35th ANNUAL SPIRITUAL AND RELIGIOUS ART OF UTAH

October 13, 2021 - January 12, 2022

The Springville Museum of Art invites all Utah artists to enter this exhibition which celebrates the diversity of religious experience and belief in our community. Using different media to express these ideas, artists create works which will engage and inspire viewers to contemplate and reflect on the vibrant spiritual traditions we share. 

photograph of a man and woman sitting down next to each other facing the viewerrelief sculpture with various figures in contorted shapespainting of three men in traditional Jewish attire standing with arms over each other's shoulders, smiling at the viewer

Thank you for participating in the 35th Annual Spiritual & Religious Art of Utah Exhibition! We feel honored that you would share your work with us. We received a record number of entries for this year’s show and the jurying was especially competitive. Your work as a whole impressed the jurors and our staff, and all of us wished we could accept much more than would fit in the galleries. The jurors loved looking at each of your visual expressions of spirituality and religion and were moved by your creativity and dedication. Thank you again for participating.

If you are unable to pick up your artwork during the designated pickup periods, please schedule your art pickup by emailing Hannah at hbarrett@springville.org. No art pickups will be facilitated on Saturday, October 2nd. Scheduled art pickup is Thursday October 14 - Saturday October 16, 2021, 10:00am-5:00pm.



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SMA takes a small commission on artworks sold in exhibitions. All funds are put towards the growth and care of our Permanent Collection. 

Click here for a complete list of artworks available for purchase in the 35th Annual Spiritual & Religious Art of Utah Exhibition. Artworks can be purchased in person at the Museum or over the phone by calling 801-489-2727.

painting of joseph walking on a dirt trail, leading a donkey holding mary and jesus

Important Dates 

August 30, 2021 (before 5:00pm)
Online entry form available

Wednesday September 22, 2021 - Saturday September 25, 2021, 10:00am–5:00pm
Taking in artwork for exhibition during SMA administrative hours

Friday October 1, 2021 (before 5:00pm)
List of accepted works posted online

Wednesday October 13, 2021
Exhibition Opens
*Opening Reception and Artists in Conversation - Private Reception for artists and their guests, 6:30-8:30pm 

Thursday October 14, 2021 - Saturday October 16, 2021, 10:00am-5:00pm
First artwork pickup period
*If you’d like to pick up your work outside of the designated pickup period an appointment must be made with the curatorial staff by emailing hbarrett@springville.org

Wednesday November 17, 2022, 6:30-8:00pm
SMA unframed: Depictions of Divinity

Wednesday January 12, 2022

Closing date of exhibition

Thursday January 13, 2022 - Saturday January 15, 2022, 10:00am–5:00pm
Second artwork pickup period
*If you’d like to pick up your work outside of the designated pickup period an appointment must be made with the curatorial staff by emailing hbarrett@springville.org

Eligibility and Requirements

All Utah artists are eligible to participate in this annual exhibition of spiritual and religious fine art. Artists may submit one or two works of any medium or style of visual art produced in the last 3 years. All works must be original in conception and execution. Artwork must be prepared securely for display and cannot exceed 11 feet on its largest dimension. Works that hang on a wall cannot exceed 9 feet in height. Artworks exceeding 150 pounds or over 7 feet on its largest dimension must be approved by SMA curatorial staff in advance by emailing hbarrett@springville.org. All participating artists must agree to the Conditions of Entry and the Art Pickup Policy listed on this page. All work exhibited must comply with the SMA Community Standards policy. The Community Standards can be found here.

 
Entry Information

Original artwork must be received at the Springville Museum of Art September 22-25, 2021 during Museum Administrative Hours (10:00am-5:00pm). No entry fee will be charged. Any digital media that is submitted must be accompanied with the necessary hardware and technology to exhibit the work. Online Entry Forms should be completed at the latest before 9:00am on the day that you plan to bring your work to the Museum. These Online Entry Forms may be found on the Upcoming Exhibitions section of our website: www.smofa.org. Artist Statements and label information should be included with this Online Entry Form. The Museum encourages a diversity of beliefs and religions represented; if you have any questions about what kind of work may be submitted, please contact the Museum.


Distance Jurying

It is to your advantage to bring material artwork for the jurors to see in person.

Artists living over 100 miles from the Museum are eligible for digital entry. In addition to the standard online entry form, artists must email the Museum registrar at hbarrett@springville.org to inform them of a digital entry in advance and to submit jurying images, attaching up to three images per work. This email must be received and online entry forms submitted by Saturday, September 25 at 4:00pm. Should your artwork be accepted, the Museum will contact you on Monday, September 27, and artwork must be physically present at the Museum by 5:00pm on Tuesday, September 28, 2021.

Works selected by jurors through the digital entry process are conditional upon quality of actual object/image and presentation/framing/quality etc.


Artist’s Statement

The Springville Museum of Art requests that each artist include an “Artist’s Statement” about their work with each entry submitted. Please keep statements between 25 words minimum and 100 words maximum. Artists will be able to electronically submit their statement at the time they complete the Online Entry Form and it may be used in the jury process. Statements submitted electronically will be reproduced on labels for display.

Insurance Policy

SMA’s insurance policy insures artwork on loan (except for high risk art) for the "fair market value" of the artwork, not necessarily the sales price of the piece.  The "fair market value" is subject to an appraisal by a professional appraiser or art consultant, as determined by SMA’s insurance carrier.  All works accepted for the exhibition will be insured through January 12, 2022 also for the fair market value. Frames and pedestals will not be insured for damage.
High Risk Art: (If you are not sure if your work falls in this category, please talk with SMA staff when you submit your piece):

  • Paintings that are still wet or soft beneath the paint skin
  • Any unframed works of art or works of art whose surface extends beyond and in front of the frame
  • Works of art with previous condition problems
  • Particularly fragile artworks, mixed media, installation, multi-part or assemblage works, glass, ceramic, plaster, exposed paper, etc.
  • Poorly prepared pieces and frames (faulty wires, screw eyes, clips, etc.)
  • Works of art behind regular silica glass (Pastels may be behind silica glass and be insured. Other works must be behind Plexiglas.)
  • Artworks with exposed backs or simple paper backing (To be insured, works of art on canvas must have the back of the stretcher-bar covered by cardboard, foam core, etc., to protect the canvas.)
  • Artwork that requires special handling provisions

Release

All artists will be asked to sign a Release Agreement upon entry which affirms that they are the owner of the artwork being entered into the show. The artist will also (1) expressly waive any and all claims or causes of action that he or she has or may have in the future against SMA and Springville City arising from or in connection with the Exhibition and (2) agree to indemnify SMA and Springville City for any damages caused by artist and artist’s artwork and actions.

  
Jury Process


This exhibition is juried in conjunction with the SMA curatorial staff. 

Jurors: Dr. Rita R. Wright, SMA Director and Jean Irwin, Arts Education Manager, Utah Arts & Museums


Notification

A list of accepted work will be posted on the 35th Annual Spiritual & Religious Art of Utah webpage of the smofa.org website on Friday October 1, 2021 before 5:00pm. Award winners will be notified via email before the opening reception, where the award winners will be announced publicly. 

Art Pickup Policy

All artwork will be considered on temporary loan to the Springville Museum of Art (SMA) from date of entry, through the duration of the exhibition, until final pickup date listed below. Due to increased numbers of art submissions, artists must pick up all pieces from the Museum within the time frame specified here: 

  • Thursday October 14 - Saturday October 16, 2021, 10:00am–5:00pm
  • Thursday January 13 - Saturday January 15, 2022, 10:00am–5:00pm

Upon entering the show, the artist or representative acknowledges that any works not picked up by the dates specified above will be subject to a storage fee of $5/day. Artwork picked up between these dates will be subject to a $5 handling fee.  *Any exceptions to these dates must be arranged in advance with SMA Curatorial Staff by emailing hbarrett@springville.org. Storage and Handling fees will be waived if arrangements are made in advance with the SMA curatorial staff. After six months, any unclaimed artworks may be divested as SMA sees fit. Only the artist and those listed on the Online Entry Form as “Persons approved to pick up work” may take any art from the Museum.

Exhibition Events

Opening Reception and Artists in Conversation
Wednesday October 13, 2021, 6:30 - 8:00pm


SMA unframed: Depictions of Divinity

Wed. November 17, 2021 • 6:30-8:00 PM

Join us for an evening of conversation as we explore our invitational exhibition, Depictions of Divinity.  Acclaimed historian and religious studies scholar, Dr. Colleen McDannell and Museum Director, Dr. Rita Wright will discuss the artists' portrayals of divinity and how they relate to historical interpretations of the Divine across time and place. 


Awards, Purchases, and Sales

Artworks from the exhibition will be selected for cash and/or purchase awards. Awards are determined by jurors and curators. SMA retains a 30% commission on all art sales during the exhibition. Please price your work accordingly, coordinating with galleries if necessary. SMA staff will not set prices for artists. Prices cannot be changed after works have been dropped off and entry forms signed. Artwork will be sold as is, including any frames, pedestals, or other display supports provided by the artist.

1st Place Award - $1500

2nd Place Award - $1000

3rd Place Award - $750

(6) Awards of Merit - $150 each

Honorable Mentions - no cash prize 

 
Additional Questions?

Contact SMA’s Curatorial Staff at hbarrett@springville.org or 801-491-5702 

stained glass of christ with arms extended next to a treebronze sculpture of Joseph of egypttwo young boys in the traditional attire of tibetan buddhist monks sit next to each other reading a bookpainting set in a stable of a figure leaning over a baby wrapping him in clothes, with a sheep and other livestock in the backgroundabstract encaustic work with stark contrast between dark grays and cream colors

Images (left to right, top to bottom):

Megan Geilman, Adam's Dilemma

Michael Aaron Hall, Sons of Helaman

Willamarie Huelskamp, The Brothers Rubinfeld

Darren Gygi, Sermon on the Mount

Holdman Studios, Consider the Lilies

Ben Hammond, Joseph, the Overseer

Thomas Horton, Lesson

Walter Rane, Prince of Peace

Cindy Clark, Remember, Remember, It is Upon the Rock