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SAA members, museum staff and guests enjoy the awards' dinner.
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Q: What is the mission of the Society of Animal Artists?
A: The Society of Animal Artists is devoted to promoting excellence in the portrayal of the creatures sharing our planet, and to the education of the public through its informative exhibitions, art seminars, lectures and teaching demonstrations.
For a brief history please see: www.societyofanimalartists.com/info.html
Q: What is included with membership in the Society of Animal Artists?
A: Only members of the Society can participate in Society exhibitions and be eligible for selection for the nationwide "Art and the Animal" tour. Additional benefits include a free subscription to the semi-annual newsletter, a complimentary copy of the full-color annual exhibition catalog, a link to the artist’s website from our website, and email bulletins detailing a variety of opportunities in the field of animal art.
Q: What exhibitions are organized by the Society of Animal Artists?
A: The Society primarily organizes an annual exhibition, "Art and the Animal". This is a museum quality show that juries in the spring and opens in the fall.
Please see: http://www.societyofanimalartists.com/exhibits.html for a full listing of past venues.
A portion of the show is selected for the nationwide "Art and the Animal" tour by a consulting museum professional.
The Society also periodically holds sales shows at galleries, parks, and other public venues.
Q: How can I become a member of the Society of Animal Artists?
A: Artists interested in applying for membership in the Society may send applications anytime throughout the year for consideration at the semi-annual membership jury (May and November).
Please see www.societyofanimalartists.com/join.html for more information and application form.
Q: What is the difference between Signature and Associate members?
A: The membership jury elects applicants to either Signature or Associate membership. Artists cannot apply for a specific membership. Applicants who are considered to have reached full maturity as artists are offered Signature
Membership. Artists who are clearly proficient and demonstrate great promise with room for growth are offered Associate membership.
Associates have many of the same privileges as Signatures – they are eligible to submit entries to all Society exhibitions, receive all Society publications and are listed on the website with a link to their own website.
Associates differ from Signature Members in a few crucial ways – they are not entitled to use the initials "S.A.A." when signing artwork, may not run for office on the Society’s
Executive Board, and do not have membership voting privileges.
Q: How can Associates become Signature Members?
A: Associates are automatically offered a promotion to Signature Membership after exhibiting in three "Art and the Animal" exhibitions or in the event that they receive the Award of Excellence. Associates may also resubmit new artwork to the semi-annual membership jury for consideration.
Q: What does it cost to join the Society?
A: Signature members pay an initiation fee of $200 and annual dues of $160.00. Associate members pay annual dues of $100.00.
There is an additional $40 one-time fee for incorporating the new member into
the Society's virtual museum.
Q: Are there any additional fees?
A: Members entering work for any Society exhibition must pay a jury fee. If selected for the "Art and the Animal" exhibition, artists must pay a fee for reproduction of artwork in the full-color exhibition catalog
and virtual museum.
Q: Does the Society promote sales?
A: The Society is not a sales-based organization. It is dedicated to raising the stature of animal art and its subject matter by exhibiting at first-class museums and other venues. However, we do encourage and facilitate sales at most exhibitions. Although a number of artworks are sold at the "Art and the Animal" exhibition each year, please note that art displayed in this show does not have to be for sale.
To meet demand, the Society organizes sales shows from time to time which are held at galleries, parks or other public venues.
Q: Does the Society earn a commission on sales?
A: The Society has never earned a commission on sales of artwork displayed in the annual "Art and the Animal" exhibition or tour. The venues generally earn a 30% commission. For sales shows, the Society may earn a
small commission in addition to the venue’s commission rate.
Q: Who is on the jury?
A: Both the membership jury and the "Art and the Animal" jury are comprised of nine Signature
Members of the Society. Although jurors usually are members of the Executive Board, they are not required to be
Board Members. To provide fresh insight to the selection process, the "Art and the Animal" jury invites respected guest jurors from within the Society’s membership to join the regular sitting jurors each year.
Q: How is membership on the Society’s executive board determined?
A: Signature Members interested in running for an open seat on the
Society’s Executive Board must submit a request in writing to the Nominating
Committee. Nominees are then voted on by mail-in ballot by all Signature
Members. Terms are for three years.
Q: Does the Society sponsor workshops?
A: The Society does occasionally sponsor workshops. In addition, Society members may post workshops they are giving at www.societyofanimalartists.com/workshops.html
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All images on this website are © The Society of Animal Artists and the respective Artists.
Photos on the website courtesy of Jay Johnson, Bob Mason, San Diego Natural History Museum, Wes Siegrist, David J. Wagner, and Jason Yount. Artwork images are courtesy of the respective artists. |