has participated in many panel discussions, most notably as moderator of “Transnationalism and Women Artists in Diaspora” at the Brooklyn Museum. Lohnes earned her M.F.A. from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University, and her B.F.A. from Boston University in painting, with a minor in art history.
Awards
At least $1,500 in cash awards will be presented at the exhibition’s Opening Reception on Friday, April 4, 2025 at the Emporium at 5:30 PM (opening lasts from 5:00-9:00 PM). Awards include: $750 Best in Show, seven $100 Juror’s Citations, and a cash award for Best Work by an Alliance member. Awards are as designated by the juror, whose decision is final.
Eligibility and Size Requirements
I. Artwork may not have previously exhibited in any Alliance exhibition at the Emporium Center.
II. Entries must be original and completed within the last two years (2023 – 2025).
III. Work must be no more than twelve inches (12”) in any direction including the framing, mounting, or video monitors. The artwork may represent any subject matter.
IV. All media—including oils, acrylics, watercolors, pastels, drawings, sculpture in any medium, jewelry, collage, printmaking, photography and digital media—will be considered. Artwork created in whole or in part using any artificial intelligence system is not eligible.
V. Accepted work must be suitably framed, wired and ready for hanging. It is preferred that works on paper be framed or under Plexiglas or glass.
VI. Maximum weight of sculpture: 30 pounds. Wall mounted monitors must be provided for videos.
These eligibility requirements will be strictly enforced, and work will be refused if it does not comply with the requirements. The juror reserves the right to disqualify any work not suitably presented or that varies from the submitted image. Entry Procedure The nonrefundable entry fee is $30 for up to three works ($20 for Arts & Culture Alliance members and students). Up to three additional entries may be submitted for $5/each ($4 for members/students). Diptychs and triptychs are considered one work. Works are juried by digital image only. A “pay what you can afford” fee structure also exists and allows for three entries only. Each 2-D work should be represented by one digital image with an additional detail image if appropriate (texture, surface embellishment, mixed media, etc.); each 3-D work may be represented by up to three separate digital images. Send digital images as JPG files, identifying image with entry form number (A-F) and title of work (example: A.Title.jpg). Image size is ideally 1600 pixels on the longest side. For video works, please upload a still image in the application and email the Alliance with a link to the video on YouTube or Vimeo to view the entry. If you need any assistance with sizing of images, please email or call us! sc@knoxalliance.com or 865-523-7543 Uploaded images must be JPEG, JPG, or PNG files and may not exceed 5 MB in size per image (or they will not upload to the form).Application may be filled out online using the form below. Images may be uploaded with online application. Entry fee may be paid by check or credit card. Application, images and entry fee must be received by midnight on Sunday, March 2, 2025. All artists will receive a confirmation of their received entry when it has been processed.
Sales & Commission Work must be for sale. Every effort is made to promote sales. All sales are handled by the Arts & Culture Alliance, who retains a 25% commission (20% for cash and check sales). To operate in accordance with the Tennessee Department of Revenue guidelines, the Alliance will add sales tax to the price of each work that sells from the Emporium and for which it collects payment. Sold works are to remain in the exhibition until its official closing date and time, unless an alternate arrangement can be reached that is mutually agreeable to the Alliance, the Artist, and the purchaser of the artwork.
Shipment and Delivery Shipping artwork to and from the exhibit is the responsibility of the artist. All shipped work must be prepaid. A check for return shipping must be received in an amount based on the stated insurance value of the piece. (Please consider that shipping costs increase over time and the return shipping may be more expensive after the duration of the exhibition than the initial shipping cost). Artist may use his/her own shipping company preference and is responsible for scheduling delivery and pick up of work. Works must be shipped in very sturdy cardboard boxes or crates. Up to $50 will be charged for replacement crates and boxes not safe enough to return works. Please be sure to include detailed packing instructions along with shipped pieces. Works must be labeled with title and artist’s name. Late or damaged work is not accepted.
Ship/deliver artwork to: Arts & Culture Alliance, 100 S Gay Street, Suite 201, Knoxville, TN 37902 Attn: NO BIGGER THAN A BREADBOX (865) 523-7543 Schedule Entry forms, images, and fees received in Arts & Culture Alliance office by: midnight on Sunday, March 2, 2025 Notice of acceptance/rejection mailed: Tuesday, March 11, 2025 Hand delivery dates to Emporium Center: Monday, March 31, between 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM (EST) **Shipped works must arrive by 5:00 PM on Monday, March 31 Exhibit opens to the public with reception and Awards Ceremony: Friday, April 4, 2025, 5:00-9:00 PM with awards announced at 5:30 PM Exhibition dates: April 4-26, 2025 Gallery hours: Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM and Saturday, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM. Please note, the Emporium will be closed on Monday, April 21. Pick-up work (no work is released before end of show): Monday, April 28, between 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM Shipped works will be crated and ready for pick up by May 14, 2025. No work is released before the end of the exhibition. Any artwork left beyond 45 days after the last day of the exhibition may become property of the Alliance. Handling, Theft, Damage or Loss The Alliance agrees to handle all artwork with proper care so that artwork will not be damaged, excepting ordinary wear and tear. The Alliance shall not be liable for damage or loss caused by war, confiscation, order of any government or public authority, or by any and all causes beyond the control of the Alliance. The Alliance agrees to notify an artist within 36 hours by telephone, e-mail, and/or by written notification upon the event of any theft, damage or loss that occurs while artwork is in the possession of the Alliance. In the event of loss or damage to artwork at fault of the Alliance, the Alliance agrees to compensate up to reasonable market value on each artwork as agreed upon by Artist and the Alliance’s Executive Director. Insurance/Artwork Inventory Unless otherwise specified, ACA will insure up to $25,000 on all artwork in the Emporium throughout the exhibition. If necessary, Artist will insure work above that amount. Unclaimed hand-delivered work is not insured after the posted pick-up date. It is the artist’s responsibility to provide all insurance and shipping costs on works during shipment. Liability Receipt of the completed form constitutes Artist’s agreement with all conditions established in the prospectus. The Alliance reserves the right to use artist information and images for publicizing the event and/or on the website at www.knoxalliance.com. Consent to reproduce works photographically is assumed to be granted unless stated otherwise. About the Arts & Culture Alliance The Arts & Culture Alliance serves and supports a diverse community of artists, arts organizations, and cultural institutions. The Alliance receives financial support from the Tennessee Arts Commission.HOW TO ENTER – 2 EASY STEPS These two steps must be done separately – please make the payment, then fill out the form, OR VICE VERSA. Thank you! 1) Please make a secure card payment via Stripe at https://buy.stripe.com, or scan the QR code below. If you prefer to pay by check, please mail payment to: Arts & Culture Alliance, PO Box 2506, Knoxville, TN 37901. The entry fees are:
- Members of the Arts & Culture Alliance (or students): 3 entries ($20), 4 entries ($24), 5 entries ($28), 6 entries ($32)
- Non-members: 3 entries ($30), 4 entries ($35), 5 entries ($40), 6 entries ($45)
- “Pay what you can afford” – 3 entries only
2) Return to this page to complete the entry form below and upload your images. Be sure to click the submit button at the end of the form.
Uploaded images must be JPEG, JPG, or PNG files and may not exceed 5 MB in size per image. After you successfully upload an image, the file name will appear on the form. If you need to replace the image, click on the “Delete” link next to the file name.
Upon successful submission of the form, you will receive a copy to the e-mail address you provided (and this page will refresh).