Press ReleaseEntries Sought for ICPL’s 2018 Art Purchase Prize


Calling all artists! The Iowa City Public Library is seeking entries for the 2018 Art Purchase Prize contest!

The Art Purchase Prize is open to artists over the age 18 who live/work/exhibit in the Iowa City or the Johnson County area. Library employees and their immediate family are ineligible for entry.

The Library will begin accepting artwork on September 1.

Any two-dimensional or low-relief media are acceptable, including: drawing, painting, printmaking, photography, collage, paper/textile and mixed media. All work must be original, and created within the last three years. Works should be priced under $300.

To enter, artists should submit a digital image representation of their original work(s), and those should be in .jpeg format, with a minimum resolution of 72 dpi and a minimum size of 1024 x 768 pixels. Artists may enter two original artworks.

Finished artwork must be at least 12 x 12 and no larger than 34 x 34. Works chosen for final judging should be unframed, and matted and/or mounted as needed to create a finished piece. Archival or museum-quality materials must be used for printing, mounting and matting. Works must be suitable for framing and covering with Plexiglas.

The Library takes responsibility for framing works chosen for purchase.

Entries can be emailed to Candice-Smith@icpl.org, or mailed on disc to Candice Smith at the Iowa City Public Library, 123 S. Linn St., Iowa City, IA 52240. Entries must include the artist's name, address, phone number and email, and the following for each artwork: title, medium, size/matted size (if appropriate), and price.

Art will be accepted from September 1 until October 9. The first round of judging will begin on Tuesday, October 16. Finalists will be notified, and asked to bring their work in on Tuesday, October 23. Final judging will be on Wednesday, October 24.

Winning pieces will go on display for a period of time, before being added to the Library’s Art To Go collection of circulating artwork.

For more information, visit www.icpl.org/about/art-prize or contact Candice Smith at Candice-Smith@icpl.org