Information For Artists
Program Overview
Artists in Residence at Edgewood Cottage is a juried art show that features different artists each week. Think of Edgewood Cottage as your personal art gallery in a beautiful historic setting on Main St. in downtown Blowing Rock, NC. If selected, you will be present at the cottage to greet visitors, sell your art, and demonstrate your techniques. Feel free to continue creating art during your time at the cottage. Visitors love to watch artists practice their medium!
Call For Artists
The Call for Artists tab is available year-round, providing prospective applicants with information on the application process. This tab will be updated to indicate whether applications are currently being accepted. If the cottage is not accepting applications at the moment, applicants are encouraged to either wait for the next open call or indicate their interest in applying for the next unavailable season when submitting their work.
You can also find more detailed information regarding the Artists in Residence program on the Call For Artists tab.
Gallery Space
Edgewood Cottage comes alive during the Artist in Residence program! The cottage provides exceptional gallery space for artists. Recently updated gallery lighting also adds to the experience.
Interested artists should view the following video to get a feel for the space before applying.
Additionally, to give artists an idea of available wall space for displaying art, we have a page which details the cottage’s wall dimensions. There are also several large tables, a glass front cabinet, and space on mantles above fireplaces for displaying 3D and smaller art pieces.
Inside Cottage
What you should know before applying
The vast majority of artists that have participated at Edgewood Cottage say they would recommend this program to another artist friend. We want this to be a wonderful experience for every artist that participates, and we think it is important to set expectations appropriately. Below you will find information to consider before applying.
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You can expect between 300 to 500 visitors at the cottage during your week. Many of those are "lookers", and a few are buyers. Many may be interested in seeing your art and talking with you.
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You may or may not sell very much art at the cottage. Some artists sell thousands of dollars worth of art during their week; however, we have had some outstanding artists that sold very little.
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Diversity in size and prices of artwork is key to the success of the program. The vast majority of pieces sold are under $200, but more expensive ones may sell as well.
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Participating artists will be responsible for accepting payments for sold artwork and handling associated sales tax. It is helpful if you accept credit/debit cards.
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You must be present at the cottage during the open hours for the week of your show.
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Usually, most weeks will include one 2-dimensional and one 3-dimensional artist.
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Please note that Edgewood Cottage does not have sleeping accommodations, so you will not be able to stay overnight.
Who are we looking for?
This is a juried event, and quality of art matters more than anything else. Beyond that...
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We are looking for both 2 and 3-dimensional art.
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We expect to have some seasoned artists who are well known, and perhaps already represented in galleries. For those in galleries, you may promote your gallery work and encourage visitors to visit the galleries that represent you. This program is a great way to become better known and to let people know where to view more of your work.
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We also want the "undiscovered" artists. A number of our alumni artists became recognized as high potential artists at Edgewood Cottage and have gone on to be represented in galleries.
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Art guilds, galleries, and other artist groups are welcome to apply.
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Artists should have a solid inventory to ensure they take up half of the cottage space.
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It helps if you can promote yourself and your art. We will promote the event, but the most successful artists will also generate their own traffic into the cottage.
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It is also important for you to be comfortable and effective talking with visitors and prospective customers. During your week in the cottage, you are not only representing yourself, you represent all of us. Make visitors feel welcome!
Note: Keep in mind that the cottage is family friendly, so please ensure that your art reflects that.