Phoenix Zoo
Phoenix Zoo

Art on the Wild Side

Arizona Urban Wildlife: Surviving in a Complex World February 27 – June 29, 2025 Savanna Gallery at the Phoenix Zoo
Deadline was September 30th. Open to Members and Non-Members.

Deadline for entry has passed.
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Deadline for entry was September 30, 2024

Exhibition Detail

The Arizona Center for Nature Conservation (ACNC)/Phoenix Zoo’s Art on the Wild Side is a rotating art exhibit program in the Savanna Gallery at the Phoenix Zoo dedicated to inspiration, celebration and conservation through art. This exhibit will accept up to 50 two-dimensional works from fine artists and photographers that embody the Zoo’s mission to motivate its guests to care for the natural world.
The Phoenix Zoo has been a point of pride in Arizona for over 60 years. As the state’s most visited attraction, second only to the Grand Canyon, the Phoenix Zoo hosts over 1.4 million guests each year. With approximately 35,000 member households, it has the largest membership base of any cultural institution in the Valley.

Art on the Wild Side is proud to present Arizona Urban Wildlife: Surviving in a Complex World. While humans and wildlife have coexisted in Arizona for millennia, our modern urban environment creates new challenges requiring resilience and adaptation from our wild friends. How do we live in close proximity to each other, not only without causing harm, but rather fostering an environment of respectful coexistence?

Jurors

Works for the exhibition will be juried by the Phoenix Zoo’s Arts Committee and potentially other art experts who will select fine art and photography demonstrating excellence in terms of composition, technique, mastery of medium and quality of design. The final selection will be an exemplary showcase of a diverse group of representational two-dimensional art and photography.

Awards

The winner of a “Best of Show” award will be selected, as well as recognition for “Excellence” in various medium and themes.

Eligibility

This application is open to all artists who are at least 18 years of age, and who are working in the fine arts. Artwork should embrace the theme of Urban Wildlife: Surviving in a Complex World, as well as the Zoo’s mission:
The Arizona Center for Nature Conservation advances the stewardship and conservation of animals and their habitats while providing experiences that inspire people and motivate them to care for the natural world.

Entry Fees

$50 entry fee for up to 4 works per artist.

One or all entries may be accepted by the jury.

Entry Guidelines

  1. Applications may be submitted from August 1, 2024, through September 30, 2024, by 11:59 p.m. MST. Finalists will be announced no later than October 15, 2024. Only online entries will be accepted for this show through ShowSubmit.com starting August 1, 2024. NO MAILED SUBMISSIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED.
  2. Entries must be original works of original concept and design; the artist/photographer will be asked to share their website link or a short bio (250 words or less).
  3. Acceptable mediums for painting: oil, acrylic, watercolor, gouache, egg tempera, pastel, color ink, and encaustic.
  4. Acceptable mediums for drawing: conte crayon, colored pencil, graphite, charcoal, pen & ink, scratchboard and original hand-pulled prints.
  5. Mixed medium and collage pieces using the above-listed materials, as well as the use of textiles or fabric art, are acceptable.
  6. Original photography.
  7. Not acceptable mediums include craft, jewelry, digital prints, and any work containing computer generated elements of any kind.
  8. Maximum entries: Four (4) entries may be submitted for a $50 entry fee. One or all entries may be accepted by the jury.
  9. All works submitted for the competition must be available for sale.
  10. By submitting images to this juried opportunity, the artist/photographer understands and agrees that accepted images may be displayed on the Phoenix Zoo’s website, Facebook page, and other social and/or print media. Images do become part of the Phoenix Zoo’s archives and may be used for this and future ACNC/Phoenix Zoo promotions. Artists will retain copyright to their image(s)
  11. By entering this exhibition, the artist/photographer agrees that they have read and will abide by all rules outlined in this prospectus and the Exhibition Agreement.

Application

The Exhibition application process will open August 1, 2024, at 10 a.m. MST. The entry form must be filled out in its entirety. List sizes up to the nearest inch (high X wide). Submitted images must not include matting or frame. Crop the photos to include only the artwork. Be sure your images are right-side-up.

Before uploading your images, make sure they at least 1500 pixels on the longest side. Images should be in JPEG format, sRGB color space. For more information, se the Image and Filename Specifications section below.

Entry Fees

$50.00 for up to Four (4) entries. Entry fees are non-refundable.

Juryling Notification

All jury status notifications will be emailed and posted on ShowSubmit.com no later than October 15, 2024.

Accepted Works

The decision of the jurors is final. All accepted artists/photographers will be provided with an Exhibition Agreement to be completed, signed, and returned to the ACNC/Phoenix Zoo by December 1, 2024.
Once accepted, works may be pre-sold but must hang in the Savanna Gallery for duration of show and proceeds must be shared under Commission terms outlined below.
All accepted paintings, drawings and photographs must be framed or gallery-wrapped (gallery wrapped must be finished, painted around edge, no tape), and wired for hanging. The ACNC/Zoo reserves the right to refuse a work, though it may have been juried into the show.

Sales Commission

Sales will be facilitated by the Phoenix Zoo. The ACNC/Phoenix Zoo asks that 30% of the sales be donated back to the Zoo for its conservation efforts. We encourage each exhibiting artist/photographer to promote the sale of their work(s) on their social media platforms and websites. Most sales take place during the ACNC’s Opening Reception, and participating artists/photographers are encouraged to attend.

Delivery

Works must be wrapped for their protection with the name of the artist/photographer clearly indicated on the outside. Artists will be asked to schedule a specific date and time within the week of February 11, 2025. All artwork/photography will need to be delivered or received by the Phoenix Zoo no later than February 15, 2025.

Liabilities, Responsibilities, Sales

By entering this exhibition, the artist agrees that they have read and will abide by all rules outlined in this prospectus. Entry fees are non-refundable. Submission of work for this exhibit will be construed as acceptance of all conditions set forth in this Prospectus. The Phoenix Zoo’s Savanna Gallery reserves the right to return work that does not meet exhibition standards. Every reasonable care will be taken with original artwork. The Zoo’s Savanna Gallery will be responsible for insurance of artwork while on Zoo premises for the amount specified in the Exhibition Agreement. The artist/photographer is responsible for insurance of artwork to cover the full value of the artwork while in transit.

Calendar

  • August 1, 2024 - Applications open
  • September 30, 2024 - Applications close
  • October 15, 2024 - Finalists announced
  • December 1, 2024 - Completed and signed Exhibition Agreement due back to the Zoo
  • February 15, 2025 - Artwork must arrive at the Phoenix Zoo
  • February 27, 2025 - Exhibition opens to the public
  • March 7, 2025 - Opening Reception and Awards Ceremony
  • June 29,2025 - Exhibit closes
  • June 30, 2025 - Pick-up unsold work from Phoenix Zoo
The Arizona Center for Nature Conservation/Phoenix Zoo looks forward to receiving submissions to what we expect will be an amazing show dedicated to the conservation of the natural world.

Questions

For more information about the Savanna Gallery at the Phoenix Zoo website. For technical support, please see the Support section below.

Additional Notification Information

Notifications will be emailed and posted in your ShowSubmit account by the end of the day on October 15, 2024.

You may view the notification in your ShowSubmit account by logging in and tapping the Notifications at the top right of the screen, or in your Entry History (Accepted works will be notated by a green check.)

If you do not receive your email, login and view the notification in your account. We cannot respond to inquiries regarding the status of notifications.

Note: Entries made prior to 2023 may not display the View Notification link.

Image and Filename Specifications

  • Submit your original JPEG image files.
  • Crop out all parts of the photo that are not the actual work; do not show mat, frame, etc, only the work itself.
  • Image must be displayed right side up.
  • You do not need to resize your image files.
  • You do not need to rename your image files.

Additional Entry Information

  • You will pay for your entry by credit or debit card using our secure checkout system.
  • After your entry is submitted and paid for, you may log back in to review your entry, edit artist and image information, and add or substitute images up until the entry deadline (September 30, 2024.)
  • Entry fees are not refundable and must be submitted and paid by the entry deadline.
  • Entries cannot be accepted or changed after the deadline. Incomplete entries will be disqualified.

Support

For questions about the entry process or this website please contact ShowSubmit Support at [email protected]. We will get back to you between 9am and 6pm Eastern Time, Monday to Friday. You can also view the Support Center, Entry Guide, or our FAQ.