LAFTA

 LAFTA 30^th Anniversary Exhibition at PYRO Gallery

Call for Entries

Submission Due Date: May 24th!

Click here for: LAFTA Pyro Submission Form

Applicants to LAFTA 30th Anniversary exhibition at Pyro show –

PLEASE READ if you are planning to apply

Final reminder and notes from Jessica about issues with submissions:

• Midnight Saturday, May 24, is the final deadline for submitting applications to the LAFTA 30th anniversary exhibition
• Some people are having issues uploading photos. If you have sent in your application form by midnight of May 24 and you have also attempted to send in the photos, but you are still having issues with the photos (or if you have not heard back from me immediately), don’t worry! We will work it out in the next day or two after the deadline. If you are around to help me figure out your issue, I can still work on the files before sending them on to the juror. However, if you are having issues, but you have not sent in at least an attempt to upload the photos, you will have missed the deadline.

NOTES on recurring questions/issues:

• Information about applying to the show is here on the LAFTA home page (https://laftalouisville.org - scroll down past the June meeting info). In that information is a red text link to the downloadable submission form.

• When you submit your application, send an email to jbeelsdesign@gmail.com with the following items as attached documents:
  • A copy of the Word document submission form filled with your personal information as well as information about the artwork you are submitting for consideration, as requested on the form. I prefer receive this information in the Word format and attached in an email so I don’t have to retype. I understand that some people prefer to mail hard copies – that is fine, but let me know in the email that you are snail mailing me the hard copy so I don’t look for it as an attachment to the email.
• For each artwork listed on the submission form:
  • a photo of the entire piece (including frame or other mounting device that will be visible when hung in the show)
  • an optional second detail photo of each artwork.
  • Do not cut and paste your images into the Word document submission form – images are separate, individual attachments (see below).
  • The photos should be submitted as individual JPG files attached to the email, NOT as images cut and pasted into the submission form. They should be uploaded at the highest resolution (largest size) and will probably be at least 1 MB each if they are big enough. If your email application offers to change the size of the attached images before sending, pick the “actual” or “large” option (you should be shown how large the file is at that point) to be sure that the images are large enough. If you choose “small” or “medium” they will arrive at a severely reduced size and they will be too small to submit. You may have to send me a couple of emails with fewer photos attached at the larger size to get then all to me. Multiple emails are fine!
  • All work included in the show must be for sale.
  • You may send in up to 5 submissions per artist – individual submissions may include a group of artworks as long as you include a photo of the group together as your “full” image and the intention is that the entire group will be displayed together. If you choose to submit them as a group, they will be accepted or declined as a group, not as individual pieces. However, if they are accepted as a group they may be for sale as a group and/or individually.

Payment:

• You can pay via check mailed to Jessica – made out to LAFTA with a note that it is for the 30th Anniversary show or Pyro show

OR

• You can pay via the linked, big, green, rectangular PayPal “button” at bottom of the Membership page (https://laftalouisville.org/why-join/) that says “To submit your Member Show application fee.”

To celebrate the enduring talent and creativity of LAFTA members over the 30 years that is has gathered fiber and textile artists and enthusiasts in the Louisville area, PYRO Gallery has invited LAFTA members to show their work in LAFTA @ 30, a juried exhibition to be installed at the gallery (1006 East Washington Street, Louisville, KY 40206) from July 4 through July 27, 2025.

The exhibition, open to current members of LAFTA only, will be juried by Paula Kovarik (www.paulakovarik.com), a nationally recognized fiber artist. 

This is an opportunity to pull out the stops and shine! 

You are not required to have professional photos of your submissions, but in order to help you put your best foot forward, LAFTA will be offering a photography workshop on Saturday, April 26, at St Mark’s Episcopal Church. We plan to include a presentation on how to take high quality images of your work and we hope to offer an opportunity for members to have a professional photographer take images for you (for a fee). We will also send around a summary of the photography pointers to those who cannot attend. 

SCHEDULE of EVENTS and DEADLINES

• April 1–May 24: Applications accepted 
• Saturday, April 26: Photography workshop at St Mark’s
• Saturday, May 24: Final submission deadline, midnight
• May 25– June 10: Jurying
• June 10: Jurying complete, notices sent out
• Monday, June 30: Deliver work to Pyro Gallery for installation
• Friday, July 4: Exhibition officially opens
• Friday, July 11: Friday evening, opening reception, 5:30-8:30
• Sunday, July 27: Exhibition closes, artists can pick up work at the Gallery 4–5 pm
• Monday, July 28: Artists pick up work at the Gallery in the morning

APPLICATION FORMS and ARTWORK SUBMISSION:

Starting April 1, application forms will be available for download on the LAFTA website as well as from Jessica Beels (jbeelsdesign@gmail.com). You will be required to supply basic contact information about yourself, as well as information and images for up to 5 submissions (name, title of work. Dimensions, mediums and materials, price). The submission form will specify how to upload information and images for consideration. 

Image requirements: Photos should be in .jpg format with a minimum of 1920 pixels along the longest side of the image and a maximum resolution of 5 MB. We will provide some image formatting support to applicants and encourage applicants to attend the photography workshop on April 26, if possible.

What can you submit?

• All submissions must incorporate textile materials or fiber techniques (with broad and generous definitions of the terms). Please contact Jessica Beels if you have any questions.
• All work must be original and not infringe on any other artist’s copyright. In the context of fiber art, that would mean that work made from kits or using patterns would not be eligible. All work must be for sale, and PYRO will take a 50% commission on anything purchased during the show.
• All work must be completed by the time of submission and the photographs submitted must show the full completed work.
• There is no limit on when the artwork was completed – we want you to submit what you consider to be your best work, not necessarily your most recent work.
• Collaborations are permitted as long as all contributing artists are members of LAFTA. 

If collaborators need to join, they should visit the LAFTA membership page (https://laftalouisville.org/why-join/).

• Pyro can accommodate a wide range of work, including 3D work on pedestals and large wall hung work.
• A submission may contain more than one element or a group of pieces as long as all of the objects in the group are required to be displayed together to complete the piece. If a group of artworks comprise a series (separate, related pieces that can each stand alone), they will each be considered as separate submission for the exhibition.
• We will accept up to five (5) submissions per artist. 

Application Fee

The application fee (including one submission) is $20, $10 for current full time students, plus $5 for each additional submission. Artists may apply with up to 5 total submissions.  You can pay the entry fee in PayPal by using the button at the bottom of the membership renewal page (https://laftalouisville.org/why-join/).

EXHIBITING AT PYRO

Each admitted artist will sign a contract with the gallery – all art is insured through the gallery.

All artwork in this exhibition must be available for sale (split 50/50 with the gallery). 

Contact Jessica Beels (jbeelsdesign@gmail.com) with questions or to have a form emailed to you if you have trouble downloading it from the LAFTA website (after April 1).