Description

Arts Festival Reading Holiday Market, presented by GoggleWorks Center for the Arts, welcomes thousands of visitors to explore our historic, post-industrial campus and immerse themselves in the arts. Arts Festival Reading aims to act as a conduit for established and emerging artists to network and sell their work, while showcasing the handmade process through live art demonstrations and hands-on workshops. The two-day event also features live music and performances on the Sly Fox Stage, locally-sourced food and craft beverages, and much more.

Final Submissions Due: August 31st, 2021

Final Selected Artists Notified By: September 7th, 2021

Event Details:
Location:
GoggleWorks Center for the Arts
201 Washington Street
Reading, PA 19601

Dates & Time:
December 4th & 5th, 2021, 10am - 5pm

Set Up:
December 3rd, 2021 - specific scheduled time will be given closer to the date. Complete set up by 9:00pm

Breakdown:
December 5th, 2021 - breakdown begins at end of show (5pm) and must be completed by 9pm. Free onsite vehicle parking, use of loading dock, freight elevator if needed. Carts available on a first come, first served basis.

Artist Experience / Benefits:

Volunteer assistance with loading in and out
Artist Lounge (includes complimentary water, coffee, light snacks)
Volunteer booth sitters
Parking (1 vehicle onsite)
Opportunity to demonstrate process
Listing in printed program & event map
Booth signage & nametags
Promotional event graphics, posts, and hashtags you can use on your website, Instagram, and/or Facebook page
Online profile with featured product image
Invitation for 2 to VIP reception (sponsors, GoggleWorks board of directors, community leaders)

Festival Promotion:

Arts Festival Reading’s attendance grows every year and we work hard to attract both our recurring visitors and fresh, new faces. In addition to the GoggleWorks’ website (80,000+ annual visitors), digital newsletters (18,000+ subscribers), catalogs (4000 printed), Facebook (14,000+ followers), and Instagram (4300+ followers), we advertise our event utilizing the following:

Printed collateral (postcards, posters)
Direct mailing to GoggleWorks mailing list + EDDM
Event Emails
Advertising in regional newspapers and magazines and digital media
Social media advertising
Calendar listings in regional newspapers, online, and magazines
Local media/community partnerships

Criteria / Guidelines:

Applicants may choose to apply as an individual artist, emerging artist, or group (collective, studio, or gallery). Emerging artists must be 18 years or older with little to no prior experience vending. Group applicants are defined as a collective, gallery, or studio applying for one booth space that sells work from more than one artist.
Juried selection of artists is based on creativity, quality, and originality. Items offered for sale must be the original artwork of the artist and must be representative of that which was described in the application. No craft kits or mass merchandise allowed.
A three-sided booth is required. If you do not own one, professional panels are available for rent.

Applications must include 4 images of artwork, plus 1 image of booth or display. If accepted, GoggleWorks Center for the Arts reserve the right to use one or more of these images for marketing purposes, including social media and advertising. For group applicants, provide 1 image per artist. 4 images are required. If less than 4 artists, please upload multiple images from one or more artists. All images must be .jpg format at 300 dpi.

Applicants must self-identify their work in one of the following categories; for group applications choose one that best describes the majority of work to be sold:

Ceramics
Fiber
Glass
Jewelry
Mixed Media
Fine Art
Photography
Wood

Awards & Prizes:

All visiting artists to Arts Festival Reading are eligible for show awards, which are chosen on the first day of the Festival by two distinguished jurors. Cash awards of $300 (first prize), $150 (second prize), and $100 (third prize) are distributed in the categories of Fine Arts, Fine Craft, and Booth Design. In addition, all prize-winning artists are automatically juried into Arts Festival Reading 2019 and their application fee is waived (other fees are still applicable).

Fees:

Application Fee: $20

Due upon acceptance:

Booth Fees:

5 x 10 booth space: $200 (limited availability)

5 x 20 booth space: $275 (limited availability)

10x10 booth space: $225

10x10 corner booth space: $275

City Permit: $15

Electric Fee: $25 (if needed)

Professional Paneling: $75 (if needed)

Policies:

Waitlist: Waitlisted applicants will be held until December 2, unless notified. Once accepted and processed, waitlisted applicants’ fees are non-refundable.

Booth Location Requests: Booth placement is at the discretion of the festival and will be arranged well ahead of time. No booth requests will be accepted. Placement is determined by craft or art medium, pricing, and demonstrations to ensure an excellent guest experience, not on a first come / first serve basis.

About GoggleWorks Center for the Arts:

A prime example of adaptive reuse in architecture, GoggleWorks derives its name from the original structure from which it evolved—the Willson Goggle Factory, which opened in 1871 as the first factory in the U.S. to manufacture optical lenses. After a year-long renovation, and with generous support from the community and state government, the abandoned factory was transformed. One of the largest comprehensive arts centers in the country opened its doors in 2005. Today, GoggleWorks supports aspiring, emerging, and established artists through year-round arts education; including artist studios, workshops, classes, visiting artists, residencies, studio access, and exhibitions. Additionally, GoggleWorks offers a robust schedule of community programs and special events; including Arts Festival Reading, Spring Iron Pour, monthly Spotlight Nights, and our After School Arts Program. The campus is open daily from 9am-9pm. Admission and parking are always free. Visit our website here.