Artist Membership at Upstream Gallery
WE ARE AN ARTIST-RUN GALLERY…
…with a defined and limited membership. New applicants' work will be reviewed by the existing membership and acceptance is by majority vote of this group. A vote to accept a new member is valid for one year, after which, if the artist in question has not joined, a new application will be required.
Membership includes a one person show in one of the two gallery spaces; rotating between the large and small rooms, roughly every 18 to 24 months. In addition, all members are encouraged to participate in 2-3 group exhibitions every year. Work sold is subject to a 20% commission to the gallery. Each member is responsible for curating and hanging their own show, and shall obtain any required assistance on their own. The gallery provides public relations and promotion for all group shows, and a monthly newsletter helps promote each of the solo exhibitions as well. The costs and promotion of all solo shows are the responsibility of the exhibiting artists. The gallery membership can provide guidance and information to exhibiting artists as requested.
Each member will be required to assume a portion of the shared responsibility toward maintaining the business of the gallery. This includes, but is not limited to, attendance and participation in the monthly meetings of the full membership; sitting at the gallery during business hours 12 times a year; and undertaking additional chores of administrative and curatorial duties of the gallery.
Membership meetings are usually held on the second Thursday of each month, at 5:30 pm, at the gallery, though members unable to attend in person can attend via a Zoom link. There are no meetings during July or August.
The gallery has liability insurance, but is not responsible for loss to artwork due to accident, vandalism, fire, theft, etc…
All members are responsible for their own opening receptions, including providing refreshments, cleaning up and vacuuming afterwards. Following shows, each member is also responsible for removing their work in a timely manner, as well as patching and touching up the walls.
Members remain free to join any other art group, gallery or exhibition in which they wish to participate.
If accepted as a member of the cooperative, annual dues are $1,200 per year, payable in two installments. There is an initiation fee of $100 for all new members.
Applications will be screened as they come in but not reviewed and voted upon until our membership convenes for that purpose, approximately three times a year. Once you have submitted an application, we will contact you and request that you drop off several actual samples of your work to be seen and examined in one of our membership review and election evenings.