Fayetteville plans art gallery guide

The first map of Fayetteville’s art galleries launches this summer.

The Gallery Guide showcases Fayetteville art galleries by providing contact information, business hours, and a brief description of the gallery’s programming. It is designed for tourists, residents, and area supporters of the arts.

The guide also includes a list of regional art galleries.

This is the first project of the Fayetteville Creative Economy Action Group. The project is funded by the Fayetteville Advertising and Promotion Commission.

“This is an instance where our goals and the Fayetteville Advertising and Promotion Commission’s goals align wonderfully,” Creative Economy chair Sonia Davis Gutiérrez said. “We both want to promote and support Fayetteville as a creative destination and this Gallery Guide and map is a solid step in that direction.”

The Creative Economy Action Group will commission a local artist who resides or exhibits in Fayetteville to create a promotional gift to reward gallery patrons. This commissioned design will be given away to those who visit at least five participating galleries.

Visitors receive a stamp at participating galleries. When at least five stamps are collected, the visitor will receive the incentive gift, perhaps a button, pin or magnet featuring a local artist.

Fayetteville artists or designers are invited to send no more than five digital examples of their work in jpeg format to the following e-mail address: submissions@fayettevillecreates.com before May 1, 2010. Submission requirements can be found at Fayettevillecreates.com/galleryguide.

Work samples will be judged by a panel of jurors comprised of one representative from the Creative Economy Group, one representative from Advertising and Promotion Commission and one Fayetteville gallery representative. The selected artist or designer will be notified via email in May.

The featured artist will receive $500 for use of their work.

“It is our priority to create economic opportunities for local creative people,” Gutiérrez said. “In a small, but tangible way, this puts money into an artist’s or designer’s pocket for doing meaningful work for the community.”

The Fayetteville Creative Economy Group, formed out of the Fayetteville Forward Summit 2009, partnered with the Fayetteville Advertising and Promotion Commission in order to create the city’s first Fayetteville Gallery Guide.

You can download the entry guidelines here

(Guidelines updated April 9 to reflect that no more than five samples should be submitted.)