Apply for Signature Membership

Image: “Blue Vases”, by Lisa Ober, PSA, IAPS-MC, HACS

We are now accepting applications for Signature Membership!

Heartland Art Club welcomes applications for Signature Artist Membership by fine artists whose work aligns with the Club’s mission. Artists awarded Signature status have bodies of work that exhibit a high level of skill in the artist’s chosen medium/media and reflect the Club’s mission to promote quality representational art.

Applications will undergo careful review by a panel of independent jurors, comprised of accomplished representational artists, at least one of whom works in three-dimensional media. Jurors have undergone a thorough vetting process involving nomination by the Heartland Art Club Board of Directors. The composition of the jury panel will change for each signature status application period.

Eligibility of Applicants

Any non-juried Member in good standing may submit the application for Signature Artist Membership. Please note that Founding Membership is a non-juried membership level, and any artists who joined at this level must update their 2024 regular membership and complete the Signature Artist Membership application and undergo the same jurying process as General Artist Members.
If you have not already joined HAC as a General Member in 2024, you must first complete the General Membership process (including paying your annual dues) prior to submitting the application for Signature Artist Membership. You can sign up for General Membership here.

Eligibility of Artwork

Applications are welcome from representational fine artists creating 2D artwork in the traditional drawing, painting, and/or printmaking (must be original, hand-pulled/colored) media, fine art photography, and 3D sculptures in the traditional casting, carving, and/or modeling techniques (sculptures that incorporate 3D printing will not be considered).
At this time, collages, paper cutting, assemblage/found object works, textile/fiber art, and computer generated works such as fractal/algorithmic, 2D digital painting, manual vector drawing, 2D computer graphics are not eligible for Signature Membership.

Download a Copy of Eligibility Requirements

If you have any additional questions regarding permissible media or any other aspect of this policy, please contact us at art@heartlandartclub.org.

Application Process

Applicants should submit 10 samples of their finest representational artwork for evaluation by the jury panel.
- 2D artists should only submit 1 image of each entry – please do not submit detail views of 2D work.
- 3D artists should submit at least 2 views for each artwork (maximum 3 views per entry).
- While we are not asking artists to date the artworks in their application, we respectfully request that artists submit images that are representative of the body of work that they are actively producing.
All images for review must be of entirely original artworks, from concept to creation, and created by a single artist (i.e., no collaborative works). Copies of works by other artists, as well as work completed under the supervision, or with the assistance, of an instructor, are not eligible.
Images must be formatted according to the following specifications:
- JPG/JPEG
- Maximum 2500 pixels on the longest side
- Maximum file size 3MB per image
- Please save your image files in the following format: Last Name_Title_Medium – for example: Smith_Harmony_Oil.
Applicants are expected to submit images that accurately represent the actual artworks and to ensure that the presentation of their images adheres to professional standards (i.e., straight, without glare, without frame or matting, etc.).
Entries may not be digitally edited, enhanced, or altered in any way, except as necessary to ensure the most accurate representation of the work in the submitted image (e.g., minor color corrections or minimization of defects, such as glare, straightening of format, that improve the accuracy of, but do not otherwise enhance, the image).
Please note that some parts of the application form are optional, while others are mandatory. All required fields (indicated by *) must be completed to ensure that your application is eligible for review.

Jurying Fee

There is a flat-rate jury fee of $100. Payment of this fee is required for your application to be considered “complete” and eligible to be juried. Please note that this jurying fee is separate from, and in addition to, the General Membership Dues.
You will be prompted to pay the jurying fee via the website immediately following submission of the online application form. If you are not prompted to pay the jurying fee upon submission of your application, please contact HAC at art@heartlandartclub.org with the subject line “HAC Jury Fee,” so that we may arrange payment and verify that we received your completed application materials.
Please note that both your completed application and jurying fee must be submitted prior to the deadline.
If you do not follow the instructions for submitting your Signature Status application, you will be disqualified, and your fee returned.

Timeline

Application Deadline: 11:59PM CT on May 31st, 2024 (application and fee)

Jury Notification: On or around June 16th, 2024 (via e-mail)

Notes & Reminders

If you did not receive e-mail confirmations for both your application and jurying fee, please contact us at art@heartlandartclub.org. Otherwise, we respectfully ask that artists do not call or e-mail to request application status updates.

Again, please note that if you are not an HAC Member in good standing, your application for Signature Artist Membership will not be considered. If you still need to join as a General Member, please sign up and pay your dues.

Questions & Contact

If you have any questions, please contact us by e-mail at art@heartlandartclub.org.