APPLICATION FOR LEHIGH ART ALLIANCE AT THE PROMENADE
The Lehigh Art Alliance At The Promenade currently does not have any spaces open.
However, anyone interested in joining is welcome to submit an application. Applications will be evaluated in the event of a vacancy on a rolling basis. Applying does not guarantee acceptance.
Lehigh Art Alliance At The Promenade is a co-operatively run gallery comprised of over 25 local/regional Lehigh Valley artists who are LAA members. We only accept artists who live in the Lehigh Valley and surrounding areas.
Members agree to a one-year financial commitment to the co-op and commitment of time and energy toward gallery operations. The approximately 2500 sq ft gallery offers wall and limited shelf space to accommodate art of almost any media. It also has ample floor space for sculpture on pedestals or floor-standing.
Becoming a member involves a three-step application process: submitting an application, an interview with the Membership Selection Committee, and a jury process in which current members evaluate the applicant’s cart for suitability for the gallery.
MEMBER’S FINANCIAL COMMITMENTS TO LAA PROMENADE GALLERY
Members are in effect shareholders of the gallery, and as shareholders, share the financial burdens - Wifi, supplies, advertising, and the like.
The following three basic financial contributions are required of members:
Initial Fee of $50: essentially a buy-in to the co-op. This fee covers one year of gallery membership. Members are not required to stay the full year. Additionally, since the availability of the space at the Promenade is dependent on a business leasing the space (LAA was gifted the space to use until a business wants to lease the space), LAA cannot guarantee that the gallery will be in this space perpetually. The $50 will not be refunded if an artist chooses to leave before their year is up or if LAA is asked to vacate the space.
Lehigh Art Alliance Membership Fee of $35: This fee is for a general LAA membership that allows members to participate in additional juried gallery exhibits at various locations throughout the year, as well as educational workshops, and more.
Commission on sales. Currently, the gallery commission is 10% of the sale price, and this is deducted from each artist’s sales after taxes.
NON-FINANCIAL COMMITMENTS REQUIRED OF LAA PROMENADE GALLERY MEMBERS
All members must staff the Gallery. Hours to be worked are available via Sign-Up Genius, a link sent to the members where they can sign up for various shifts. The number of hours required of each member is prorated by the number of members of the gallery and by the number of hours the Gallery is scheduled to be open (on average, 5 times a quarter).
The gallery is currently open on Fridays 4 - 8 pm, Saturdays 10am - 8pm, and Sundays 12pm - 5pm.
Members also help with opening receptions and special events. LAA Promenade Gallery members are encouraged to hold workshops in the space, use the space as a working studio, and invited to submit other creative ideas to utilize the space.
Each quarter, members will change out their artwork to freshen the space and offer new work to customers. An opening reception will be held each quarter to celebrate the new work and encourage sales.
SPACE ALLOCATION
The Gallery has been divided into artists space that are subject to rearrangement as artists join and leave the Gallery. Each quarter, artist spaces will be reassigned via a lottery system to give artists a different space within the gallery and equal opportunities. Half spaces (approx. 36” wide) are reserved for artists who have a smaller body of work. Full spaces (approx. 80” - 90” wide) are for artists with larger bodies of work.
APPLYING FOR ADMISSION
The application is below. Please fill out the form as best you can. The committee will review your application and evaluate it on the quality of your artwork, saleability of your artwork, your availability to work the Gallery, and the professionalism of your presentation.
When minimum requirements are met, the applicant will be asked to come to an interview, bringing sale-ready samples of their work. In this 20-30 minute interview, the applicant will be asked about their artwork, competency in a retail environment, and about themselves in general. Applicants with positive interviews and completed applications will then have their work juried by the gallery members. Allow 2-3 weeks for this process.
If space is currently available, successful applicants will be invited to become a member of LAA At The Promenade. Unsuccessful applicants will be notified as well. If space is not available, the applicant’s name will go onto a waiting list until space becomes open.
As co-owners and representatives of LAA, members are expected to act professional and responsibly, maintain courteous and friendly relations with each other and the public, handle and promote other members’ work as they would their own, get to know each other’s work, and keep the gallery looking and sounding inviting.
Working at the Gallery can be rewarding, even fun! It’s what the artist makes of it. The co-op encourages artists to bring their projects in to work on, if possible; this tends to draw people’s interest and stimulate conversation with prospective customers. Whether you’re practicing your art, catching up on paperwork, or doing needed gallery chores between spurts of sales activity, the most important thing is to make those who wander into the Gallery feel welcome and to feel our Galley is special!
If you have any questions, please contact Kat Collins, Gallery Director, at lehighartalliance@gmail.com