Summer Exhibition FAQ

General Questions

What is the Summer Exhibition?
Our annual Summer Exhibition is up from mid-May through mid-September and open to the public every weekend. The exhibition includes the work of 30–40 emerging artists who have either participated in our artist residency or applied through our open call.

What does the Summer Exhibition space look like?
The exhibition is housed in Maxon Mills, a historic grain elevator in the heart of Wassaic. It’s not a traditional gallery space, so it presents unique challenges and opportunities when installing artwork (including dust and humidity).

Photos by floor ->
Floor plan ->

Applying

When are applications open?
See here.

What types of proposals do you accept?
We accept four types of proposals for our Summer Exhibition: ready to hang work, site-specific installations, temporary installations/performances and/or publication-specific works. Please include:

  • A formal description of the work you would like to show.
  • A three-sentence conceptual description of the work you would like to show or of your artistic practice more generally.
  • A note about any special circumstances you anticipate around the installation of your work. We have limited equipment available, so we need to know in advance if you require anything specific.

In general, be as specific as you are able in your proposal as to how your work might integrate into our space. Show us relevant work, and tell us how it relates to your proposal. Your application can include multiple proposals.

For ready-to-hang work
Please outline any special circumstances you anticipate around the installation of your work. (The Wassaic Project has limited equipment available. Please let us know in advance if you require any specific equipment).

For site-specific/responsive installations
Please include completed past works, drawings, and/or style references, and explain how the piece will look or function.

Artists interested in creating a site-specific installation for the 2023 Summer Exhibition are also eligible for an Exhibitions Fellowship to help realize their work. Up to five fellows will be offered a no-fee residency in April or May, and will be considered full participants in our residency program. No separate application is needed for the Exhibitions Fellowship, and acceptance of the fellowship — should it be offered — is entirely optional. Artists interested in making site-specific work for the exhibition should still apply regardless of whether or not they are interested in or able to be in residence in April or May.

For temporary installations or performances for our summer programming
Please explain how the piece will look or function.

Can I do an installation outdoors?
Yes. In your proposal, be sure to include any available documentation of similar installations you’ve made.

Can I do a performance?
Yes. We curate a series of performances for the opening day of our Summer Exhibition and throughout the summer. In your proposal, be sure to include any available documentation of similar performances you’ve done.

Is it necessary to have visited Wassaic before I submit work?
Short answer: No, not necessary.

Long answer: Artists submitting proposals for site-specific installations and performances are strongly encouraged to familiarize themselves with our spaces and submit proposals accordingly. Preference is given to artists who consider our space in their proposals. If you’d like to schedule an in-person visit, please reach out to will@wassaicproject.org. We, however, recognize that COVID-19 has made travel difficult for many, and are more than happy to send along images of or have a conversation about our spaces before you submit your application.

Accepted artists will be able to arrange site visits during the spring to work out the details of their proposal. Accepted artists making site-specific installations are encouraged, if possible, to make a site visit before installing and to check in with our Co-Directors and our Director of Artistic Programming during install.

I’m a mid-career or established artist, should I still apply?
Yes! Our applicant pool usually consists mostly of emerging artists, but we encourage everyone to apply.

Are applications open to international artists?
Yes.

Do I need to apply if I was a Wassaic resident in the past year?
Yes. No application fee, though, and you’ll get preferred consideration during the review process. If you have not been contacted by the Wassaic Project already, please email danielle@wassaicproject.org.

How does the review process work?
Applicants are evaluated by our Co-Directors — Eve, Bowie, and Jeff — and our Director of Artistic Programming, Will. Artists are selected based on the quality of the work and how well a given piece fits alongside other pieces selected for the show.

Don’t overthink this — there’s no one thing we’re looking for, and we’re always open to creative new uses of Maxon Mills as an exhibition space.

Installation

Am I required to install my own piece?
Only for site-specific or site-responsive work, or large sculpture (determined on a case-by-case basis).

If you are unable to install your piece yourself or you require special circumstances, time, or equipment, please state them in your proposal and we will try to accommodate your needs. Artists must be responsible for their own work.

When is install?
April 8 to May 10, 2024

When is the show?
May 18 to September 14, 2023

What if I need an extended period of time to install?
For more involved installations, please explain your installation process in your proposal and we can work out an alternate schedule. If your installation takes place over multiple days, we are able to provide housing for a few days in April (COVID-19 restrictions notwithstanding). Interested artists should reach out to will@wassaicproject.org ahead of time.

Artists interested in creating a site-specific installation for our Summer Exhibition are also eligible for an Exhibitions Fellowship to help realize their work. Up to five fellows will be offered a no-fee residency in April or May, and will be considered full participants in our residency program.

No separate application is needed for the Exhibitions Fellowship, and acceptance of the fellowship — should it be offered — is entirely optional. Artists interested in making site-specific work for the exhibition should still apply regardless of whether or not they are interested in or able to be in residence in April or May.

How do I get my work to Wassaic?
Artists are responsible for getting their work to and from the Wassaic Project.

Work may be delivered in the following ways:

  1. Bring your piece up with you during the install period on the train, by car, or by carpool with other artists.
  2. You may mail your piece to the Wassaic Project if you make arrangements beforehand. Please state in your proposal if you will need to mail your piece, whether you need someone else to install it, and why, and we will try to accommodate you. Please note that you will be responsible for the cost of shipping your work to and from Wassaic. If the cost of shipping your work presents a financial hardship, reach out to will@wassaicproject.org.

How do I get to Wassaic?
We’re accessible by car and by Metro-North’s Harlem line. More details here.

Do I need a car during install?
Nope, but it makes things easier — especially if your installation takes place over multiple days.

If you do not have a car, we recommend that you plan carefully and bring all the things you will need to install your work.

What should I bring to install?
Everything you need, including art (obviously), hardware, and tools. Lighting is provided, but if you have special requirements you should bring what you need to best light your work.

If you have any specific questions or requirements relating to install, reach out to will@wassaicproject.org.

Can I store the materials I used to pack and store my work in Wassaic?
Yes. Within reason, we can store your cardboard, boxes, or other packing materials until de-install as long as they are clearly labeled with your name.

When is de-install?
De-install will take place over a weekend in late September, after the closing of the Summer Exhibition.

How do I get my work back?
Artists pick up work during our de-install period after the show closes. The artist is responsible for packaging and picking up their work, unless you have arranged otherwise beforehand (please state this in your proposal). We can also arrange to ship your work back to you.

Fees and Commissions

Why is there a $25 submission fee?
It’s a full-time job curating our summer programming — we need to pay our staff! We try to keep the submission fee as low as possible so it isn’t a deterrent to submitting work.

That said, if the application fee makes the difference between applying and not applying, email danielle@wassaicproject.org and we’ll work something out.

Do you provide funding for new or site-specific work for the show?
Yes. In addition to our Exhibitions Fellowship (see above), we have funds set aside for the creation of new work or particularly ambitious projects. There is no separate application for these funds, but please indicate in your proposal if you would need financial assistance to realize your piece or project.

How much commission does the Wassaic Project take from sold works?
50%.

As a nonprofit, money from sold work goes directly to the costs of putting on the exhibition. We ask that in recognition of the press outreach and contact-building we do on our artists behalf, artists let us know about any sales they make directly as a result of their participation in the exhibition. We also ask that artists donate 10% of all such sales within one year from the exhibition to the Wassaic Project.

If you are an accepted artist with commercial gallery representation, please email will@wassaicproject.org to discuss gallery commission. We regularly work with represented artists and their galleries.

Question not answered above? Email danielle@wassaicproject.org.