Indy Arts Council Requests Art for Start with Art Silent Auction

Summary of Opportunity

The Indy Arts Council requests artists’ proposals of their artworks to be auctioned during the annual Start with Art fundraising event on August 22, 2024. Artists will receive their pre-set selling price for the piece(s) if they sell and anything above selling price will support the Arts Council’s mission. Artists who live and/or work in central Indiana (defined as Marion and contiguous counties) are eligible to propose their work. Selected art will be available for bidding online for approximately one week in August 2024.

Project Calendar

• Request released:  March 6, 2024
• Deadline to suggest artwork: April 7, 2024
• Artist notifications: by April 19, 2024
• Final artwork information with adjusted market value due: June 10, 2024
• Artwork delivered to the Arts Council offices: July 9-11, 2024
  • Works on paper must be delivered framed with glass or plexiglass, or slip sheeted in plastic with a rigid backing
  • Paintings on canvas must be delivered stretched and dry. Frames are optional
• Start with Art event: August 22, 2024, 3:00-5:00 p.m.
• Pickup of unsold artwork: August 27-29, 2024

About Start with Art and the Auction

Traditionally kicking off the fall arts season, Start with Art hosts over 700 arts, business, and community leaders to celebrate what makes our city unique. Funds raised support the Arts Council’s mission to advocate for equity in the arts and achieve “A Full Creative Life for All” in Indianapolis.

We invite Indianapolis-area artists to suggest existing items of their own work to be sold as part of the online auction. Bidding will last for approximately one week and will be open to anyone. Artists will set the market value of their selected work(s), and if it is sold to a bidder, the artist is guaranteed to receive the market value. The Arts Council will recognize the difference between the market value and the final bid price as a donation to support the Arts Council’s mission. Unsold works are returned to the artist.

The type of artwork that sells best are prints, paintings, small sculptures, jewelry, small fashion accessories, and works on paper (watercolors, photography, drawings, etc.) that are easily transported by their purchasers. Pieces that relate to Indianapolis and with a set market value of $200 or less also tend to sell well.

Eligibility

Artists over 18 who reside in and/or maintain a studio in central Indiana are encouraged to suggest their work. Central Indiana is defined as Marion County and its 7 contiguous counties:  Hamilton, Hancock, Boone, Hendricks, Johnson, Shelby and Morgan.

How to Apply

Visit indyarts.grantplatform.com and look for the Start with Art graphic in the list of open calls. Click the blue “Start Application” button and either login or register your account to begin.

You will need to provide the following information through the online application form:

• Artist contact information: name, phone number, email address
• Brief artist bio, or a link to a website with an online bio
• Up to 5 images of artwork, with year created, medium/media, and dimensions listed.
  • Please provide excellent images with your application, as they will be used for pre-auction promotional materials and the online auction website. The better the photograph, the more likely it is to sell!
• Market value for each suggested artwork
• Artist demographic information

Artists whose works are selected for the auction will be asked to complete a standard W9 form. Contributing to the auction does not include a ticket to the event.

QUESTIONS?  Contact Daniela Cardenas, Fundraising Intern, dcardenas@indyarts.org You can also call the office at (317) 631-3301 and ask for Daniela.