Celebrating its 46th anniversary this year, the SMFA Art Sale has been the leading contemporary art sale in New England since its creation in 1978. Offering works across all mediums, the sale showcases a diverse selection of talented students, alumni, faculty, and friends of SMFA.
Each year, the SMFA Art Sale makes an impact beyond celebrating the creativity of our community; it also raises critical funds to support financial aid. Through both the generous donations from artists and purchases made by SMFA supporters, the financial aid dollars raised by the sale ensure a wide
breadth of creative voices from all lived experiences and backgrounds have access to SMFA at Tufts’ unique interdisciplinary educational program.
IMPORTANT DATES
2024 SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
NEW Submission Limits: We are asking artists to adhere to the following submission limits by medium, unless individually approved.
Artists may submit up to: two (2) wall hung works; five (5) unframed 2D works; three (3) 3D/sculptural works; and ten (10) pieces of jewelry. The max number of total works (aside from jewelry) that one artist can submit is five (5) works.
Please fill out this form for each work that you will be submitting.
Please make sure to print out your object labels an affix them to your work PRIOR to drop off.
Please ensure that all wall hung works are dropped off ready to hang.
When are you accepting submissions?
SMFA Art Sale submissions will be accepted from September 1st-30th, 2024.
Is there a fee for submission?
No. Registration for the SMFA Art Sale is free for students, alumni, faculty, staff, and friends.
What mediums will be accepted?
2D (Painting, Drawing, Photography, Printmaking, Mixed Media)
3D (Glass, Clay, Wood, Metal, Sculpture, Jewelry, Fiber, Leather, Mixed Media)
How many pieces may I submit for consideration?
We are asking artists to adhere to the following submission limits by medium, unless individually approved.
Artists may submit: up to two (2) wall hung works, up to five (5) unframed 2D works, up to three (3) 3D/sculptural works, and up to ten (10) pieces of jewelry.
Are there any size restrictions?
Due to storage constraints, we will not be able to accept large scale pieces that exceed 48 inches in height or width unless individually approved.
How should I document my work?
All artwork images should be high resolution, at least 1200 pixels tall and 1200 pixels wide. Images between 1-2MB in size are preferred. When possible, artists should plan to submit three (3) images for each work: the first image should be cropped to depict the piece in its entirety (no people, backgrounds, walls, or furniture), the second image should be a detail shot that shows surface texture, the third image should be an installation shot that shows scale.
Will there be a digital catalog or collection of works?
Yes, this year we will be working with Artwork Archive to create a digital collection. Please note that in order to have your artwork included on the site, you will need to adhere to our image resolution requirements.
Does my artwork need to be framed?
No, artwork does not need to be framed. However, if you are submitting framed art, please make all efforts to have the work "ready to hang," i.e. framed or on canvas/panel with a hanging mechanism (D-rings or wire) on the back. Picture hanging wire is preferred.
Will SMFA provide shrink wrapping?
Yes, SMFA will be providing two shrink-wrapping pop-ups on Monday, November 4 (12-7pm) and Wednesday, November 6 (12-5pm). Shrink-wrapping will be provided free of charge to current students and SMFA alumni, but artists must bring their own backing materials.
Do accepted artists receive a portion of the artwork sale?
The SMFA Art Sale is the school’s largest fundraising event, which benefits student scholarships and academic programs. While we encourage everyone to consider giving 100% of their proceeds to the school so that we can create opportunities for talented emerging artists to experience all that SMFA at Tufts has to offer, artists are responsible for setting their own donation percentage.
Are there any fees artists should know about?
No.
How will images of my artwork(s) be used?
Artwork will be used to promote the SMFA Art Sale and affiliated events. Participating artists grant the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts perpetual, royalty-free, nonexclusive license to use, without limitation, any artwork or related image to promote the school and associated events and programs.
When do I drop off my artwork?
ARTISTS MUST BE AVAILABLE TO DELIVER ARTWORKS Saturday, November 16 (10-8 pm) or Monday, November 18 (10am-5pm).
Can I ship my work to you?
At this time, we are not encouraging artists to ship their work. Please reach out to smfaartsale@tufts.edu to discuss options.
When will I be notified if my artwork sold?
All artists will be notified of the sale of their artwork by Tuesday, December 12, 2023.
More Questions?
For information or questions on artwork submissions, contact us at smfaartsale@tufts.edu. Due to the increased number of inquiries we receive this time of year, we recommend reaching out by email rather than phone.
